MEDIA REACTION: THE WALL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002353

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: THE WALL



1. SUMMARY: THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE'S DECISION THAT
THE WALL BEING BUILT BY ISRAEL IN THE WEST BANK IS ILLEGAL
DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN
EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" (CIRCULATION 40,000) NOTED THAT THE U.S.
IS THE ONLY ONE SUPPORTING ISRAEL'S REFUSAL OF THE DECISION.
ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" (CIRCULATION 20,000)
QUESTIONED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTING THE DECISION. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD"
(CIRCULATION 65,000) NOTED THAT THE U.S. SHOULD CONSIDER THIS TO
BE A CHANCE TO REGAIN ITS CREDIBILITY BY NOT SUPPORTING ISRAEL ON
THIS ISSUE. END SUMMARY.


2. NOTING THAT THE U.S. IS THE ONLY COUNTRY SUPPORTING ISRAEL ON
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ITS WALL, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 07/11:(CIRCULATION 40,000)

". WHAT IS IMPORTANT NOW IS TO IMPLEMENT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT
OF JUSTICE'S DECISION. THE PALESTINIANS HAVE TO MOVE, WITH THE
SUPPORT OF ARABS, TO UTILIZE THE DECISION BY RESORTING TO THE
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL EVEN IF THE AMERICAN VETO IS AN
OBSTACLE. THE PALESTINIANS HAVE ACHIEVED POLITICAL VICTORY IN THE
HAGUE, AND THEY STILL HAVE TO ACHIEVE ANOTHER VICTORY IN NEW YORK
AT THE UNITED NATIONS."


3. QUESTIONING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTING THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE'S DECISION, ABU
DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 07/11:
(CIRCULATION 20,000)

". WILL THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MOVE TOWARDS ACHIEVING WHAT
IS RIGHT, IMPLEMENTING JUSTICE, AND ENDING PALESTINIAN
OPPRESSION. THIS IS A QUESTION THAT IS FILLED WITH DOUBT BECAUSE
THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THAT THE U.S., WHICH PROTECTS THE ISRAELI
POLICY IN THE REGION, WILL NOT ALLOW JUSTICE TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
WE THINK THAT THE PALESTINIANS, ARABS, AND THEIR FRIENDS ARE
HOLDING ON TO A HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE PALESTINIAN
CAUSE BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO ESTABLISH A FREE PALESTINIAN
STATE. IF THIS CHANCE IS LOST THEN WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY OTHER
CHANCES."


4. COMMENTING ON THE EXPECTED ISRAELI REFUSAL OF THE
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE'S DECISION REGARDING THE WALL AND
THE ARAB EXPECTED MOVEMENT, SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 07/11:(CIRCULATION 85,000)

".THE ISRAELI REFUSAL WAS EXPECTED, AS WAS THE AMERICAN SUPPORT
OF THE ZIONIST ENTITY'S AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE IN THE SECURITY
COUNCIL. THE QUESTION IS: WHAT WILL ARABS DO?. NOW THEY HAVE A
DECISION FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ON A GOLD
PLATTER, AND FROM THE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ORGANIZATION
SAYING THAT THE WALL IS ILLEGAL AND THE SETTLEMENTS ARE ILLEGAL
BECAUSE THEY ARE A CONSEQUENCE OF OCCUPATION. THIS DECISION
SHOULD BE A BASIS OF MOVING FORWARD NOT TO MODIFY THE WALL'S
ROUTE AS THE ISRAELI COURT SAYS BUT TO DEMOLISH IT AS THE
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE'S DECISION SAYS. IF THE ARABS
DON'T DO ANYTHING POSITIVE IN CONFRONTING THE ISRAELI-AMERICAN
DECISION TO STOP THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE'S DECISION
THEN THE WALL'S CONSTRUCTION WILL NOT STOP BUT WILL CONTINUE TO
BE STRETCHED OUT TO ENCIRCLE ALL ARABS. THIS WILL DAMAGE THEIR
RELATIONSHIPS IF THEY DECIDE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CONFLICT WITH
ISRAEL OR ANY OTHER CONFLICT OR THEY COUNT ON THE U.S., WHICH
CONTINUES TO SUPPORT ZIONIST TERRORISM."


5. UNDER THE HEADLINE "A CHANCE THAT WON'T BE REPEATED," ABU
DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 07/11:
(CIRCULATION 85,000)

". THE U.S. CAN NOW STOP ANY ATTEMPT WITHIN THE UN SECURITY
COUNCIL TO FORCE ISRAEL TO ABIDE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF
JUSTICE'S DECISION. THE INTERNATIONAL COURT'S DECISION PROVIDES
THE U.S. WITH A HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCARD SOME OF THE
NEGATIVE PUBLICITY IN THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD DUE TO ALL OF THE
ISRAELI CRIMES THAT DISTORTED ITS IMAGE. IT IS A CHANCE FOR THE
U.S. TO REGAIN ITS CREDIBILITY."


6. UNDER THE HEADLINE "BREAKING THE LONG AND WINDING WALL,"
DUBAI-BASED ENGLISH DAILY "GULF NEWS" EDITORIALIZED 07/11:
(CIRCULATION 95,000)

". NOW ISRAEL IS CALLING ON THE U.S. TO STAND BY ITS SIDE AGAIN
IN STONEWALLING ANY UN RESOLUTION THAT MAY BE INTRODUCED AGAINST
THE WALL. AMERICA CAN CONTINUE TO USE ITS VETO POWER AGAINST THE
PALESTINIANS FOR ISRAEL. BUT, WHAT WASHINGTON NEEDS TO REMEMBER
THIS TIME IS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED AND
MUST BE RESPECTED FOR ITS DECISIONS TO SERVE JUSTICE. THE U.S.,
ESPECIALLY IN ITS CURRENT WEAK MORAL STANDING ON THE
INTERNATIONAL STAGE, CANNOT CONTINUE TO ALIENATE EUROPE AND
LEGITIMATE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON ISSUES IT DEEMS
IMPORTANT TO DISMISS FOR ITS INTERESTS AND EXPECTS EVERYONE TO
RALLY IN SUPPORT OF AMERICAN DECISIONS WHEN IT NEEDS THE SUPPORT.
WASHINGTON'S IRAQ WAR AND ITS EVER-CHANGING DEMANDS AND COSTS
HAVE PLACED TOO MUCH STRESS ON EVERYONE INVOLVED. IT'S A NEW
WORLD WHERE IF THERE ARE SOLID ALLIANCES, THERE MUST BE CHECKS
AND BALANCES FOR JUSTICE. THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO
SEE THAT IN THE BIG PICTURE."
ALBRIGHT