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