Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANKARA4373
2006-07-31 15:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TFLE01: TURKISH PRESS AND PUBLIC CONDEMN QANA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004373
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE ONE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TU IS LE
SUBJECT: TFLE01: TURKISH PRESS AND PUBLIC CONDEMN QANA
ATTACKS; WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF ISRAEL AND U.S
REF: A. ANKARA 4331
B. ANKARA 4236
Classified By: Charge Nancy McEldowney for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 004373
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE ONE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TU IS LE
SUBJECT: TFLE01: TURKISH PRESS AND PUBLIC CONDEMN QANA
ATTACKS; WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF ISRAEL AND U.S
REF: A. ANKARA 4331
B. ANKARA 4236
Classified By: Charge Nancy McEldowney for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Summary: Continued large-scale attacks causing
civilian deaths such as the Qana bombing in Lebanon are
fueling increased anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment
among the public and the press. Protests in Istanbul and
Ankara against the U.S. and Israel occurred on July 28 and
29, and may foreshadow more mainstream reaction. End Summary.
2. (U) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement
on July 30 "deploring the demise of more than 50 innocent
people. . .in the raids of the Israeli army targeting Qana."
Calling Israel's force against Lebanon "disproportionate and
indiscriminate," the Turkish government urges an immediate
cessation of Israel's attacks on Lebanon, a halt to the
rocket attacks in to the Israeli territories and an urgent
declaration of a cease-fire.
3. (U) Turkish press on July 31, regardless of viewpoint --
mainstream, nationalist, Islamic and leftist -- strongly
condemned Israel for the bombing in Qana. Nationalist Bugun
headlines, "Israel No Different than Al-Qaeda;"
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak devotes the entire front page to
the story and headlines, "Terrorist Israel"; liberal Radikal
says, "Is This What You Call Justified Self-Defense?"
Mainstream Hurriyet newspaper writes the "world was shocked"
by the attack and that Lebanon called it a "war crime" and
held the U.S. "responsible for the massacre." Mainstream
Sabah headlines "Just Like Bosnia," where the U.S. "remained
silent for months" while "8000 Muslims were brutally
massacred" before NATO forces took action. On page one,
alongside a large photo of dead children being removed from
the wreckage in Qana, mainstream Aksam inserts a photo of a
smiling Secretary Rice reporting "while bombs rained down on
children, Secretary Rice smiles for the media; she said an
immediate cease-fire was not necessary."
4. (U) Columnists also write about the crisis. Two
columnists from opposite sides of the Turkish political
spectrum, one from the Islamist Yeni Safak and one from the
secularist Radikal, make the same assertion -- that support
for Hizbullah is spreading fast, including among Christian
Lebanese.
5. (SBU) On July 28 in Istanbul, approximately 1500 members
of various Turkish political parties and NGOs gathered in
Taksim Square to march in protest against Israel and its
targeting of civilians in Lebanon. On July 29 in Ankara, the
communist-affiliated Worker's Party led a demonstration of
approximately 1200 protesters in front of the Embassy.
Chanting slogans such as "Murderer Americans Get Out of the
Middle East," the group laid a black wreath at the front
gate. Across the wreath in Turkish, the banner read "the
U.S. will be buried in this region. The Bush-Rice gang will
be buried in this region."
6. (C) Nabi Avci, an adviser to PM Erdogan, mirrored public
sentiment in a July 31 meeting with us. In Avci's view, not
only does Turkish public opinion equate the U.S. with Israeli
actions, but many now believe that Israel would not be acting
in such an unrestrained manner, absent U.S. encouragement.
Early on in the crisis, some focused on Hizballah's actions;
now people - including the more sophisticated in the press -
see only Israel as the aggressor. The U.S. should work for an
immediate ceasefire. If unrestrained attacks continue for
another week or more, the perception will be that Israel
attained its goals and finally consented to a ceasefire; not
that the U.S. exercised leadership. Corollary is a growing
belief among average Turks that the U.S. is tying the hands
of the UN. The U.S. can only regain the high ground by
stepping back and giving an impression of impartiality, Avci
concluded.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
ANKARA 00004373 002 OF 002
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
MCELDOWNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE ONE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TU IS LE
SUBJECT: TFLE01: TURKISH PRESS AND PUBLIC CONDEMN QANA
ATTACKS; WIDESPREAD CRITICISM OF ISRAEL AND U.S
REF: A. ANKARA 4331
B. ANKARA 4236
Classified By: Charge Nancy McEldowney for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Summary: Continued large-scale attacks causing
civilian deaths such as the Qana bombing in Lebanon are
fueling increased anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment
among the public and the press. Protests in Istanbul and
Ankara against the U.S. and Israel occurred on July 28 and
29, and may foreshadow more mainstream reaction. End Summary.
2. (U) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement
on July 30 "deploring the demise of more than 50 innocent
people. . .in the raids of the Israeli army targeting Qana."
Calling Israel's force against Lebanon "disproportionate and
indiscriminate," the Turkish government urges an immediate
cessation of Israel's attacks on Lebanon, a halt to the
rocket attacks in to the Israeli territories and an urgent
declaration of a cease-fire.
3. (U) Turkish press on July 31, regardless of viewpoint --
mainstream, nationalist, Islamic and leftist -- strongly
condemned Israel for the bombing in Qana. Nationalist Bugun
headlines, "Israel No Different than Al-Qaeda;"
Islamist-oriented Yeni Safak devotes the entire front page to
the story and headlines, "Terrorist Israel"; liberal Radikal
says, "Is This What You Call Justified Self-Defense?"
Mainstream Hurriyet newspaper writes the "world was shocked"
by the attack and that Lebanon called it a "war crime" and
held the U.S. "responsible for the massacre." Mainstream
Sabah headlines "Just Like Bosnia," where the U.S. "remained
silent for months" while "8000 Muslims were brutally
massacred" before NATO forces took action. On page one,
alongside a large photo of dead children being removed from
the wreckage in Qana, mainstream Aksam inserts a photo of a
smiling Secretary Rice reporting "while bombs rained down on
children, Secretary Rice smiles for the media; she said an
immediate cease-fire was not necessary."
4. (U) Columnists also write about the crisis. Two
columnists from opposite sides of the Turkish political
spectrum, one from the Islamist Yeni Safak and one from the
secularist Radikal, make the same assertion -- that support
for Hizbullah is spreading fast, including among Christian
Lebanese.
5. (SBU) On July 28 in Istanbul, approximately 1500 members
of various Turkish political parties and NGOs gathered in
Taksim Square to march in protest against Israel and its
targeting of civilians in Lebanon. On July 29 in Ankara, the
communist-affiliated Worker's Party led a demonstration of
approximately 1200 protesters in front of the Embassy.
Chanting slogans such as "Murderer Americans Get Out of the
Middle East," the group laid a black wreath at the front
gate. Across the wreath in Turkish, the banner read "the
U.S. will be buried in this region. The Bush-Rice gang will
be buried in this region."
6. (C) Nabi Avci, an adviser to PM Erdogan, mirrored public
sentiment in a July 31 meeting with us. In Avci's view, not
only does Turkish public opinion equate the U.S. with Israeli
actions, but many now believe that Israel would not be acting
in such an unrestrained manner, absent U.S. encouragement.
Early on in the crisis, some focused on Hizballah's actions;
now people - including the more sophisticated in the press -
see only Israel as the aggressor. The U.S. should work for an
immediate ceasefire. If unrestrained attacks continue for
another week or more, the perception will be that Israel
attained its goals and finally consented to a ceasefire; not
that the U.S. exercised leadership. Corollary is a growing
belief among average Turks that the U.S. is tying the hands
of the UN. The U.S. can only regain the high ground by
stepping back and giving an impression of impartiality, Avci
concluded.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
ANKARA 00004373 002 OF 002
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
MCELDOWNEY