BIN ALAWI ANGRY, FRUSTRATED BY U.S. "BIAS" TOWARDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MUSCAT 000730

DEPARTMENT FOR S, P, P/M, NEA, NEA/ARP, INR-MNIEHAUS
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
USCENTCOM FOR POLAD AND CCJ2
SECDEF FOR OSD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2012
TAGS: PREL MEPN MU XF
SUBJECT: BIN ALAWI ANGRY, FRUSTRATED BY U.S. "BIAS" TOWARDS
ISRAEL, SAYS ARABS WILL REFUSE TO CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBING;
SAUDI PEACE PLAN "ONLY WAY FORWARD"

REF: STATE 67796

CLASSIFIED BY POL/ECON CHIEF WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASONS
1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: OMANI MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR FOREIGN
AFFAIRS BIN ALAWI STRONGLY CRITICIZES U.S. POLICY IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AND COMPLAINS THAT U.S. IS "COMPLETELY BIASED"
TOWARDS ISRAEL. BIN ALAWI SAYS THAT IT IS "IMPOSSIBLE" NOW
FOR ARAB LEADERS TO CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBING, WHICH THEY SEE
NOT ONLY AS LEGITIMATE SELF-DEFENSE FOR THE PALESTINIANS BUT
THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE TO "FIGHT BACK" AGAINST "ISRAELI
ATROCITIES." BIN ALAWI BLAMES THE U.S. FOR THE CURRENT
DEPLORABLE SITUATION, SAYING THAT AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
FAVORS ONLY THE ISRAELIS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ARABS. BIN
ALAWI SAYS THAT THE SAUDI PEACE PROPOSAL ENDORSED AT THE
BEIRUT ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT IS "THE ONLY WAY FORWARD" TOWARD
PEACE. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES MET MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR
FOREIGN AFFAIRS YUSUF BIN ALAWI ON APRIL 10 TO DELIVER REFTEL
TALKING POINTS (MFA ARABIAN AFFAIRS CHIEF AMBASSADOR AHMAD
AL-HARTHI AND POL/E CHIEF ATTENDED AS NOTETAKERS). AFTER
GLANCING AT THE POINTS, BIN ALAWI SAID THAT "THESE SIMPLY
FOLLOW THE STATEMENTS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE
MEDIA." THE CHARGE SAID THAT THE POINTS GO BEYOND PUBLIC
STATEMENTS. THE UNITED STATES IS ASKING FOR THE HELP OF ARAB
GOVERNMENTS TO PRESSURE ARAFAT TO DENOUNCE SUICIDE BOMBINGS
AND TO RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS. THE CHARGE EMPHASIZED THAT
THE UNITED STATES IS SINCERE AND GENUINE IN ITS EFFORTS AND
UNDERSCORED OUR COMMITMENT TO GETTING BOTH THE SECURITY AND
POLITICAL PROCESSES BACK ON TRACK. THE CHARGE NOTED THAT
GENERAL ZINNI HAD MET WITH YASER ARAFAT AND WAS LAYING THE
GROUNDWORK FOR BEGINNING A PROCESS OF DIALOGUE. THE FOCUS
NOW, SAID THE CHARGE, IS ON SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO
JERUSALEM BEGINNING TOMORROW.


3. (C) BIN ALAWI SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THESE POINTS, WHICH
HAD BEEN MADE BEFORE. "BUT THEY ARE ONLY WISHES." WE BELIEVE
THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS "LOST ITS DIRECTION." THE UNITED
STATES PUTS "ALL THE BLAME" ON ARAFAT. HE IS THE ONLY ONE TO
BE BLAMED, NO MATTER WHAT THE REALITY. THE UNITED STATES HAS
BEEN MAKING MISTAKES ALL ALONG AND NOW IS MAKING "AN EVEN
BIGGER MISTAKE." THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS TIME FOR THE
UNITED STATES, SAID BIN ALAWI. YOU ASK ARAB LEADERS TO
CONDEMN HAMAS AND OTHER GROUPS FOR VIOLENCE. "BUT THIS WILL
NOT HAPPEN." INSTEAD, HE SAID, ALL YOU WILL GET ARE "FURTHER
CONFRONTATIONS" WITH ARAB LEADERS.


4. (C) THE CHARGE PUSHED BACK, REITERATING THE U.S. DESIRE
FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR

1402. WE NEED TO GET THE ELEMENTS OF A POLITICAL PROCESS
UNDERWAY ONCE AGAIN, SAID THE CHARGE. GENERAL ZINNI HAS
ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MUCH BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, AND WHEN
SECRETARY POWELL COMES HE WILL ENCOURAGE BOTH SIDES TO
DECLARE A CEASEFIRE AND THEN MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO BEGIN A
POLITICAL PROCESS. THE KEY, SAID THE CHARGE, IS FOR FRIENDLY
ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO REINFORCE OUR MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY AND TO ASK ARAFAT TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE AND
ISSUE A STRONG STATEMENT AGAINST TERRORISM.


5. (C) SHAKING HIS HEAD, BIN ALAWI SAID "YOU ARE CRACKING
ALL YOUR RESOURCES IN THE ARAB WORLD." THE ISRAELIS ARE
"DESTROYING EVERYTHING," AND YOU WANT ARAB LEADERS TO ISSUE
STATEMENTS "AGAINST HAMAS, AGAINST PALESTINIANS." "IS THIS
LOGICAL?" YOU HAVE LOST DIRECTION, REPEATED BIN ALAWI.
REMEMBER, SAID BIN ALAWI, THE MITCHELL REPORT WAS YOUR
PROPOSAL. THE PALESTINIANS AGREED. THE PALESTINIANS ARE
WILLING TO IMPLEMENT IT. THEN CAME TENET. AGAIN THE
PALESTINIANS AGREED. BUT INSTEAD OF IMPLEMENTING IT, YOU
(THE U.S.) "SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE ISRAELIS
WON'T ACCEPT IT." INSTEAD, YOU SENT ZINNI TO THE REGION TO
DESIGN "YET ANOTHER PROCESS." ONLY THIS TIME, THE PROCESS IS
TAILORED TO MEET ONLY ISRAEL'S DESIRES. BUT NOW, THE
PALESTINIANS WON'T AGREE TO IT, BECAUSE "IT IS NOT FAIR."
"WE KNOW THAT ISRAEL REFUSED 14 POINTS IN THE TENET PLAN.
YOU AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE THE DIGNITY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR
PROPOSAL. AFTER ALL, YOU PUT IT FORWARD. BUT INSTEAD, YOU
CHOOSE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE POOR PALESTINIANS."


6. (C) THE CHARGE REPLIED BY NOTING THAT MISTAKES HAVE BEEN
MADE BY BOTH SIDES. NO, INTERJECTED BIN ALAWI, "NOT BY BOTH
SIDES." THE ISRAELIS AND THE ISRAELIS ALONE HAVE REJECTED
ALL THE PROPOSALS THE U.S. HAS PUT FORWARD, HE SAID. THEY
HAVE BEEN THE STUMBLING BLOCK, NOT THE PALESTINIANS. THE
CHARGE SAID THAT THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED, AND NOW THE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS INSISTED ON THE IMMEDIATE
IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1402. WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT
MAKE, REJOINED BIN ALAWI. ISRAEL REFUSES TO IMPLEMENT 1402.
HOW CAN THE U.S. DEFEND ISRAEL FOR ITS WRONGDOING? YOU HAVE
NOW CREATED A SITUATION, CONTINUED BIN ALAWI, WHERE "THERE IS
NO HAMAS, THERE IS ONLY THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE." "YOU ARE
GOING DOWNHILL." I AM SPEAKING TO YOU FRANKLY, SAID BIN
ALAWI. I AM GIVING YOU ADVICE AS A FRIEND MUST. WE FEEL
SORRY FOR OUR FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL YOU
HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DOING IS TO PUT EVERYONE IN THE REGION IN
"A VERY AWKWARD POSITION."


7. (C) THE CHARGE SAID THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO DRAW
THE LINE AT SUICIDE BOMBINGS. THE U.S. NEEDED THE SUPPORT OF
ITS ARAB FRIENDS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE PALESTINIANS TO ISSUE
A CLEAR CONDEMNATION OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS OF INNOCENT
ISRAELIS. "THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN," SAID BIN ALAWI.
YOU CANNOT ASK ARAB LEADERS TO CONDEMN PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE
WHEN THEY HAVE "NO OTHER WAY TO FIGHT BACK." "WHY DO YOU
ONLY CONDEMN THE PALESTINIAN?" CONTINUED BIN ALAWI. WHY DO
YOU NOT CONDEMN ISRAELI ATROCITIES? WE BLAME THE U.S. FOR
NOT HAVING PUT OBSERVERS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. THE
PALESTINIANS NEED PROTECTION JUST AS MUCH AS ISRAELIS DO.
THE ARABS HAVE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR U.S. OBSERVERS, BUT THERE
HAS BEEN "NO RESPONSE" FROM THE U.S. WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT
THE US WANTS ONLY FOR THE PALESTINIANS "TO SURRENDER TO
ISRAEL." "THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN." THE ISRAELIS WANT
THE RIGHT TO INVADE THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES AT ANY TIME, AND
ARREST ANYONE THEY WANT FOR ANY REASON. "IS THIS FAIR?"


8. (C) THE CHARGE REPEATED THAT THE U.S. HAS ASKED ISRAEL TO
WITHDRAW FROM THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. YES, SAID BIN
ALAWI, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING. BUT YOU STILL DO NOT
CONDEMN ISRAELI AGGRESSION. YOU ONLY CONDEMN THE
PALESTINIANS. YOU AMERICANS CANNOT AVOID BLAME FOR THE
CURRENT SITUATION,. YOU TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY FROM 1993 --
YOU PUSHED THE MADRID PROCESS FORWARD. YOU SOUGHT AND
OBTAINED THE SUPPORT OF THE ARABS. AND YET NOW YOU ONLY TAKE
ONE SIDE. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE UNDER THE PREVIOUS TWO
ADMINISTRATIONS -- THEN YOU WERE "BASICALLY FAIR." BUT THE
POLICIES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE LED TO THE CURRENT
SITUATION. "THERE IS NO PEACE PROCESS."


9. (C) THE CHARGE STRESSED THAT THE U.S. IS GENUINELY
COMMITTED TO TRYING TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR A CEASEFIRE TO
TAKE HOLD, FOLLOWED BY A POLITICAL PROCESS AND PEACE
NEGOTIATIONS. IN ORDER TO DO THIS, THE U.S. SEEKS THE
ASSISTANCE OF THE ARABS TO PRESSURE THE PALESTINIANS TO DO
WHATEVER THEY CAN TO PREVENT FUTURE SUICIDE BOMBINGS. FINE,
RESPONDED BIN ALAWI. BUT WHAT WILL THE U.S. DO IN RETURN?
"WHAT WILL YOU DO TO THE ISRAELIS? THEY DESTROY EVERYTHING.
THEY ARE THE AGGRESSORS. THE WHOLE WORLD CAN SEE THE
ISRAELIS DESTROYING MOSQUES AND CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS AND
SCHOOLS. WHAT WILL THE UNITED STATES DO TO THEM?" THE
CHARGE RESPONDED THAT THE U.S. HAS STRONGLY URGED THE
ISRAELIS TO WITHDRAW THEIR FORCES FROM THE OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES BACK TO ISRAEL PROPER, AND TO REMAIN THERE. BUT
THIS WILL ONLY BE EFFECTIVE -- AND ONLY LAST -- IF THE
PALESTINIANS CAN STOP FUTURE SUICIDE BOMBINGS.


10. (C) BIN ALAWI SAID THAT THE KEY TO RESOLVING THE CRISIS
IS NOT MILITARY OR SECURITY -- THE ANSWER IS TO RETURN TO A
POLITICAL PROCESS. THE SAUDI PROPOSAL, ADOPTED BY THE ARAB
LEAGUE AT THE RECENT BEIRUT SUMMIT, IS "VERY CLEAR" AND "THE
ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VIOLENCE." THE FIRST STEP, SAID BIN
ALAWI, IS FOR ISRAELI FORCES TO PULL BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE
"ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2000." ANY OTHER WORDS OR ACTIONS WILL
"NOT BE HELPFUL." AND THE LOSERS, ACCORDING TO BIN ALAWI,
WILL BE "THE POOR PALESTINIAN PEOPLE." THE CHARGE SAID THAT
THE U.S. BELIEVES IN AND IS NOW THOROUGHLY ENGAGED IN A
POLITICAL DISCUSSION WITH ALL THE PARTIES. BIN ALAWI ASKED,
"THEN WHY DON'T YOU ENFORCE THE AGREEMENTS AND DECISIONS
WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE?" WE HAVE HEARD WORDS AND
STATEMENTS BEFORE, CONTINUED BIN ALAWI. "WE HAVE HEARD YOU
SAY 'WE WANT THIS' AND 'WE HOPE THAT.'" WHAT IS NEEDED NOW,
HE ADDED, ARE NOT WANTS, HOPES, OR WISHES BUT "ACTION." "IF
YOU ARE SERIOUS, YOU CAN FORCE THE ISRAELIS TO WITHDRAW." IT
HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN IF IT IS
ONLY A "MATTER OF CONVENIENCE." BEFORE THE ARABS CAN BE
"TOUGH ON THE PALESTINIANS," BIN ALAWI INSISTED, WE MUST
FIRST SEE YOU BE "TOUGH ON YOUR FRIENDS, THE ISRAELIS."


11. (C) BIN ALAWI WARNED THAT THE U.S. WAS "MAKING A VERY
DANGEROUS MISTAKE" IN APPROACHING ARAB LEADERS TO PRESSURE
THE PALESTINIANS. "THIS WILL ONLY LEAD TO CONFRONTATION WITH
THE ARABS," SAID BIN ALAWI, "WHICH NO ONE WANTS." BY ASKING
ARABS AND PALESTINIANS TO CONDEMN HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD,
YOU ARE IN FACT ASKING THEM TO CONDEMN THE RIGHT OF
PALESTINIANS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. THE CHARGE SAID THAT THE
U.S. INSISTS THAT ALL ACTIONS BY ANY PARTY MUST BE PEACEFUL.
THEN WHY DO YOU NOT CONDEMN THE ISRAELIS FOR USING F-16'S,
APACHE HELICOPTERS, AND TANKS TO ATTACK INNOCENT PALESTINIAN
CIVILIANS, ASKED BIN ALAWI. SINCE THE UNITED STATES, THE
WORLD'S ONLY SUPERPOWER, WON'T PROTECT THE PALESTINIANS,
SUICIDE BOMBING IS THE ONLY WAY LEFT OPEN TO THEM FOR
SELF-DEFENSE. SUICIDE BOMBING HAS ENGENDERED MUCH DISMAY AND
HORROR AND RESULTED IN VERY NEGATIVE IMAGE IN THE U.S., THE
CHARGE STRESSED. "F-16'S AND APACHES HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY
NEGATIVE IMAGE IN THE ARAB WORLD," BIN ALAWI SHOT BACK.


12. (C) WE DO NOT WANT TO DESTROY ISRAEL, BIN ALAWI SAID.
OMAN HAS FOR MANY YEARS BEEN AN ACTIVE PLAYER IN THE PEACE
PROCESS. WE HAVE HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL. WE HAVE
INVESTED HEAVILY IN ISRAEL FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS. WE
WANT ISRAEL TO LIVE IN PEACE AND SECURITY WITH ITS NEIGHBORS.
NO ONE IS ASKING ISRAEL TO COMPROMISE ITS SECURITY. BUT WE
WANT THE SAME FOR THE PALESTINIANS. AND MORE AND MORE ARABS
ARE BECOMING CONVINCED THAT ISRAEL DOES NOT SEEK PEACE AND
SECURITY BUT RATHER "PEACE AND TERRITORY." "AFTER 11 YEARS
OF A FAILED PEACE PROCESS, ISRAEL NOW WANTS ARAFAT GIVE UP
PALESTINIAN TERRITORY. HE WILL NEVER DO THAT." THE U.S. HAS
ENTERED VERY DANGEROUS TERRITORY, WARNED BIN ALAWI AGAIN.
"DON'T PUSH THE ARABS TO THE WALL."


13. (C) IT IS NOT ONLY THE PALESTINIANS WHO SUFFER FROM THIS,
CONTINUED BIN ALAWI. WE ALL DO. "TELL SECRETARY POWELL THAT
EVERY DAY WE (THE OMANI GOVERNMENT) FACE HUMILIATION FROM THE
STREET" BECAUSE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH THE U.S. NEVER MIND
ABOUT THE WAR ON TERRORISM OR EVENTS IN AFGHANISTAN OR IRAQ,
BIN ALAWI SAID. THE UNITED STATES HAS ONLY ONE PROBLEM --
THE MIDDLE EAST. "WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH U.S. FOREIGN
POLICY FOR TWENTY YEARS," BIN ALAWI CONCLUDED. "THE ONE
THING WE HAVE LEARNED IS THIS: YOU ONLY GET ATTENTION IF YOU
SHOUT. OTHERWISE, YOU ARE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY." CONSIDER ME
TO BE SHOUTING.


14. (C) COMMENT: WHILE THE MEETING WAS PERFECTLY CORDIAL,
BIN ALAWI WAS IN LITTLE MOOD TO LISTEN. HE HAD ORIGINALLY
GRANTED ONLY FIFTEEN MINUTES WHEN WE REQUESTED THE
APPOINTMENT; THE DISCUSSION ENDED UP TAKING OVER AN HOUR.
HIS FRUSTRATION REFLECTS SENTIMENTS WE HAVE HEARD FROM ALL
LEVELS OF OMANI SOCIETY: WE WANT ACTION, NOT WORDS. U.S.
CREDIBILITY IN OMAN HAS BEEN GREATLY DIMINISHED; OMANIS ARE
CONVINCED THAT WE HAVE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT TO ISRAEL NO
MATTER WHAT WE SAY. THE PRESS, INTERNET CHAT ROOMS, AND OUR
INTERLOCUTORS ALL POINT TO THE LENGTH OF TIME IT IS TAKING
FOR THE SECRETARY TO REACH ISRAEL; THIS IS SEEN AS A CLEAR
DELAYING TACTIC TO ALLOW THE ISRAELIS TIME TO FINISH THEIR
OPERATIONS. BIN ALAWI'S ALLEGATIONS THAT GENERAL ZINNI IS
NOT NEUTRAL BUT IS REPRESENTING THE ISRAELIS MORE THAN THE
U.S. IS ALSO A UBIQUITOUS BELIEF HERE. WHEN WE ARRIVED FOR
THE MEETING, BIN ALAWI HAD A LARGE SCREEN TELEVISION ON HIS
OFFICE TUNED TO ABU DHABI TV BEAMING GRIM IMAGES FROM THE
WEST BANK/GAZA. THE VOLUME WAS SO LOUD, HE HAD TO INTERRUPT
THE MEETING TO TURN IT OFF. IT IS LIKELY HE TURNED IT BACK
ON AS SOON AS WE LEFT -- AND THAT MOST OMANIS ARE WATCHING
THE SAME THING. IT IS UNLIKELY ANYTHING WILL BREAK THROUGH
THEIR ABSORPTION WITH THE VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND
THEIR ANIMOSITY TOWARDS THE U.S. AND ISRAEL SHORT OF AN
ISRAELI PULLOUT AND AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO A POLITICAL
DIALOGUE, OFFERING AT LEAST A GLIMMER OF HOPE AT THE END OF A
VERY DARK TUNNEL.


DRY