SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: CRISIS IN LEBANON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 003000

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B;
RRU-NEA
IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR MCKUNE
PITRANSGRESS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: CRISIS IN LEBANON



1. Summary: Reactions to the crisis in Lebanon continue to be
negative. In the print media, editorials have heavily criticized
references to building a new Middle East as well as the United
States for facilitating Israel's offensive. One editorial entitled
"Go home Condoleezza" appeared on the front page of the prominent
English-language paper "Gulf News." In addition, a political
cartoon featured in "Al-Khaleej" portrayed President Bush speaking
from atop a pile of Iraqi, Lebanese and Palestinian skulls, while
"Al-Bayan" dedicated a full page to photos of casualties and
destruction in Lebanon. Meanwhile television coverage of the
conflict has actively incorporated a range of perspectives on the
topic, but continues to emphasize the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon
and criticize the United States for not limiting or objecting to
Israel's actions. A telethon held yesterday raised over 50 million
dirhams in aid for Lebanon, while a larger telethon has been
schedule for Friday. Both heavily feature dramatic footage of the
conflict from on the ground in Lebanon. End Summary.


2. Under the headline "Go home Condoleezza," the prominent
English-language daily "Gulf News" published the following editorial
on the front page of its 07/24 edition:

"Does Condoleezza Rice really expect to be welcome in the Middle
East? Surely not, for as U.S. Secretary of State, we already know
her agenda; it is pro-Israel, pro-US. Historically, Arabs are known
for hospitality, but they do not want her here. It will be futile.


Claims of impartiality are not credible. Arab patience has worn
thin. Her bias and the U.S. agenda driven by Israel, is there for
all to see. Even in announcing her visit to the region, Rice said
she will "meet with Prime Minister Olmert and his leadership and
President Abbas and his team". Does she mean Abbas does not have
leadership? Is he some sort of football captain that only has a
"team"? It is demeaning terminology of this type that gives her
away.

Rice has said she will not meet Hezbollah or Syria. So what does
she expect to achieve in coming here? Maybe it is to give approval
of Israel's actions, and confirmation the requested smart bombs will
be delivered. What will she say to Abbas in Palestine? Why doesn't
she meet the Palestinian prime minister as well? The main conflict
is in Lebanon, so why not go there and talk to the elected prime
minister, whom the U.S. was so pleased to triumph when appointed?

She acknowledges there are no "quick fixes" to the conflict, and
says, "now is not the time to call for a ceasefire" as it would be
based upon false promises. So why come here if she has nothing new
to say? Is it to promote her belief that Lebanon is going through
"the pangs of the new Middle East"? Are we to conclude that these
"pangs" will be in accord with U.S. control, courtesy of Israel?

Arabs, Muslims and Christians, mock so-called American impartiality.
They know Rice will achieve little, if anything, in coming here.
They know that Rice will reassure Olmert of continued support from
the US, whatever agenda Israel may carry out against its neighbors.

Only Israelis are happy to see Rice here. From an Arab perspective,
Condoleezza is wasting our time and should go home."



3. Under the headline "A 'greater' or 'new' Middle East?", female
Emirati columnist Aisha al-Merri wrote the following on 07/24 in the
Abu Dhabi-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Ittihad" (circulation
65,000):

"Secretary Rice brings us glad tidings of the New Middle East, a
product of the Israeli war on Lebanon and Hezbollah, and Iran and
Syria. Such descriptors as 'new' and 'greater' are old terms, used
by Rice before to describe plans for the region... George Bush's
reliance upon democracy to promote political change in the Middle
East was once a vital part of American policy. But now American
policy seems to have changed, as it demonstrates a willingness to
impose on Arab countries such things as democracy, reform and human
rights. Neoconservatives are using American foreign policy and the
mainstream media, both of which are intertwined with Israel in
unprecedented ways, towards their own ends. It seems that U.S.
policy towards the Middle East is designed in Tel Aviv, not
Washington. Countless observers have noted that the outcomes of
American policy have served Israel more than the United States...
American policies drag the region into violence, even as tension
with the Arab world increases over America's blunt pro-Israel
policy. These developments threaten to build a volcano of
extremism, wherein moderation will be labeled a crime and Arab
governments will become helpless. Washington will lose out because
of its pro-Israel policy, and will only succeed at creating more
terrorism."


4. Under the headline "The U.N. Security Council's responsibility",
the Sharjah-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation
90,000) published the following in a 07/24 unsigned editorial:

"... The UN Security Council and America's actions within it have
given the Israeli army a pretext for its slaughter, distorting the
truth under the smoke of Israeli missiles, the ashes of destroyed
houses and the blood of the Lebanese people. In such critical
moments, when torrents of military and political pressure along with
countless Israeli missiles are pouring on to Lebanon, other Arabs
can only look upon Lebanon as an entity fighting against a bloody
Satanic plan."


5. Under the headline "An American war", columnist Maan Al-Beyari
wrote the following in a 07/24 editorial in the Sharjah-based
Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation 90,000):

"Many experienced politicians involved in the 'March 14th Agreement'
have leaked information expressing their surprise and disappointment
over recent events. Most likely these people believed America's
cruel joke in stating that it wanted an 'independent and democratic'
Lebanon, free from Syrian custodianship. Hence it will be even more
ironic if these same people believe America's new joke: statements
that it wishes to prevent the weakening of Fouad Sinoria's
government, even as it helps render the Lebanese government little
more than an aid organization unable to bring Lebanon out of its
humanitarian crisis... The massive destruction unveiled in Lebanon,
facilitated by U.S. smart bombs, demonstrates that betting on
American honor is a mistake. Lebanese opponents of Syria should
stop claiming that this is somehow an Israeli-Iranian war...
[Recently] John Bolton confidently stated that murdered Lebanese
civilians, who died defending themselves, were not the equivalent of
Israeli citizens killed by rockets from 'terrorist' groups. We
observe this speech, and remember that politicians from the 'March
14th Agreement' participated in honoring this cruel man just weeks
ago."


6. Under the headline "Israel's power is a lie", the Arabic-language
daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 85,000) published the following in a
07/24 unsigned editorial:

"... It is painfully clear that the aggression against Lebanon, the
destruction of its infrastructure and the slaughter of its innocent
civilians has nothing to do with the rescue of those soldiers
captured by Hezbollah. Rather, it more closely resembles the events
of September 11th, which to this day impact world events. Today,
Israel wishes to reshape Lebanon through force, as they would with
Syria, Iran and the whole region if possible. The soldiers'
abduction is being exploited to bring about changes desired in the
region through violence, in order to complete the agenda of the
greater Middle East and to eliminate all forms of resistance and
reluctance that greet America's imperialist project. Meanwhile
Arabs, instead of uniting in the face of Israeli aggression, have
divided themselves in trying to uncover the causes of this war."


7. Entitled "Olmert's New Middle East," a full page of dramatic
photos depicting Lebanese civilian casualties and the destruction of
various Lebanese cities was published on 07/24 in the
Arabic-language daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 85,000).


8. On 07/24 the Sharjah-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej"
carried a political cartoon featuring President Bush standing atop a
pile of Iraqi, Lebanese and Palestinian skulls, saying, "Israel has
the right to defend itself."


9. Meanwhile both of the main Arabic-language satellite news
channels, "Al-Arabiyah" and "Al-Jazeera," have continued to dedicate
most of their broadcast time to the ongoing crisis. Each channel
has developed a large network of correspondents both in southern
Lebanon and northern Israel. These networks have allowed both
channels to actively cover the details of the conflict, including
many attacks, public statements and rescue and relief efforts, in
real-time. In addition, each channel carries several evening talk
shows where experts, political figures and survivors are interviewed
and provide additional commentary on the crisis. Smaller local
channels such as "Abu Dhabi TV" and "Dubai TV" have also dedicated a
good portion of their daily newscasts and programs to the ongoing
crisis, although their more limited resources and focus on
non-journalistic programming have prevented them from pursuing the
same depth of coverage.

Both channels have made efforts to retain impartiality by
interviewing Israeli survivors of attacks and other individuals
critical of Hezbollah, Iran and Syria. Yet a majority of
commentators have expressed criticism of both Israel and the United
States, the former for pursuing such wide-scale attacks and the
latter for obstructing efforts to limit the Israeli offensive.
Also, the humanitarian disaster in Beirut has become the major focus
of the regional media's coverage of the attacks, encouraging
sympathy for the Lebanese people and outrage over the scale of
casualties and destruction revealed in newscasts. While satellite
channels have attempted to retain a semblance of impartiality,
outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon is most commonly
directed at Israel and the United States.


10. The broadcast media has become increasingly involved in
mobilizing action in support of the Lebanese cause. On 07/23, a
telethon on the local "Al-Aqariah" channel co-sponsored by the UAE
Red Crescent raised over 50 million dirham for relief efforts in
Lebanon.

A similar telethon will be held on 07/28 on all four channels owned
by "Dubai TV", under special orders from Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler
of Dubai. The telethon is being heavily advertised on both "Dubai
TV" and "Al-Arabiyah" in segments that heavily feature dramatic
footage of casualties and destruction in Lebanon.

SISON