SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001291

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, INR/R/MR

LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR ASILAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP MU
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA


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Substitutions
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1. Essa bin Mohammed al-Zedjali, owner of the Arabic daily "al-
Shabibah," penned an op-ed piece in the August 21 issue (which
was translated and reprinted in its sister English-language daily
"Times of Oman") entitled "Sharon Replaces Gaza With West Bank":

"The dismantling of the settlements in the Gaza Strip after an
occupation that lasted more than thirty years is the biggest blow
to the Zionist entity's government and an end to its dream of
establishing a grand state... This is, no doubt, a moment to
rejoice for the Palestinians, but they should not throw caution
to the wind. Sharon has already made it clear that he is
planning to replace the Gaza Strip with the West Bank, and his
government has received the green light from the U.S. for
establishing new settlements in the West Bank. He is hell-bent
on prolonging the occupation, and his decision to withdraw from
the Gaza Strip is no more than an attempt to buy time, and not a
genuine step towards solving the conflict."

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Calculations
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2. "Al-Shabibah" also published an op-ed piece by Nasser al-
Yahmady on August 20 under the headline "What Comes After The
Evacuation?":

"The long-awaited withdrawal from Gaza finally took place;
however, tears of joy should not stop us from being cautious
about the consequences of this event. There are four scenarios
that might take place in the aftermath: a civil war, the renewal
of the intifadah, the continuation of resistance, or the
activation of settlements in Jerusalem. The withdrawal from Gaza
was a calculated political move, intended to show the world that
Israel is willing to compromise with the Palestinians. This
ostensible desire for peace on the part of the Israelis, however,
simply masks Sharon's interest in increasing control over the
West Bank."

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Predictions
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3. The government-owned Arabic-language daily "Oman" featured an
editorial on August 21 entitled "The Settlement Strategy":

"To make this withdrawal work, the Palestinians need to control
the Gaza Strip and other areas under their authority in the West
Bank. They must administer these territories properly in order
to prevent Sharon from re-invading Gaza if he feels threatened.
There have been many changes inside both Israel and Palestine,
and the withdrawal may unleash other forces that could cause
additional conflicts... Will Sharon succeed in placing himself
next to Ben-Gurion and Begin? The answer is very much connected
to the consequences of this withdrawal and the establishment of
the Palestinian state."

BALTIMORE