MEDIA REACTION: PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002424 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 PASS TO MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY ¶1. SUMMARY: THE DETERIORATING SITUATION WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE EVENTS WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PLEASED SHARON. ANOTHER EDITORIAL CRITICIZES SECRETARY POWELL'S DISAPPROVAL OF COVERAGE BY SOME ARAB MEDIA. END SUMMARY. ¶2. COMMENTING ON THE CONFLICT WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 07/20:(CIRCULATION 85,000) ". THE DECISION MAKERS IN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND THE FIGHTING SIDES SHOULD FEAR GOD AND TRY TO BE MERCIFUL OF THIS PATIENT AND RESISTANT NATION. THEY SHOULD ALSO PROVIDE MEANS TO MAKE THIS NATION HOLD ON TO ITS LAND. WILL THESE PARTIES DIVERT THE ATTENTION FROM THE ENEMY WHO IS ENCIRCLING EVERYONE, OR WILL THEIR DESIRES DOMINATE, WHICH WILL LEAD THE ZIONIST VAMPIRES TO HARVEST?" ¶3. UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE BUTCHER IS HAPPY," DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 07/19:(CIRCULATION 40,000) "SHARON IS THE ONLY BENEFICIARY OF THIS SECURITY CHAOS WITHIN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. THE ZIONISTS' CURRENT HOPE IS THAT THIS CHAOS WILL LEAD TO A BLOODY CIVIL WAR. WE ARE SURE THAT THE ZIONIST DREAM WILL NOT COME TRUE BECAUSE OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF THE OCCUPIED LANDS TO HAVE THEIR PUBLIC INTEREST BE VICTORIOUS OVER THE INTERNAL CONFLICTS." ¶4. UNDER THE HEADLINE "STABILITY FACTOR," SHARJAH-BASED ENGLISH DAILY "GULF TODAY" EDITORIALIZED 07/19: (CIRCULATION 15,000) ". THE CHALLENGES FACING KARZAI ARE IMMENSE. HE ADMITTED THERE WILL BE MANY MORE MESSY YEARS TO COME. THE U.S. HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BRINGING STABILITY. HOWEVER, PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH MAY BE TEMPTED TO HOLD THE AFGHAN ELECTIONS QUICKLY TO SHOWCASE IT AS HIS DEMOCRATIZATION SUCCESS IN TIME FOR HIS OWN RE-ELECTION BID IN NOVEMBER. WASHINGTON SHOULD ALLOW WORLD BODIES MORE ACTIVE ROLES IN PEACEKEEPING AND IN HOLDING ELECTIONS." ¶5. CRITICIZING SECRETARY POWELL'S DISAPPROVAL OF SOME OF THE ARAB MEDIA COVERAGE, ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL- ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 07/18: (CIRCULATION 20,000) ". WHAT THE U.S. IS REQUESTING IS FOR THE ARAB MEDIA TO USE DOUBLE STANDARDS. WHAT IS REALLY REQUESTED IN THIS CRITICAL PHASE IS FOR ARABS TO PRODUCE HONEST MEDIA. IF MEDIA WAS FREE FROM ALL DEVIATION, OPPRESSION, DECEPTION, FALSIFICATION, AND DISTORTION, IT WOULD BE BLESSED BECAUSE MEDIA HAS BECOME A BASIC PART OF THE NATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS. INDEPENDENCE OF MEDIA IS PART OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COUNTRY AND FREEDOM OF MEDIA IS PART OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S FREEDOM." ALBRIGHT