MEDIA RECTION ON MIDDLE EAST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 006613

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 RECTION ON MIDDLE EAST

Summary

-- Lead stories in all papers today, October 16,
highlights the blast that took place at the entrance
of Gaza, killing three Americans. The same lead
stories highlight the U.S. veto against the Arab draft
UNSC resolution condemning Israel's dividing wall in
the West Bank. Reports feature the various
Palestinian, Arab and international condemnations of
the blast, including Jordan's official denunciation of
the "terrorist operation".

Editorial Commentary

-- "Who benefits?"

Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (10/16)
editorializes: "Suddenly and with an ill-omened
development, the bombing of the American employees'
vehicle in the north of Gaza comes to increase the
complications and the confusion on the Palestinian
scene and to pose new questions about the agenda of
the Palestinian national movement.. The `operation'
seems to reflect a desire for blind revenge against
the Americans for the unlimited support that the U.S.
administration is showing towards Israel, the most
recent of which is vetoing the Arab draft resolution
considering Israel's construction of the wall illegal
and a violation of international legitimacy. Yet, it
is time for the Palestinians to look around them and
carefully reread the regional and international scenes
away from emotional reactions, that could be sometimes
justifiable, but that, in reality, result in reducing
international support for the Palestinian cause.. No
one stands to benefit from yesterday's operation
except the enemies of the Palestinian people and those
who have succeeded in turning the legitimate
Palestinian struggle against the occupation into
terrorism which must be fought.. It is time to
abandon these methods and to restore nobility to the
people's non-violent and unarmed struggle, not only
because the balance of power is tipping in favor of
the occupation forces, but also because this would be
the best way to regain the support of the world's
public opinion."

-- "Who killed the CIA men in Gaza?"

Columnist Yaser Abu Hilaleh writes on the op-ed page
of the semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(10/16): "They did it in Beit Hanoun, exactly as they
had done in the World Trade Center before. The Mossad
kill the CIA men. It was not enough that they created
a huge gap between the Muslim world and the United
States after 9/11. They had to deepen the gap between
the Palestinians and the Americans.. Politically,
what happened in Beit Hanoun is disastrous and is
going to hurt the Palestinian people and strengthen
the Bush-Sharon alliance. The decision to carry out
this attack, whoever made that decision, did not only
blow up the motorcade of the CIA men, but also
Palestinian-American relations. This explosion is
going to have serious repercussions, not only for the
Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority, but also
for the region.. The Beit Hanoun explosion is another
disaster that the Palestinians did not need, neither
did the Americans. However, it may just alert the
Americans to the extent their relationship with the
region has reached. They do not need to hear repeated
lectures about the need to review their policies and
to limit their bias in favor of Israel. They probably
need to be reassured and appeased, otherwise their
feelings of revenge have the capability of destroying
this region even more. Accusing the Mossad of
perpetrating this explosion does not ease the anger of
the Americans. But the Mossad is really responsible
in an indirect way. Their crimes, which they
perpetrate with American weapons, have made a large
number of people view the arms makers and dealers as
partners in crime. No doubt the explosion is going
complicate the situation nationwide, but instead of
running away from the problem, facts should be faced,
no matter how bitter and harsh they are, namely the
fact that the relationship between American and the
Arab and Muslim world is now based on enmity and
hatred. This relationship must be rectified."

-- "A new veto that does not concern us"

Columnist Khaled Mahadeen writes on the op-ed page of
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(10/16): "Congratulations to the Arab regime, the
Muslim regime, the European regime and to the new and
old world orders for this fresh American veto.. What
loss of balance and credibility is this that now
governs the U.S. policy? Does such loss of balance
and lack of credibility lead the superpower, the
United States, to this level of floundering,
determined to strike against the one that does not
strike it back because it cannot strike the one that
is striking it back, defeating it and providing proof
of its failure in Iraq, in Palestine, in Lebanon and
in Afghanistan. The Israeli entity, in its
desperation and naivet, is trying to build two
prisons, one for the Palestinian people and its brave
resistance, and the other for the Israelis and their
tools of terror. It will not be long before they find
out that iron and cement cannot beat the Palestinians
and peace alone, established on the values and
principles of international legitimacy, can grant the
Israelis hope. I, as an Arab citizen, am not
concerned with this American veto. It is addressed to
the governments and the foreign ministries of every
Arab and Muslim country and to all those who defend
friendship and alliance with Washington."
GNEHM