JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON SITUATION IN THE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002184

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL
NICOSIA FOR ILMG
STATE PASS TO AID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON SITUATION IN THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES, THE FUTURE OF ARAB-AMERICAN
RELATIONS


SUMMARY
THE MAIN NEWS REPORTS IN JORDAN'S DAILIES WERE STILL
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. THE
PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS WERE THE END OF THE SIEGE ON
ARAFAT'S HEADQUARTERS, ISRAEL'S REJECTION OF THE U.N.
FACT-FINDING MISSION, AND ARAB CALLS TO EVOKE THE 7TH
ARTICLE OF THE UN CHARTER.

A NUMBER OF EDITORIAL COLUMNISTS PRAISED THE KING'S
ROLE IN UNDERTAKING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO THE U.S.
OTHERS COMMENTED GLOOMILY ON FUTURE ARAB-AMERICAN
RELATIONS IN LIGHT OF THE U.S. POSITION ON THE MIDDLE
EAST CONFLICT.


NEWS REPORTS
LEAD STORIES IN JORDAN'S DAILIES ON MAY 2 CONCENTRATED
ON "THE START OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENDING THE SIEGE
ON ARAFAT," AND THE TRANSFER OF "ZE'EVI'S KILLERS TO
JERICHO."

DAILIES ALSO REPORTED THE COLLAPSE OF THE FACT-FINDING
MISSION, UNDER HEADLINES THAT ANNOUNCED: "SECURITY
COUNCIL TO DEBATE THE ISRAEL'S REJECTION OF THE FACT-
FINDING MISSION, ARAB DRAFT RESOLUTION CALLING TO EVOKE
ARTICLE 7."

DAILIES ALSO QUOTED AGENCY REPORTS ABOUT A "U.S.-SAUDI
STRATEGY TO PRESSURE ISRAEL INTO ENDING THE CURRENT
CRISIS.


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES

-- THE KING'S VISIT TO WASHINGTON
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON MAY
2: "HIS MAJESTY KING ABDULLAH STARTS AN IMPORTANT VISIT
TO THE U.S. IN WHICH HE ADDRESSES AMERICAN PUBLIC
OPINION AS WELL AS DECISION MAKING INSTITUTIONS, THINK
TANKS, AND THE MEDIA. HIS DISCOURSE WILL HIGHLIGHT
THREE POINTS: FIRST, THAT THE OSLO AGREEMENTS AND
PHILOSOPHY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR FUNCTIONS, AND THAT
THERE IS NO USE IN SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WITHOUT A
POLITICAL DIMENSION, OR TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENTS WITHOUT
THE FINAL SETTLEMENT. SECOND, THAT WASHINGTON STANDS
AS THE ONLY DECISION-MAKING CENTER THAT REMAINS
CONFUSED BETWEEN THE NEO-CONSERVATIVE TREND THAT PUSHES
FOR MORE FLAGRANT BIAS IN FAVOR OF THE HEBREW STATE,
AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT THAT IS BEGINNING TO REALIZE
THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH A POLICY. THIRD, THE NEED TO
RESTORE THE PNA AND ITS LEADER AFTER THE CAMPAIGNS THAT
AIMED TO MARGINALIZE AND DESTROY THEM. THIS DISCOURSE
AND THE FIELD ACTIVITY THAT WILL FOLLOW WILL BE THE
QUIET RESPONSE TO THE BOISTEROUS CLAMOR THAT SURROUNDS
US WITHOUT HAVING ANY VISIBLE CONSEQUENCE."

-- SHOULD WE LOSE HOPE IN AN HONEST AMERICAN MEDIATION?
FORMER NEWS DIRECTOR IN JORDAN TELEVISION YAQOUB JABER
WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-
DUSTOUR ON MAY 2: "I FEAR THAT THE PALESTINIANS HAVE
LOST HOPE OF AN HONEST AMERICAN MEDIATION THAT MAY
PRODUCE A JUST SETTLEMENT OF THEIR STRUGGLE WITH
ISRAEL. AN HONEST MEDIATION WOULD EXERT PRESSURE ON
ISRAEL THAT OCCUPIES THE LAND, KILLS AND MUTILATES THE
PEOPLE, AND REJECTS PEACE. BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS THAT IT NOT CONTENTED WITH
FLAGRANT SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AND ITS BLOODY CRIMES IN
PALESTINIAN TOWNS AND VILLAGES, BUT ALSO TOTAL ENMITY
FOR PALESTINIANS AND THEIR LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP. AND
WE WOULD BE MISTAKEN TO THINK THAT THE PRESENT
ADMINISTRATION IS MORE BIASED FOR ISRAEL THAT ITS
PREDECESSORS. BUT WE SHOULD NOT REACH THE POINT OF
DESPAIR. OUR OBJECTIVE SHOULD BE TO REACH AMERICAN
PUBLIC OPINION THAT MAY HAVE BEGUN TO BE AROUSED BY
ISRAEL'S MOST RECENT CRIMES AND STARTED TO FEEL ITS WAY
IN THE TOTAL OBSCURITY IMPOSED ON IT BY ZIONIST
PROPAGANDA."

-- THE MORE IMPORTANT BATTLE HAS BEGUN
DAILY COLUMNIST KHALIL AL-SAWAHIRI WROTE IN CENTER-
LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON MAY 2:
"THE SIGHT OF THE YOUTH IN JENIN CAMP, AFTER SURVIVING
THE MASSACRE, AS THEY TROD ON CASES OF AID BEARING THE
U.S. FLAG SENT WAVES OF PRIDE IN OUR SOULS THAT ARE
SUNK IN SORROW AND FRUSTRATION. [THE PALESTINIANS]
HAVE RETURNED TO AMERICA, THE FULL PARTNER IN THE
CRIME, ITS CRUMBS OF ASSISTANCE THAT ARE SOAKED WITH
THE BLOOD OF INNOCENT PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. AND LIKE
THEM, ARABS REFUSE TO CONTINUE FINANCING THE BARBARIC
AMERICAN ONSLAUGHT BY BOYCOTTING AMERICAN PRODUCTS. I
WAS AMAZED TO HEAR MY SEVEN YEAR-OLD GRANDSON TALK
ABOUT THIS BOYCOTT, FOR HE KNEW EXACTLY THE NUMBER AND
TRADEMARKS OF THE PRODUCTS THAT HE AND OTHERS OF HIS
GENERATION HAVE BOYCOTTED THROUGH THEIR CONVICTION THAT
EVERY PENNY SPENT ON THEM WILL RETURN AGAINST US AS
BULLETS AND BOMBS. AMERICA MAY NOT BE CONCERNED WITH
THIS BOYCOTT, SINCE IT HAS LOTS OF OTHER MARKETS, BUT
THE CRUCIAL POINT IS THAT ARAB AWARENESS HAS BEEN
RESTORED. THE BOYCOTT IS NOT A MERE REFUSAL TO
CONSUME, BUT A POLITICAL AND MORAL COMMITMENT THAT IS
GROWING EVERY DAY, AND IT IS THE START OF THE
CONFRONTATION AND ARAB SELF-DEFENSE AGAINST TOTAL
SURRENDER TO AMERICA OR ANYONE ELSE. AMERICA WILL
DISCOVER WHAT A QUAGMIRE IT HAS DRAGGED ITSELF IN BY
ITS SHAMEFUL SUPPORT OF THE ISRAELI RACIST AND BARBARIC
AGGRESSION." GNEHM