MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ/WEST BANK

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003408

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, ALSO FOR MOC

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



1. SUMMARY: THE DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN VICTIMS OF U.S. AIR STRIKES, AND THE
ASSASSINATION OF ONE OF HAMAS' ACTIVISTS IN SYRIA DOMINATED
COVERAGE IN LOCAL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL
KHALEEJ" UNDER THE HEADLINE "TERRORISM BEYOND BORDERS" NOTED THAT
"ZIONIST TERRORISM" IS MOVING FROM PALESTINE TO OTHER ARAB
CAPITALS. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" POINTED OUT HOW
VICTIMS OF U.S. AIR STRIKES ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, NOT
TERRORISTS. END SUMMARY.


2. NOTING THAT VICTIMS IN IRAQ ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, "AL
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 09/28: (ARABIC DAILY, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-
ORIENTED, CIRCULATION 40,000)

"IT'S LIKE A HOLOCAUST WITH NO END. IF THEY HAD KNOWN--AS SOME
IRAQIS SAY--THAT THE PRICE OF FREEDOM AND THE AMERICAN DREAM FOR
IRAQ WOULD BE THESE BLOODBATHS, THEN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HOPED
FOR IT. THIS SITUATION (KILLING WOMEN AND CHILDREN) HAS BECOME
SHAMEFUL TO THE CONSCIENCES OF THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WHO ARE
SILENT TOWARDS THESE DAILY MASSACRES BEING COMMITTED."


4. CONDEMNING THE ASSASSINATION OF ONE OF HAMAS' ACTIVISTS IN
SYRIA AND NOTING THAT SYRIA WILL NEVER ACCEPT THIS ACT, "AL
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 09/27:

".SYRIA WILL NOT GIVE IN TO CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM, AND WILL NOT
THROW AWAY ANY PART OF ITS OCCUPIED LANDS. ALSO, THE RESISTANCE
WILL NOT ABIDE BY THIS NAZI METHOD WHICH THEY ARE USED TO FROM
THE ZIONIST ENTITY, THIS WILL LEAD TO ITS INSISTENCE ON JIHAD.
NOW, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS REQUESTED TO MOVE TO STOP THE
ZIONIST ENTITY FROM TRYING TO PUT THE REGION ON FIRE AND DRAGGING
IT INTO A BIG HURRICANE OF VIOLENCE THAT WILL NOT STOP AT THE
REGION'S BORDERS BUT WILL EXTEND TO THE WHOLE WORLD."


5. UNDER THE HEADLINE "TERRORISM BEYOND BORDERS," "AL-KHALEEJ"
EDITORIALIZED 09/27: (ARABIC DAILY, SHARJAH-BASED, CIRCULATION
85,000)

".THE ZIONIST TERRORISM MOVED FROM PALESTINE TO THE ARAB
CAPITALS, AND THE ARABS ARE NOT STANDING UNITED TOGETHER TO
ENSURE THEIR BORDERS AGAINST THE ENEMY AND GOING BACK TO ENCIRCLE
THE ENEMY INSTEAD OF NORMALIZING RELATIONSHIPS. ANOTHER ARAB
CAPITAL MIGHT BE TARGETED SOON SINCE ALL ARABS ARE LISTED ON
DEATH LISTS WRITTEN BY THE ENEMY."


3. UNDER THE HEADLINE "SUPPORTING IRAQ," "AL ITTIHAD"
EDITORIALIZED 09/26: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, SEMI-
OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000)

". EFFORTS OF THE IRAQI PRIME MINISTER AT THE UNITED NATIONS
SUPPORTED BY THE U.S. IN ORDER TO HOLD AN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE THAT WILL SUPPORT AND LEGITIMIZE THE IRAQI ELECTIONS
IN JANUARY 2005, ARE CONSIDERED TO BE AN IMPORTANT STEP AND A
PRESSING REQUIREMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FAMILY TO PUT IRAQ ON
THE ROAD OF STABILITY AND RECONSTRUCTION. ESPECIALLY NOW BECAUSE
IRAQ IS FACING A FINAL CONFLICT WITH TERRORISM AND TERRORISTS."


6. NOTING THAT RESISTANCE IS ALL WHAT IS LEFT FOR PALESTINIANS,
"AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 09/26:

". WITH THE PALESTINIANS' TRAGIC SITUATION, THE CLOSURE OF ALL
THE ASPECTS IN THE FUTURE, AND SHARON'S DESTRUCTION OF ALL HOPE,
WHAT SHOULD THE PALESTINIANS DO? WHAT CHOICE DO THEY HAVE BUT
RESISTANCE AND WITH ALL MEANS AVAILABLE FOR PROTECTING
THEMSELVES, AND THIS IS THEIR LEGAL RIGHT BY ALL LAW."

SISON