Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MUSCAT1054
2006-07-03 11:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Muscat
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: ISRAEL'S GAZA INCURSION, U.S. SENATE

Tags:  OIIP KPAO KMDR MU 
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Cable 
Text: 
 
 
UNCLAS MUSCAT 01054

SIPDIS
MUSCATCX:
 ACTION: PAO
 INFO: AMB DCM POLE

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: POLE:MSNOWDEN
DRAFTED: PAO:MMASKARY
CLEARED: PAO:DHOFFMANN

VZCZCATI958
PP RUEHC RUEHEE RUEHLO RUEHFR RHMFISS
DE RUEHMS #1054/01 1841139
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031139Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6835
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0413
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0308
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001054 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR
STATE PASS USTR FOR N. MOORJANI, J. BUNTIN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ISRAEL'S GAZA INCURSION, U.S. SENATE
RATIFICATION OF FTA

SUMMARY: Oman's Arabic-language press slams Israel's Gaza
incursion, and alleged American support for the operation.
Government-owned "Oman" hails U.S. Senate ratification of the
U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA). In online discussion,
participants question why the issue of forced labor has affected
FTA ratification. END SUMMARY.

--------
COVERAGE
--------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001054

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR
STATE PASS USTR FOR N. MOORJANI, J. BUNTIN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ISRAEL'S GAZA INCURSION, U.S. SENATE
RATIFICATION OF FTA

SUMMARY: Oman's Arabic-language press slams Israel's Gaza
incursion, and alleged American support for the operation.
Government-owned "Oman" hails U.S. Senate ratification of the
U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (FTA). In online discussion,
participants question why the issue of forced labor has affected
FTA ratification. END SUMMARY.

--------------
COVERAGE
--------------


1. Israel's Gaza incursion received front page coverage in both
the English and Arabic-language press this week. Most Arabic
articles were accompanied by photographs of bombed-out
Palestinian government buildings, and scenes of distressed
civilians. The U.S. Senate's ratification of the U.S.-Oman FTA
received positive, front page coverage in Oman's English and
Arabic-language newspapers.

--------------
BLOCK QUOTES: ARROGANT POWER POLITICS
--------------


2. A June 29 editorial carried in government-owned daily "Oman"
(circulation 38,000) denounced "The Gaza Attack and the Arrogance
of Power":

"[The Gaza operation] is another instance of the arrogant power
politics that Israel has practiced for over 50 years, yet
surprisingly some still envision Israel as a partner for peace.
The international community is doing nothing, which is natural
given that current international policy cares nothing about
international legitimacy. Since America is heavily involved in
Iraq, Afghanistan and the war against terrorism, its political
position [on Gaza] is nothing new...the Palestinian resistance
needs Arab support and a campaign to reveal Israel's crimes to
the whole world."

--------------
RULE OF THE JUNGLE
--------------


3. The privately owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" (circulation
42,000) also commented on Israel's Gaza incursion on June 29,
asking "Was it the Law of the Jungle or the Rule of Law?"

"Although we are used to various kinds of Israeli state
terrorism, which all are classified as war crimes and crimes
against humanity, the current storming of Palestinian territories
is paired with a new phenomenon, the absolute silence by the

international community towards the ongoing genocide which the
United States continues to describe as "Israel's right to self
defense." In this way America legitimizes and legalizes the acts
of killing, destruction and terrorism, as it grants the murderers
certificates of amnesty that protect them against accountability.
Thus the U.S. prizes the rule of the jungle, and places power
over justice, law, and international standards and norms."

--------------
AMERICA'S "SELECTIVE DEFINITIONS"
--------------


4. "Oman" continued to condemn Israeli operations in Gaza with a
June 30 article about the abduction of ministers and members of
the Palestinian Legislative Council under the headline
"International Legitimacy, Gone with the Wind":

"By abducting persons enjoying political and parliamentary
immunity, Israel is distancing itself from all international
conventions and protocols inherent in international legitimacy,
which is now gone with the wind except under America's selective
definitions. Why does America escalate unnecessarily over Iran's
nuclear file, the situation in Darfur and Arab governments' human
rights records while turning a blind eye to Israeli crimes
committed in broad daylight? Even the UN will not release a
statement calling for restraint, as if it were the Palestinian
people who are attacking Israel."

--------------
SENATE FTA RATIFICATION
--------------


5. On July 2, "Oman" carried an editorial entitled "The FTA
between the Sultanate and the U.S.":

"In confident and steady steps, the Sultanate is advancing
towards the goals planned by His Majesty, the most important
being sustainable development, progress and prosperity.... In
this regard, the FTA with the U.S., which was signed last January
and is undergoing ratification in the U.S. Congress...is an
important step towards enhancing and developing relations between
the Sultanate and the U.S., and offers ample opportunity to
achieve common interests. Omani-U.S. relations go back more than
two centuries, and have been profoundly enhanced in different
fields in past years. Ratifying the FTA between the Sultanate
and the U.S. provides the opportunity for the Omani economy to
introduce its products to large U.S. markets, in addition to
providing the opportunity to attract big American investments in
the rapidly developing Omani economy.... The approval of the
Senate's Finance Committee, the House of Representatives' Finance
Committee, and the Senate's recent ratification clearly indicate
that the House of Representatives will approve the FTA.... A
number of representatives have emphasized the importance of this
agreement as an example to be followed when the U.S. negotiates
with other countries in the region.... After ratification by the
House of Representatives, the Sultanate will be the second GCC
country to sign an FTA with the United States.... The FTA will
push trade forward, compelling Omani factories and commercial
companies to exert more effort in order to adhere to
international quality standards and retain their share of the
U.S. market. This is in addition to the fact that the FTA gives
the Omani economy opportunity to interact more with the global
economy."

-------------- --------------
OMAN ONLINE: QUESTIONS ABOUT FTA AND FORCED LABOR
-------------- --------------


6. Members of Oman's most popular Internet discussion forum "Al-
Sablah" commented on the Senate's ratification of the U.S. - Oman
FTA, and the involvement of President Bush: "President Bush
stated that Oman is the best example of a good trading partner
and strategic ally, through its efforts to lead social and
economic reform in the region." Many Al-Sablah participants were
concerned about the "forced labor" issue that has slowed down
ratification of the FTA, questioning what that term means. Some
opposed the FTA in principle, agreeing with the statement that
"The Americans fight Muslims everywhere and do not give
legitimacy to the present Palestinian government. Therefore, we
should not deal with their government." The topic generated 875
hits and 24 responses.

GRAPPO