MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002394 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 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE Summary -- Lead stories in all papers today, April 21, continue to talk about developments in Iraq, focusing on the arrival of Jay Garner in Baghdad, the capture of Saddam Hussein's brother-in-law, and a report based on an earlier New York Times story that the U.S. intends to establish "four permanent military n bases" in Iraq. Lead stories also focus on a "massacre" by Israeli forces in Rafah, killing five Palestinians and injuring over 80. Reports also highlight continued problems with the establishment of a Palestinian cabinet. On Syria, reports highlight President Bush's remarks that Syria "got the message and will cooperate". Editorial Commentary on the Palestinian Issue -- "Must not fail" Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (04/21): "Mahmoud Abbas's failure to form a Palestinian government is a political disaster, the responsibility for which we do not believe the concerned parties will be able to bear.. Whatever happens, the cabinet must be formed. In reality, Abu Mazen was heading towards total failure had it not been for a few people who understood the outcome of the war on Iraq. ARAFAT could therefore not put an end to this project, knowing that it is an international demand for proceeding with the roadmap. Sharon committed yesterday another massacre . and he would find no better gift than this Palestinian political failure for him to continue his barbaric actions." Editorial Commentary on Iraq -- "Let the Iraqis be" Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (04/21): "Not once did we stop to think about the Iraqi people. Not once did we listen to the Iraqis who, for twenty-five years, suffered through one crisis after another. We want them to sacrifice and to be heroes with swords ablaze in every direction in defense of the Eastern Gate, the Southern Gate, the Turkish border, the Western border and so on. We did not stop once to listen to their feelings, their opinions, their position, their life, and the hell they were going through.. The Iraqis could have lived free in their country, contributing to the progress and future of the Arab world, developing their country, and supporting even the Palestinian cause. But the Iraqis were broken down, psychologically, socially and economically. We want them to destroy America and to squash the occupation armies, when they themselves are squashed, destroyed, oppressed, and helpless." -- "Iraqi's unity is in danger" Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (04/21): "The massive rise of the Shiites in southern Iraq shows one of the characteristics of post-Saddam Iraq. If people want to see this rise as religious liberation, then fine. However, the political aspect, in this particular moment of history that Iraq is going through, is the motive and the engine behind the rise of the Iraqi masses of the Shiite faith.. What is going on is not haphazard. It is taking place under the umbrella of a complete American-British occupation of Iraq.. It all boils down in two directions. The first is the destruction of centralization, and the second is the destruction of Iraq's cultural, national and religious infrastructure in favor of ethnic and sectarian loyalties." -- "Iran and Syria after Iraq" Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (04/21): "After the stunning American war on Iraq, no country is likely to defy America to the point that America would have to launch a war against it. This was one of the indirect objectives of the American war on Iraq. True, the beating was in Baghdad, but the echoes were meant for Tehran, Damascus, Beijing and Moscow. This war was as good as a declaration of the rise of the American empire in the new century. It may even be the last war, because making threats would be sufficient now to achieve America's objectives. America will not need to launch war on Iran or Syria, neither would it need to change the regime in either of them. What America wants is to change the policy of these two countries. America will ask Syria and Iran to abandon their armament programs, to withdraw from Lebanon, to eliminate Hisbollah, to recognize Israel, to establish complete peace with Israel, and not to harass the American occupation of Iraq in any way.. It is the domino effect. It started with Iraq. Many countries and forces were beaten the day that Iraq was defeated." GNEHM