BAHRAIN CONDEMNS BEIT HANOUN DEATHS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 001926 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016 TAGS: PREL KPAL BA IS REGION SUBJECT: BAHRAIN CONDEMNS BEIT HANOUN DEATHS CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM T. MONROE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) . ¶1. (U) THE BAHRAINI CABINET ISSUED A STATEMENT DURING ITS REGULAR WEEKLY MEETING NOVEMBER 12 STRONGLY DENOUNCING "THE BRUTAL MASSACRES COMMITTED BY ISRAELI FORCES IN BEIT HANOUN" LAST WEEK. THE CABINET WARNED OF GRAVE REPERCUSSIONS FROM "SUCH HORRIBLE CARNAGE THAT CONFLICTS WITH HUMAN VALUES AND RELIGIONS AND IMPEDES THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST." THE CABINET CALLED ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WITH NEEDED PROTECTION FROM "THESE BARBARIAN PRACTICES." ¶2. (U) IN HIS ROLE AS ROTATING CHAIR OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, FOREIGN MINISTER SHAIKH KHALID BIN AHMED AL KHALIFA WAS WIDELY QUOTED IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS NOVEMBER 12 SAYING THAT ARAB MINISTERS HAD DECIDED TO END THEIR SUPPORT FOR RESTRICTIONS ON PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, IN RESPONSE TO THE U.S. VETO OF A UN SECURITY COUNCIL DRAFT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ISRAEL'S OFFENSIVE IN GAZA. HE SAID, "WE DECIDED NOT TO COOPERATE WITH IT (THE FINANCIAL RESTRICTIONS). THERE WILL NO LONGER BE AN INTERNATIONAL SIEGE." ¶3. (C) IN A NOVEMBER 13 MEETING COVERING SEVERAL SUBJECTS (SEPTELS),MFA ASSISTANT UNDER SECRETARY FOR COORDINATION AND FOLLOW UP SHAIKH ABDUL AZIZ BIN MUBARAK AL KHALIFA TOLD POL/ECON CHIEF THAT THE U.S. VETO OF THE DRAFT SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION "FRUSTRATED AND ANGERED" ARAB COUNTRIES. HE SAID HE WAS SICKENED BY FOOTAGE OF ISRAELI TROOPS SHOOTING WOMEN OUTSIDE A GAZA MOSQUE. HE RECALLED THAT UNDER SECRETARY HUGHES, DURING HER NOVEMBER 1 VISIT TO BAHRAIN, HAD SIPDIS ASKED ABOUT THE REASONS WHY MANY ARABS LOOK AT THE U.S. UNFAVORABLY. "HOW CAN WE WORK TO CHANGE POPULAR OPINION WHEN THE U.S. VETOES RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS?," HE ASKED. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THE U.S. TO ABSTAIN FROM THE VOTE, LIKE FOUR OTHER COUNTRIES DID. WITH ACTIONS LIKE THE VETO, "PEOPLE LOSE HOPE." THE BAHRAINI PEOPLE WILL NOT STAND WITH THE UNITED STATES EVEN IF THE GOB DOES, HE SAID. ********************************************* ******** VISIT EMBASSY MANAMA'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/NEA/MANAMA/ ********************************************* ******** MONROE