Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI827
2004-03-23 13:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/15/2007 03:03:38 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: CONFIDENTIAL SIPDIS TELEGRAM March 23, 2004 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 827 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: PGOV, PREL Captions: None Subject: UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 00827 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: AMB INFO: DCM POL DISSEMINATION: AMB CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: AMB:MMWAHBA DRAFTED: POL:SRADDANT CLEARED: A/DCM:HOLSIN-WINDECKER POL:JMAYBURY VZCZCADI049 OO RUEHC RUEHDE RUEHEE RHEHNSC RUEAIIA RHEFDIA RUCJACC DE RUEHAD #0827 0831346 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231346Z MAR 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3678 INFO RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 3878 RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2//
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000827
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/14
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS TC
SUBJECT: UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for Reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000827
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/14
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS TC
SUBJECT: UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for Reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
1. (U) SUMMARY. The UAE Government strongly denounced the
Israeli government's killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed
Yassin outside a mosque in Gaza yesterday. In a statement
reported widely by the press, UAE Minister of Information
and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ),
speculated that Israel timed the assassination to disrupt
the Arab Summit in Tunisia. In a phone call to the
Ambassador, he said he hopes the USG will try to calm the
situation with an appropriate reaction from the White House
and Department of State. The media fiercely condemned the
killing, and criticized U.S. officials for not doing the
same. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) On the day of the killing, UAE Minister of
Information and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, called the Ambassador to say that the UAE considers
the U.S. a friend and ally, and as such he owed it to her
to speak frankly about the UAE reaction to the
assassination. Clearly agitated and deeply worried about
the consequences of the event, AbZ said that the Israelis
have made a huge mistake, and it seems their intent is to
empower Hamas, for by killing Yassin, they made a hero out
of him. While the UAE is vehemently opposed to Hamas and
what Yassin stood for, AbZ said that Israel's act was sheer
madness. He further said that Sharon is not stupid, and
that he is playing the "spoiler role" on purpose in order
to undermine the USG's peace efforts. AbZ believes the
Israelis acted now to ensure that the Arab Summit would be
a failure. Finally, AbZ said that he hopes the USG will
try to calm the situation with an appropriate reaction from
the White House and Department of State.
3. (U) In a statement to the press, which appeared in
today's papers, AbZ speculated that Israel timed the
assassination to disrupt the Arab Summit in Tunisia. He
also predicted that the "hideous massacre" would accelerate
the whirl of violence and result in more bloodshed. "The
murder of Sheikh Yassin is a reflection of the state
terrorism espoused by the Israeli government," AbZ said,
and he called on the international community to not act as
a bystander towards this and other crimes. He urged the
world and "big powers" to put an end to Israel's "incessant
aggressions and provide international protection to the
Palestinian people in the occupied territories."
4. (U) All major UAE newspapers extensively covered the
assassination. Photos of his mangled wheelchair in a pool
of blood made the front pages, along with declarations from
Hamas that the action justified an all-out war on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's congratulatory
remarks toward his armed forces were called "repulsive."
Condemnations from world leaders, including UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan, were printed, and it was pointed out
that the U.S. did not condemn the attack, quoting USG
officials' statements that "Israel has the right to defend
itself."
5. (U) Editorials in the major newspapers fiercely
condemned the killing, holding it as evidence that Sharon's
government will do anything to avoid any commitment to
peace and the roadmap, and call on Palestinian nationalists
to retaliate. Writers predict, and some encourage, an
escalation in violence. The Abu Dhabi-based semi-
government newspaper "Al Ittihad" editorialized that the
act "...will lead the region to more violence and bloodshed
and will destroy all hopes of peace in the Middle East,
which Sharon does not want to succeed...the international
family, headed by the countries supervising the peace
process, is requested to move and stop the Zionist
organized terrorism..."
6. (C) COMMENT: In reaction to regional events over the
past year, the UAEG has chosen to delay announcing its
reaction until the GCC has come forward with a
pronouncement. In this case, the UAE chose to make its
own, immediate reaction, signaling its deep concern over
possible repercussions throughout the region. END COMMENT.
WAHBA
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/14
TAGS: PGOV PREL IS TC
SUBJECT: UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for Reasons
1.5 (B) and (D).
1. (U) SUMMARY. The UAE Government strongly denounced the
Israeli government's killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed
Yassin outside a mosque in Gaza yesterday. In a statement
reported widely by the press, UAE Minister of Information
and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ),
speculated that Israel timed the assassination to disrupt
the Arab Summit in Tunisia. In a phone call to the
Ambassador, he said he hopes the USG will try to calm the
situation with an appropriate reaction from the White House
and Department of State. The media fiercely condemned the
killing, and criticized U.S. officials for not doing the
same. END SUMMARY.
2. (C) On the day of the killing, UAE Minister of
Information and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, called the Ambassador to say that the UAE considers
the U.S. a friend and ally, and as such he owed it to her
to speak frankly about the UAE reaction to the
assassination. Clearly agitated and deeply worried about
the consequences of the event, AbZ said that the Israelis
have made a huge mistake, and it seems their intent is to
empower Hamas, for by killing Yassin, they made a hero out
of him. While the UAE is vehemently opposed to Hamas and
what Yassin stood for, AbZ said that Israel's act was sheer
madness. He further said that Sharon is not stupid, and
that he is playing the "spoiler role" on purpose in order
to undermine the USG's peace efforts. AbZ believes the
Israelis acted now to ensure that the Arab Summit would be
a failure. Finally, AbZ said that he hopes the USG will
try to calm the situation with an appropriate reaction from
the White House and Department of State.
3. (U) In a statement to the press, which appeared in
today's papers, AbZ speculated that Israel timed the
assassination to disrupt the Arab Summit in Tunisia. He
also predicted that the "hideous massacre" would accelerate
the whirl of violence and result in more bloodshed. "The
murder of Sheikh Yassin is a reflection of the state
terrorism espoused by the Israeli government," AbZ said,
and he called on the international community to not act as
a bystander towards this and other crimes. He urged the
world and "big powers" to put an end to Israel's "incessant
aggressions and provide international protection to the
Palestinian people in the occupied territories."
4. (U) All major UAE newspapers extensively covered the
assassination. Photos of his mangled wheelchair in a pool
of blood made the front pages, along with declarations from
Hamas that the action justified an all-out war on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's congratulatory
remarks toward his armed forces were called "repulsive."
Condemnations from world leaders, including UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan, were printed, and it was pointed out
that the U.S. did not condemn the attack, quoting USG
officials' statements that "Israel has the right to defend
itself."
5. (U) Editorials in the major newspapers fiercely
condemned the killing, holding it as evidence that Sharon's
government will do anything to avoid any commitment to
peace and the roadmap, and call on Palestinian nationalists
to retaliate. Writers predict, and some encourage, an
escalation in violence. The Abu Dhabi-based semi-
government newspaper "Al Ittihad" editorialized that the
act "...will lead the region to more violence and bloodshed
and will destroy all hopes of peace in the Middle East,
which Sharon does not want to succeed...the international
family, headed by the countries supervising the peace
process, is requested to move and stop the Zionist
organized terrorism..."
6. (C) COMMENT: In reaction to regional events over the
past year, the UAEG has chosen to delay announcing its
reaction until the GCC has come forward with a
pronouncement. In this case, the UAE chose to make its
own, immediate reaction, signaling its deep concern over
possible repercussions throughout the region. END COMMENT.
WAHBA