Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN2696
2002-05-28 08:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST AND SUICIDE

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS AMMAN 002696

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST AND SUICIDE
BOMBINGS


Summary

-- The lead story in the Jordanian media today, May
28, focuses on the Moroccan King's visit to Jordan and
his talks with King Abdullah about regional
developments. Another lead story highlights the
suicide bombing in Tel Aviv yesterday and ISRAEL's
"reoccupation" of some Palestinian cities.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Martyrdom operations are within the context"

Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(05/28): "In the beginning of the Intifada and when
ISRAELi occupation forces would enter the Palestinian
areas known as zone A, we would hear protests all the
way from Europe to the United States, forcing ISRAEL
to pull its forces. This happened because the world
then believed that these ISRAELi invasions would
destroy the peace process. We no longer hear these
protests. The reality is Zone A does not exist in
practice, and, simply, neither does the Palestinian
sovereignty on the ground. The clock has really
turned back. The victims are the peace process and
the Oslo accord. And while the Palestinians argue
about `reform' and `elections', Sharon's occupation
becomes a reality covered up by the United States and
met with international silence. Sharon's thugs defend
their continuous invasions and mass arrests in the
West Bank as actions to stop `terrorist' operations.
Yet, these operations are within the context. They
are a humble response to an occupation that is
determined to impose its hegemony on a besieged
people."

-- "Division about martyrdom operations"

Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(05/28): "In principle, these operations cannot be
considered a routine aspect of a liberation movement.
A suicide bombing in a facility for young men, women
and children will only be viewed as a brutal action,
and thus cannot be supported or justified before the
world. However, in some instances they can explained
and in turn push for a balanced international pressure
to put an end to the causes and circumstances. When
Sharon is determined to use his military power to
crush the Palestinian people and destroy them, that
crushed and unarmed party has no other choice to
respond to this brutality except by similar brutality.
The suicide bombings represent a sensitive and serious
issue. They must be made to be linked, in the eyes of
public opinion, with the idea of a response to ISRAELi
brutality."
GNEHM