DEMONSTRATION NEAR US CONSULATE IN DUBAI

UNCLAS DUBAI 004934 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS TO D,P, M, DS, S/CT, CA, INR AND NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL SOCI AE LE SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATION NEAR US CONSULATE IN DUBAI REF: A. DUBAI 04933, B. DUBAI 04511 1.(U) SUMMARY: Demonstrators gathered near the US Consulate General in Dubai during the evening of July 30 to express their support of Lebanon and to condemn Israel and the United States. The demonstrators were vociferous, but there were no reports of violence. An earlier demonstration in support of Lebanon was held near the Lebanese consulate in Dubai. End Summary. 2.(SBU) At 2000 hours on July 30, demonstrators began arriving in cars near the Dubai World Trade Center to stage a protest against US support for Israel's actions in Lebanon. An estimated crowd of 120 people had gathered by 2030. Demonstrators were said to be shouting in Arabic, but there was no violence or provocative action taken. The Dubai Police sent additional police to the area (ref A). A consulate employee saw a crowd beginning to gather a little after 2000 and he could not distinguish any Emirati national participants. Those he saw wore western attire. 3.(U) The local Arabic and English language papers reported on a demonstration that was held earlier in the day near the Lebanese consulate in Dubai. The crowd, though mostly Lebanese, included Emiratis and Americans. The press reported that more than 100 people demonstrated. The Lebanese consulate was the scene of another gathering on July 15. The consulate is located in Dubai's consulate district near Dubai Creek (ref B). 4.(U) Dr. Mouza Ghobash, a UAE national who is president of the Ousha bint Hussain Cultural Center and a former professor of sociology at the UAE University in Al-Ain, was quoted in the Arabic language newspaper Al-Bayan as calling for Arab countries to close US and Israeli diplomatic missions and to recall their ambassadors from Israel. Dr. Ghobash was quoted in the English language Gulf News as asking journalists "to portray the reality as it is, so everyone can witness the cruelty of this enemy." BURNS