Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4724
2002-08-21 11:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST

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 004724

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


Summary

-- Lead story in all papers today, August 21, focuses
on Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb's visit to Syria and
his talks with the Syrian President regarding regional
and bilateral issues. Another major story highlights
Israel's assassination of the brother of Ahmad Saadat,
a leader of the Palestine Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP) currently in Palestinian custody.
All papers report, without comment, the end of the
Iraqi embassy hostage situation in Germany.

Editorial Commentary

-- "An enemy does not become a brother"

Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/21): "Had we felt even for one moment that the
Israelis really want peace and that a historical
reconciliation restoring freedom and land to the
Palestinians is the solution, we would have called for
giving peace a chance and we would have urged everyone
to stop the resistance. But the number of those
[Israelis] who believe in peace is minute. There is
no point in looking for ways to convince the Israelis
of peace or to give compromises in order to prove to
them that the Palestinians want peace. There is no
other way for the Palestinians but to continue their
resistance in the absence of international pressures
on the enemy. Anything being said or done that does
not ultimately support the resistance makes a reward
for the occupation and the occupiers."
GNEHM