Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05AMMAN6535
2005-08-16 11:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS AMMAN 006535
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
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON GAZA WITHDRAWAL
Summary
-- Lead story in all papers today, August 16, reports
on preparations for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and
on efforts to dismantle the Israeli settlements there.
Another major story is the postponement of the Iraqi
constitution.
Editorial Commentary
-- "Ending the settlements is the end of the legend of
Greater Israel"
Daily columnist Tarek Masarweh writes on the back-page
of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(08/16): The [Israeli] military withdrawal in itself
means nothing, because an occupying army can always
return after having withdrawn. The important thing is
the dismantling of the settlements and moving the
settlers to outside of the green line, because this
event has to do with putting an end to the aspirations
of `the land of Israel' and `Greater Israel from Egypt
to the Euphrates'. The occupation authority must
admit that the military withdrawal and the retreat of
settlements marks the end of the story of `the
homeland without borders' and the lie of `a people
without a land for a land without a people'.. We must
follow the withdrawal from Gaza and the north of the
West Bank with all the courage and determination we
can muster, because we are establishing the state of
Palestine. Celebrations and shows of force over our
people are good for no one. What the world wants us
to do now is to build the airport, the port,
factories, to establish universities and new cities on
the location of the settlements, not the chaos that
would only magnify the ugly image that hostile forces
portrayed as `terrorism'."
-- "August 15: a day with events before it and after
it"
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes in the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/16): "It is another day for the Palestinian
people, a day that is preceded by rounds of struggle
and fighting and that will be followed by chapters of
resistance and steadfastness leading to the liberation
of the lands and the establishment of the independent
state with Jerusalem as the capital. It is a day that
will go down in the Palestinian history as being a
crossroads. On one hand, Gaza could be the gate to
liberation and independence. On the other, Gaza could
be the graveyard for the Palestinian dream. The keys
to one or the other lie in the hands of the
Palestinians themselves. It is up to them to make the
experience of the liberation of Gaza an attractive
model for the upcoming state of Palestine.. Israel
after Gaza will not be the same. Israel is going to
become fiercer in its attempts to hold to as much of
the West Bank as possible.. The battle in the post-
Gaza withdrawal period is going to move to the West
Bank."
-- "The withdrawal and its repercussions"
Columnist Hussein Rawashdeh writes in the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/16): "All Palestinians have the right to be
joyful at the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but the
people of the resistance also have the right to
express this joy in their way. The Israeli
withdrawal, after all, must be understood within its
real context and must be presented to the world as
being the result of resistance and steadfastness, and
as being a mere step, nothing more and nothing less.
As such, the Palestinians do not have to give thanks
to Sharon, be it by putting an end to the resistance
or by throwing down their weapons. The path to
liberation is still a long way away."
HALE
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
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON GAZA WITHDRAWAL
Summary
-- Lead story in all papers today, August 16, reports
on preparations for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and
on efforts to dismantle the Israeli settlements there.
Another major story is the postponement of the Iraqi
constitution.
Editorial Commentary
-- "Ending the settlements is the end of the legend of
Greater Israel"
Daily columnist Tarek Masarweh writes on the back-page
of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(08/16): The [Israeli] military withdrawal in itself
means nothing, because an occupying army can always
return after having withdrawn. The important thing is
the dismantling of the settlements and moving the
settlers to outside of the green line, because this
event has to do with putting an end to the aspirations
of `the land of Israel' and `Greater Israel from Egypt
to the Euphrates'. The occupation authority must
admit that the military withdrawal and the retreat of
settlements marks the end of the story of `the
homeland without borders' and the lie of `a people
without a land for a land without a people'.. We must
follow the withdrawal from Gaza and the north of the
West Bank with all the courage and determination we
can muster, because we are establishing the state of
Palestine. Celebrations and shows of force over our
people are good for no one. What the world wants us
to do now is to build the airport, the port,
factories, to establish universities and new cities on
the location of the settlements, not the chaos that
would only magnify the ugly image that hostile forces
portrayed as `terrorism'."
-- "August 15: a day with events before it and after
it"
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes in the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/16): "It is another day for the Palestinian
people, a day that is preceded by rounds of struggle
and fighting and that will be followed by chapters of
resistance and steadfastness leading to the liberation
of the lands and the establishment of the independent
state with Jerusalem as the capital. It is a day that
will go down in the Palestinian history as being a
crossroads. On one hand, Gaza could be the gate to
liberation and independence. On the other, Gaza could
be the graveyard for the Palestinian dream. The keys
to one or the other lie in the hands of the
Palestinians themselves. It is up to them to make the
experience of the liberation of Gaza an attractive
model for the upcoming state of Palestine.. Israel
after Gaza will not be the same. Israel is going to
become fiercer in its attempts to hold to as much of
the West Bank as possible.. The battle in the post-
Gaza withdrawal period is going to move to the West
Bank."
-- "The withdrawal and its repercussions"
Columnist Hussein Rawashdeh writes in the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/16): "All Palestinians have the right to be
joyful at the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but the
people of the resistance also have the right to
express this joy in their way. The Israeli
withdrawal, after all, must be understood within its
real context and must be presented to the world as
being the result of resistance and steadfastness, and
as being a mere step, nothing more and nothing less.
As such, the Palestinians do not have to give thanks
to Sharon, be it by putting an end to the resistance
or by throwing down their weapons. The path to
liberation is still a long way away."
HALE