MEDIA REACTION: AL RANTISSI'S ASSASSINATION

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001238 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC SECDEF FOR OASD/PA USCINCCENT FOR POLAD LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL LONDON ALSO PASS TO MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AL RANTISSI'S ASSASSINATION ¶1. SUMMARY: THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. ABDULAZIZ AL RANTISSI DOMINATED COVERAGE IN ALL LOCAL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT SHARON WOULD KEEP ON KILLING BECAUSE THE U.S SUPPORTS HIM. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" COMMENTS ON U.S. SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL IN ALL ITS CRIMES. THE "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT ISRAEL AND THE U.S. ARE NOW "EVIL ALLIES." END SUMMARY. ¶2. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES CONDEMNED THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. ABDULAZIZ AL RANTISSI IN AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT THAT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, APRIL 19 BY THE UAE CABINET. ¶3. NOTING THAT THE BUTCHER SHARON WILL KEEP ON KILLING CALMLY RELAXED BECAUSE OF U.S. SUPPORT, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 04/19: ". SHARON WILL BE OUT OF THE CIRCLE OF PUNISHMENT FOR MANY REASONS. FIRSTLY, HE AND HIS CRIMINAL GANG ARE SUPPORTED BY THE U.S. AS THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SUPPORTED BEFORE. THE ASSASSINATION OF AL RANTISSI IS A DIRECT RESULT OF AMERICAN FAVORITISM OF ISRAEL. SECONDLY, THESE BRUTAL CRIMINAL ACTS OF SHARON'S GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TOOK RESPONSIBILITY AND STOOD FIRM IN THE FACE OF ISRAELI ARROGANCE. IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, THE ZIONIST ENTITY IS SURE THAT THE ARABS ARE IN VERY BAD SHAPE AND THE MOST THEY CAN DO IS TO CONDEMN, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ARAB WEAPON AFTER THEY MADE THEIR HISTORY AND HUMAN CIVILIZATION WRETCHED." ¶4. COMMENTING ON THE CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST PALESTINIAN LEADERS BY ISRAEL AND U.S. SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 04/19: ". THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION IS REQUESTED TO OPEN THE DOORS AND WINDOWS TO ALLOW THE BREEZE OF JUSTICE TO COME IN AND IT SHOULD THROW OUT ALL THE INJUSTICE THAT HAS BEEN SPREADING IN THE WHITE HOUSE SINCE SHARON WENT THERE. HE THREATENED ALL THE U.S. INTERESTS IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD WITH DANGERS BECAUSE OF THE U.S.'S SILENCE AND SUPPORT." ¶5. NOTING THAT THE U.S. IS NOW ALLYING ITSELF WITH ISRAEL TO HUMILIATE THE ARABS AND THAT THE ASSASSINATION OF AL RANTISSI IS THE PROOF, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 04/19: ". THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM THAT THE ARABS IN PALESTINE, IRAQ, AND ALL ARAB COUNTRIES ARE FACING IS THAT BUSH AND SHARON HAVE ABANDONED ANY SETTLEMENT FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEMS, WHEREAS ARABS ARE STILL BELIEVING THE LIES THEY ARE SPREADING REGARDING THE PEACE PROCESS, WHILE ISRAEL AND THE U.S. ARE SHEDDING ARAB BLOOD AND ARE LOOKING FOR MORE BODIES IN ADDITION TO IRAQ AND PALESTINE TO TORTURE. WILL THE ARABS BELIEVE THAT ALL THEIR BLOOD IS SOUGHT BY THESE EVIL ALLIES, OR WILL THEY REMAIN AS IS, BELIEVING THAT SHARON IS KILLING TO ACHIEVE PEACE AND THAT BUSH IS AN OCCUPIER TO ACHIEVE PEACE ALSO??" ¶6. UNDER THE HEADLINE "BUSH'S PROMISE ASSASSINATES AL RANTISSI," "AL KHALEEJ EDITORIALIZED 04/18: ". THE ASSASSINATION OF AL RANTISSI AND BEFORE THAT, THE ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH AHMAD YASSIN, ARE RESULTS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN SHARON AND BUSH; THEY BOTH ARE RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD FACE THE RESULTS. WHAT IS REQUESTED IS ARAB ANGER THAT SHOULD BE TRANSLATED INTO PRACTICAL STANDS THAT WILL MAKE TEL AVIV AND WASHINGTON UNDERSTAND THAT ARABS ARE NO LONGER SILENT. THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. WILL THE WORLD STOP THOSE NAZIS AND PUT AN END TO THE AMERICAN LAW OF THE JUNGLE?" WAHBA