MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ/PALESTINE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002130

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 ZEYA
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ/PALESTINE



1. SUMMARY: HANDING OVER IRAQ TO IRAQIS AND THE DETERIORATING
SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND
ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" CRITICIZED THE
BRUTAL PICTURES OF HOSTAGES THAT MEDIA HAVE CONTINUOUSLY
PUBLISHED AND AIRED ON TV. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ"
NOTED THAT THE WORLD HAS BEEN INSECURE SINCE IRAQ WAS OCCUPIED,
CONTRARY TO STATEMENTS BY PRESIDENT BUSH. END SUMMARY.


2. CRITICIZING THE MEDIA AND THE IMAGES THEY PUT ON TV AND IN
THE NEWSPAPERS, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD"
EDITORIALIZED 06/28:(CIRCULATION 100,000)

". WHAT THE KIDNAPPERS OF THE HOSTAGES IN IRAQ AND IN EACH
COUNTRY DO TO THEIR VICTIMS BY PHOTOGRAPHING THEM BEFORE AND
AFTER THEY ARE KILLED AND MAIMING THEM SHOULD GIVE THE ONES WHO
RACE TO PUBLISH THE STORY SOME SORT OF SHAME - NOT MEDIA
CREDIBILITY, WHICH THEY TOTALLY LOST. THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING
MONEY OUT OF THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF HUMANS."


3. UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE PALESTINIANS HAVE GOD TO PROTECT
THEM," DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED
06/28:(CIRCULATION 30,000)

"DID THE ARABS ACCEPT THAT OUR BROTHERS IN PALESTINE SHOULD BE
WITH NO ONE TO PROTECT THEM? DID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
DECIDE TO OVERLOOK THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE AND NOT TO CARE ABOUT
WHAT THE BUTCHER SHARON IS DOING?. IN RESPONSE TO THIS ARAB AND
INTERNATIONAL SILENCE TOWARDS ISRAEL'S CRIMINAL ACTIONS WE HAVE
NOTHING TO DO BUT TO REQUEST AN INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIVE POWER TO
SAVE THE PALESTINIANS."


4. COMMENTING ON THE LETTER FROM PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO PRIME
MINISTER SHARON ON THE U.S. CONSENT AND NOTING THAT THIS WILL
GIVE ISRAEL THE GREEN LIGHT TO CONTINUE ITS ATTACKS, SHARJAH-
BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 06/27:(CIRCULATION
95,000)

". WHAT DOES THIS CONSENT MEAN? IN PRINCIPLE IT IS AN OPEN
ATTACK AGAINST THE UNITED NATIONS AND NEGLIGENCE OF ITS
DECISIONS. IT IS ALSO AN ATTACK AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE'S
HISTORICAL RIGHTS, IT IS A CLEAR ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUPPORTING THE
LAW OF THE JUNGLE BY TAKING OVER LANDS THROUGH WAR, AND IT IS A
LETTER TO THE ARABS THAT SAYS CLEARLY THAT THE U.S. HAS DECIDED
TO SUPPORT ISRAEL. WHAT IS THE ARAB RESPONSE WHEN ALL ARABS ARE
TARGETS? IT IS A DECISION THAT DOES NOT ONLY CONCERN
PALESTINIANS BUT IT CONCERNS EVERYONE. THIS IS AN AUTHORIZATION
FOR ATTACKS."


5. NOTING THAT THE HOSTILITY AGAINST THE U.S. IS THE WORK OF
THEIR OWN ADMINISTRATION, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 06/27:

". BUSH IS DEPRIVED OF ANY WELCOMING PUBLIC RECEPTION IN ALL THE
COUNTRIES HE VISITS. WE CAN'T ALSO DISREGARD ARAB AND MUSLIM
DISAPPROVAL TOWARDS AMERICAN POLICY. THE AMERICANS HAVE WORKED ON
INCREASING THE HOSTILITY AGAINST THEM, AND HERE WE MEAN NOT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO SAID NO TO THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ, BUT
HOSTILITY AGAINST THE DECISION MAKERS WHO ARE DOING BAD THINGS TO
THEIR COUNTRY THAT WAS A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN THE
WHOLE WORLD."


6. CRITICIZING PRESIDENT BUSH'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE WORLD IS A
SAFER PLACE SINCE IRAQ WAS OCCUPIED, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED
06/26:

". IT SEEMS THAT BUSH DOES NOT LIVE IN THIS WORLD AND DOES NOT
KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, OR HE KNOWS BUT HE IS PRETENDING TO BE
UNAWARE OR ACTING DUMB THINKING THAT THE WORLD WILL BELIEVE HIM
SINCE WHAT HE IS SAYING IS COMING OUT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE
GREAT COUNTRY. EVEN U.S. CITIZENS IN THE U.S. DO NOT FEEL SECURE
ANYMORE. IRAQ WAS MORE SECURE BEFORE THE OCCUPATION, THE REGION
WAS MORE SECURE, AND THE WHOLE WORLD WAS MORE SECURE."

ALBRIGHT