Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AMMAN7306
2006-09-24 10:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION ON LEBANON, PALESTINIAN GOVERNANCE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0056 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #7306 2671027 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 241027Z SEP 06 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4331 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0440 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1362 RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUMICEA/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS AMMAN 007306
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 TSOU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON LEBANON, PALESTINIAN GOVERNANCE
Editorial Commentary on Lebanon
-- "Nasrallah as he raises concern and brings reassurance at the
same time"
Columnist Oraib Rantawi writes on the op-ed page of center-left,
influential Arabic daily Ad-Dustour (09/24): "Hassan Nasrallah
glowed as he debated with his domestic and foreign adversaries. He
sent many messages to all those who are interested in reading. He
set the limits on attempts to expand the UNIFIL's jurisdiction; he
drew the strategy of the relationship between the ARMY and the
resistance; he warned of playing with the fire of sectarianism and
religion.... Hassan Nasrallah raised concern and brought
reassurance all at the same time. He was reassuring to his public
and his allies and he raised the concern of his adversaries....
'Al-Sayyed' [aka Hassan Nasrallah] spoke as a leader whose
leadership transcended the borders of Lebanon and extended into the
Arab and Muslim worlds.... Hassan Nasrallah has taken once again
the reins of the political initiative in Lebanon."
-- "How do we read Nasrallah's speech?"
Columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back-page of centrist,
independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (09/24): "Hassan Nasrallah is the
Sayyed [master/leader] with all the meaning of that word for the
Shiites of Lebanon and he is a victorious hero in the eyes of the
Arab people in general. This is a fact, but this does not conceal
the fact that he is a politician who represents interests and who
works according to calculations within the contexts of the internal
Lebanese formula and the regional formulas with a depth and
influence that is incomparable with any other Lebanese team. It is
no coincidence that he spoke a great deal with glorification and
veneration about the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine but
completely ignored it in Iraq.... We have listened carefully to the
Sayyed's speech before his massive audience trying to pick up every
meaning and every indication, because we are very concerned about
Lebanon, and because the Sayyed holds the key to calm or escalation,
to crisis or breakthrough. We were very relieved to hear him say
that the civil war and sectarian strife is a red line not to be
crossed, and that the resistance's weapon will never be used
internally. Yet, we became alert and fearful when he said that the
provocations of others are no longer tolerable. From these words
and sentences, the feeling of threat and intimidation were more than
worrying."
Editorial Commentary on Palestinian Governance
-- "Need for unity and support"
Centrist, elite English daily Jordan Times editorial opines (09/24):
"It is an almost impossible situation for Abbas, and it is a
situation that has been made all the harder by the international
community's intransigence. But Abbas needs support, and the only
place that support can come from is the Arab world, especially
Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Abbas needs support to do the right
thing. And that can only mean continuing to honor the
democratically-expressed wishes of the Palestinian people. In other
words, unless convinced otherwise, Hamas must stay in government,
and Fatah must accept that. Arab countries can help persuade the
West of the unavoidability of this if a peaceful resolution to the
present Hamas-Fatah tension is to be found. Hamas could, months
ago, have stood down for the sake of the Palestinian people,
retained its prominent position in parliament and worked to
influence policy from there, without having to change any of its
policies and without losing face. It didn't and the moment passed.
Hamas now needs to act with imagination. It could temporarily
suspend some of its positions in view of future events, for example.
It could provide a provisional recognition of Israel, that, should
Israel reciprocate, could be extended and perhaps made final. There
are options. But for any of these options to bear fruit, the West
must be persuaded that Hamas is open to compromise but not pressure
and that laying only the foundations for civil war serves no one.
Arab countries, whatever their misgivings about Hamas, must use
their good offices in Washington to this effect."
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 TSOU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON LEBANON, PALESTINIAN GOVERNANCE
Editorial Commentary on Lebanon
-- "Nasrallah as he raises concern and brings reassurance at the
same time"
Columnist Oraib Rantawi writes on the op-ed page of center-left,
influential Arabic daily Ad-Dustour (09/24): "Hassan Nasrallah
glowed as he debated with his domestic and foreign adversaries. He
sent many messages to all those who are interested in reading. He
set the limits on attempts to expand the UNIFIL's jurisdiction; he
drew the strategy of the relationship between the ARMY and the
resistance; he warned of playing with the fire of sectarianism and
religion.... Hassan Nasrallah raised concern and brought
reassurance all at the same time. He was reassuring to his public
and his allies and he raised the concern of his adversaries....
'Al-Sayyed' [aka Hassan Nasrallah] spoke as a leader whose
leadership transcended the borders of Lebanon and extended into the
Arab and Muslim worlds.... Hassan Nasrallah has taken once again
the reins of the political initiative in Lebanon."
-- "How do we read Nasrallah's speech?"
Columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back-page of centrist,
independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (09/24): "Hassan Nasrallah is the
Sayyed [master/leader] with all the meaning of that word for the
Shiites of Lebanon and he is a victorious hero in the eyes of the
Arab people in general. This is a fact, but this does not conceal
the fact that he is a politician who represents interests and who
works according to calculations within the contexts of the internal
Lebanese formula and the regional formulas with a depth and
influence that is incomparable with any other Lebanese team. It is
no coincidence that he spoke a great deal with glorification and
veneration about the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine but
completely ignored it in Iraq.... We have listened carefully to the
Sayyed's speech before his massive audience trying to pick up every
meaning and every indication, because we are very concerned about
Lebanon, and because the Sayyed holds the key to calm or escalation,
to crisis or breakthrough. We were very relieved to hear him say
that the civil war and sectarian strife is a red line not to be
crossed, and that the resistance's weapon will never be used
internally. Yet, we became alert and fearful when he said that the
provocations of others are no longer tolerable. From these words
and sentences, the feeling of threat and intimidation were more than
worrying."
Editorial Commentary on Palestinian Governance
-- "Need for unity and support"
Centrist, elite English daily Jordan Times editorial opines (09/24):
"It is an almost impossible situation for Abbas, and it is a
situation that has been made all the harder by the international
community's intransigence. But Abbas needs support, and the only
place that support can come from is the Arab world, especially
Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Abbas needs support to do the right
thing. And that can only mean continuing to honor the
democratically-expressed wishes of the Palestinian people. In other
words, unless convinced otherwise, Hamas must stay in government,
and Fatah must accept that. Arab countries can help persuade the
West of the unavoidability of this if a peaceful resolution to the
present Hamas-Fatah tension is to be found. Hamas could, months
ago, have stood down for the sake of the Palestinian people,
retained its prominent position in parliament and worked to
influence policy from there, without having to change any of its
policies and without losing face. It didn't and the moment passed.
Hamas now needs to act with imagination. It could temporarily
suspend some of its positions in view of future events, for example.
It could provide a provisional recognition of Israel, that, should
Israel reciprocate, could be extended and perhaps made final. There
are options. But for any of these options to bear fruit, the West
must be persuaded that Hamas is open to compromise but not pressure
and that laying only the foundations for civil war serves no one.
Arab countries, whatever their misgivings about Hamas, must use
their good offices in Washington to this effect."
HALE