MEDIA REACTION ON "CHAOS" IN GAZA

UNCLAS AMMAN 006107 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR GOLDRICH PARIS FOR O'FRIEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON "CHAOS" IN GAZA Summary -- Lead story in all papers today, July 19, focuses on King Abdullah's meeting with the Iraq Prime Minister Iyad Alawi on his first visit to Jordan since his appointment as Prime Minister. Other lead stories continue to report on developments in Gaza. Editorial Commentary -- "Silence is no longer possible" Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (07/19): "Arafat, who was an asset to the Palestinian people and their cause, has started to become, after 9/11 and repercussions that affected every country and society, including Gaza, a burden to the Palestinian national cause...the path to freedom and independence inevitably passes through political, security, financial and administrative reform. As long as President Arafat is not willing to undertake real, serious, comprehensive and genuine reforms, he is placing additional obstacles on the already- complicated path to freedom." -- "All the power to Arafat" Influential daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes in semi- official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (07/19): "The PNA is about to collapse from the inside, just like the Soviet Union did under the influence of corruption that ate away at it from the inside.... There is no foreign conspiracy to deprive the Palestinian people of reaping the fruits of the decision of the International Court of Justice against the legitimacy of the wall, the occupation and the settlements. The world has stood by us, but we failed to stand by ourselves. We have pushed matters to the point of explosion. Arafat is rejected worldwide, but he continues to hold on to his seat at the expense of world support for the Palestinian people and their cause. He has become a burden to the Palestinian people and their cause, and it has become a requirement to sacrifice the Palestinian state in return for the 'county' in Ramallah." HALE