"LEBANON IS IN EGYPT'S HEART." EGYPT

UNCLAS CAIRO 004919 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/PPD FOR ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ROBIN SMITH AND DAVID BENZE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PREL PREL IS LE EG SUBJECT: "LEBANON IS IN EGYPT'S HEART." EGYPT MEDIA TRENDS: AUGUST 9, 2006 ¶1. Summary. One of the main news stories and subject of much commentary was the 70-member delegation which traveled to Lebanon yesterday "as an assertion of solidarity to the Lebanese people during this hard time." Commentaries were particularly rough in their criticisms of the US and Israel today, including one which pointed the finger at the American people. Television programs provided significant airtime to members of Al-JamaQa Al-Islamia (the Islamic Group) to offer their denial of the story from earlier in the week that their members had joined the ranks of Al-Qaeda. End Summary. ¶2. In the headlines and front pages. "All of Egypt Supports Lebanon Against the Israeli Aggression", "Lebanon is in Egypt's Heart". Such were the headlines in pro-government papers, and the main story in all monitored pro-government, opposition and independent papers highlighted Lebanese Prime Minister SinioraQs meeting with the 70-member Egyptian delegation, headed by the Egyptian Ministers of Information, Trade and Industry, Health, and the Assistant Secretary General of the ruling National Democratic Party, Gamal Mubarak. As reported, the delegation declared support for Lebanon against the Israeli aggression. Opposition and independent papers focused their headlines on their perception of Hezbollah's, or "the resistance's" ability to remain "steadfast" in the face of the Israeli Qbutchers. ¶3. In the commentaries. The day's commentaries in independent daily, Al-Masry Al-Yom, were particularly negative toward the US and Israel. One well-known columnist, who also writes for government-owned, Al-Ahram, expressed that his "hatred of Israel's warring governments was reinforced by the image of Israeli children writing messages on missiles." He explained, "This is why I depend on Hezbollah to take revenge." A regular contributor criticized the US's "claims of spreading democracy throughout the region" as doing so "on the corpses of women, children and the elderly." In perhaps one of the most notable commentary's for its unusual focus on the American people, Mahmoud El-Khodeiry, a well-known judge who was on trial earlier this year for criticizing the parliamentary elections for being "influenced", called President Bush "the most brilliant ruler who was able to turn the entire world against his own people." He specifically noted his "opposition" to the "fallacious" sentiment "we hate the American government, not the people" because, "unlike the Arab countries, the American people chose this government." ¶4. On the airwaves. In a special edition program, Egyptian Television's Channel 1 aired a long program on the Egyptian Islamic Group's denial of any membership connection with Al- Qaeda. In the words of Sheikh Karam Zohdi, "Since 1996, the group launched an initiative ... to put down weapons and ... since the release of most of them in 2001, no one has deviated from this path of peace." Satellite-broadcast, Dream TV's popular evening program, "10 PM" also focused on the Islamic Group's denial of any involvement with Al-Qaeda, as they have "chosen the path of peace." In the words of one guest, "the real threat now ... comes from small chaotic groups that emerge and take their orders through computers from Al Qaeda and other extremists. RICCIARDONE