MEDIA REACTION ON U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004645 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 U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS Summary -- Reports of the U.S. decision to decline supplemental assistance to Egypt in the wake of the guilty verdict of U.S.-Egyptian national, Saad Eddin Ibrahim were featured in all papers over the weekend, August 16-18. Straightforward wire service reports carried the U.S. decision to deny supplemental assistance and Egypt's protest of U.S. "meddling" in its internal affairs. A number of editorial commentaries today, August 18, treated the issue as evidence of a U.S. plan to put another Arab country on the defensive; while others viewed the affair as a "further episode" in the U.S. "plan to redraw the Middle East". Speculation about the war on Iraq as well as Israel's "violent" measures against the Palestinian people continue to be lead stories in all the Jordanian media. Editorial Commentary -- "The U.S. targeting of Iraq goes beyond Iraqi borders" Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (08/18) editorializes: "It is very clear that the harsh American campaign against Iraq is not going to end in that little country that has been besieged for the past twelve years. This campaign has already started to target a number of other Arab countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon, not to mention the Palestinian Authority. This shows that there is an American campaign that is constantly expanding to include more and more Arab countries, including those that are moderate and considered allies of the United States. This stage is witnessing a serious negative turning point in the course of Arab- American relations, particularly with the Arab countries that are considered allies of the United States. This allows for more severe negative developments in the not-so-far future. The only party to benefit from this growing negative change in the Arab-American relations is the Zionist Entity." -- "When America stands by an individual at the expense of its relations with a friendly country" Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the back-page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (08/18): "It is ugly and frightening this blatant meddling in the affairs of other countries by the U.S. government. We refer to the recent U.S. move against Egypt after the guilty verdict of Saad Eddin Ibrahim. Despite the fact that this was handled by the Egyptian judiciary, known for its efficiency and honesty, the United States did not hesitate one second in choosing to stand by one person and exercise pressure against a country like Egypt, that has a important role in the peace process and in keeping the stability and security of this region. We have never imagined that a super power would intervene on behalf of an individual and would surpass the sovereignty and will of a friendly country like Egypt, that has followed the United States and bore the consequences of the Arab boycott after signing the Camp David agreement, because it believes in the friendship and good intentions of the United States." -- "The crisis of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt" Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i (08/18) editorializes: "As the drums of war are beating in the region with America targeting Iraq on the pretext of owning mass-destruction weapons, the growing crisis between Washington on one hand, and Riyadh and Cairo on the other is a serious indication of the future of the traditionally friendly relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It is wise not to ignore the repercussions and effect of the September 11 event on those relations. Having said that, the extremist right-wing within the Bush administration did succeed in employing the fact that 15 out of 19 people who flew the planes against New York and Washington were Saudi; and a campaign of instigation against the Saudi leadership and their system of education was launched. This fed into the pro-Israel Zionist Lobby's campaign to attack and defame Islamic and Arab values." -- "Saad Eddin Ibrahim phenomenon" Daily columnist Jawad Bashiti writes on the op-ed page of independent, mass-appeal Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily (08/18): "Day in and day out, our governments suffer, and we do as well by default, humiliation by the Americans. Bush's jails, inside and outside the United States, are filled with innocent Arabs. Yet, Bush did not make a move except when he heard of Saad Eddin Ibrahim's imprisonment, the incarceration of someone he believes is the `good Arab'." GNEHM