Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN2956
2003-05-20 12:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS AMMAN 002956
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 MIDDLE EAST
Summary
--Lead story in all papers today, May 20, focuses on
the series of suicide bombings that took place
yesterday in Israel. Front-page stories continue to
focus on preparations for the Jordanian parliamentary
elections.
Editorial Commentary
-- "Who is responsible for the bloodshed?"
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(05/20) editorializes: "No one has to look very hard
for the real cause for this recent escalation of
violence on both the Palestinian and the Israeli
fronts. It is Sharon and his extremist right-wing
government. They have closed off the road for peace
and destroyed the accords and they continue their war
of settlements, colonization and invasions.. It is
truly sad that the world stands watching the Israeli
arrogance. The Israeli government commits crimes on
daily basis against the Palestinians without any
condemnation or denunciation.. We call on the United
States and the international community to intervene
strongly in order to salvage the peace plan and to put
an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people. We
also look to the people in Palestine to pull in their
ranks, to put their differences aside, and to
formulate a unified strategy that would enable the
people to confront the challenges leading to their
freedom and independence."
-- "The terrorism that serves the enemies"
Columnist Yaqoub Jaber writes on the op-ed page of
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(05/20): "It is probably too early to say that Al-
Qa'eda organization was responsible for the bombings
in Riyadh and Casablanca. Yet, we can safely say that
such bombings against targets related to the foreign
and American presence marks a reaction against the war
that the United States launched against Iraq..
According to these groups, terrorism is the only means
of revenge, since armies have failed to protect
national independence. But they do not realize that
their push for terrorist actions out of revenge is
actually harming their own people and their own
countries and the image of Arabs and Muslims in the
world. It is our duty to warn that terrorists may
take advantage of the fall of Baghdad to spread death
and destruction and to continue to defame Arabs and
Muslims. We would not blame the governments if they
deal harshly with those who chose terrorism as a means
of self-expression, a means that serves only the
objectives of the enemies and the adversaries."
GNEHM
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 MIDDLE EAST
Summary
--Lead story in all papers today, May 20, focuses on
the series of suicide bombings that took place
yesterday in Israel. Front-page stories continue to
focus on preparations for the Jordanian parliamentary
elections.
Editorial Commentary
-- "Who is responsible for the bloodshed?"
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(05/20) editorializes: "No one has to look very hard
for the real cause for this recent escalation of
violence on both the Palestinian and the Israeli
fronts. It is Sharon and his extremist right-wing
government. They have closed off the road for peace
and destroyed the accords and they continue their war
of settlements, colonization and invasions.. It is
truly sad that the world stands watching the Israeli
arrogance. The Israeli government commits crimes on
daily basis against the Palestinians without any
condemnation or denunciation.. We call on the United
States and the international community to intervene
strongly in order to salvage the peace plan and to put
an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people. We
also look to the people in Palestine to pull in their
ranks, to put their differences aside, and to
formulate a unified strategy that would enable the
people to confront the challenges leading to their
freedom and independence."
-- "The terrorism that serves the enemies"
Columnist Yaqoub Jaber writes on the op-ed page of
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(05/20): "It is probably too early to say that Al-
Qa'eda organization was responsible for the bombings
in Riyadh and Casablanca. Yet, we can safely say that
such bombings against targets related to the foreign
and American presence marks a reaction against the war
that the United States launched against Iraq..
According to these groups, terrorism is the only means
of revenge, since armies have failed to protect
national independence. But they do not realize that
their push for terrorist actions out of revenge is
actually harming their own people and their own
countries and the image of Arabs and Muslims in the
world. It is our duty to warn that terrorists may
take advantage of the fall of Baghdad to spread death
and destruction and to continue to defame Arabs and
Muslims. We would not blame the governments if they
deal harshly with those who chose terrorism as a means
of self-expression, a means that serves only the
objectives of the enemies and the adversaries."
GNEHM