MALAYSIA MULLS SENDING PEACEKEEPERS TO LEBANON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001354 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL NACB IS LE MY SUBJECT: MALAYSIA MULLS SENDING PEACEKEEPERS TO LEBANON Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission David Shear for reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak told the press during a July 20 encounter in London that Malaysia would be willing to send peacekeeping forces to southern Lebanon should the UN Security Council call for such a force. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hamid Albar has issued a series of statements condemning Israeli military actions in Lebanon and Gaza. The Malay language press has intensified anti-Israel rhetoric, and ruling party youth wing chief and Education Minister Hishamuddin called for an anti-Israel demonstration to be held in front of U.S. Embassy. A newspaper controlled by the ruling party ran a front page article on July 21 calling on all members of the ruling coalition to join the demonstration, to be held the same day. About 500 people turned up for the event, which, though noisier than usual, ended peacefully. The strength of the Malaysian public's emotion, and the extent of GOM posturing, contrasts with Malaysia's inability to influence events on the ground in the Middle East. We will keep the Department informed of demonstration plans, but we do not expect anything out-of-the-ordinary at this point. End Summary. Malaysia Proposes Sending Peacekeepers -------------- ¶2. (U) Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, on a working visit to the United Kingdom, commented to the press on July 20 that Malaysia would seriously consider sending a peacekeeping force to southern Lebanon should the United Nations Security Council decide peacekeepers were needed. Addressing Malaysian journalists in London, he stated: "Certainly this (decision to send Malaysian peacekeepers) has to be made by the cabinet, but based on our experience and involvement in Bosnia, and our position as OIC chairman (Organization of Islamic Conference),there is a strong case for Malaysia to seriously consider it." Foreign Minister Condemns Israel -------------- ¶3. (U) Najib's statement came on the heels of Foreign Minister Hamid Albar's July 19 statement condemning the "disproportionate use of force by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon." Hamid, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) currently chaired by Malaysia, released a statement on the situation in the Middle East, criticizing "Israel's brutal military actions in Gaza and Beirut" and "cynical attitude towards the peace process." However the statement made no mention of Hezbollah rocket attacks or the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers which precipitated the current conflict. ¶4. (U) Hamid had previously released on July 13 an official statement from the foreign ministry condemning the "unlawful air strikes by Israel on the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut," and urging "Israel to cease all military action in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Lebanon." Hamid has since commented publicly that the ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Conference and Regional Forum to be held July 26 - 28 will focus on the Middle East peace process, and he hoped a joint statement would be released calling for an immediate ceasefire. On July 21, Hamid called the U.S., French, and Russian Ambassadors and the British High Commissioner to his office to discuss the Israeli incursion into Lebanon. Ambassador LaFleur's meeting with Hamid will be reported septel. Malay Press Ratchets up the Rhetoric and UMNO Youth Respond -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) The English language press in Malaysia has been fairly even handed in its reporting of the conflict. In contrast, the Malay language papers have been highly critical of Israel, and secondarily of the United States, and have employed their typical sensationalistic style of reporting. Everyday, Malay newspapers feature front-page pictures of women and children injured or displaced due to Israeli actions in Lebanon. On July 21, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) controlled daily, Utusan Malaysia, ran a front page article announcing an UMNO Youth-sponsored anti-Israel demonstration at the U.S. Embassy the same day. UMNO Youth Chief (and Education Minister) Hishamuddin Tun Hussein told the press that this event would present ruling coalition youth with an opportunity to demonstrate their opposition to the "Israeli military regime." Also on July KUALA LUMP 00001354 002 OF 002 21, Prime Minister Abdullah's son in law and deputy president of UMNO Youth, Khairy Jamaluddin, was featured on TV3, Malaysia's largest television broadcaster, making a plea for all members of UMNO Youth to join the demonstration. In the event, about the 500 people who turned up at the Embassy this afternoon departed the scene noisily but without incident, watched by a phalanx of riot police. In an early afternoon meeting with the Ambassador today, Foreign Minister Hamid denied a Government connection to the demonstration, Hishamuddin's public comments notwithstanding. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (C) The strength of the Malaysian public's emotion, and the extent of GOM posturing, contrasts with Malaysia's inability to influence events on the ground in the Middle East. Malaysia does not have relations with Israel and we understand that the GOM is uncomfortable dealing with the Lebanese. Indeed, Government policy on the Middle East is driven less by a calculation ofQangible national interests than by strong anti-Israeli public opinion, particularly among Muslim Malays but not limited to them. It is also driven by Malaysia's Chairmanship of the NAM and the OIC. Malaysia has not been a particularly strong chairman of either organization, and the GOM generally feels compelled to hew closely to each group's consensus on the Middle East. We suspect that a recent expression of PAS (the Islamic opposition party) interest in organizing anti-Israel demonstrations at the Embassy may have lain behind UMNO Youth's sudden activism. We will keep the Department informed of possible future demonstration plans, but we do not expect anything out-of-the-ordinary at this point. LAFLEUR