MEDIA REACTION: IRAN AND THE UN, PALESTINIAN WATER

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000400 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, AND INR/R/MR LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP MU SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN AND THE UN, PALESTINIAN WATER RIGHTS, AND HAMAS -------------- Iran and the U.N. -------------- ¶1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" published an editorial on March 10 under the title "The Iranian Nuclear Dossier and the UN Security Council": "The U.S. has successfully transferred this matter from a legal matter to a political one, now with the Security Council. The international community is required to be reasonable, by establishing a mechanism to avoid wars and conflicts in a region that cannot take anymore destruction, hatred, or violence as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The lesson of Iraq remains, and the U.S. should see it as an example as it deals with the Iranian crisis." -------------- Palestinian Water Rights -------------- ¶2. The privately owned Arabic daily "al-Watan" penned an editorial on March 10 entitled "The Water Rights of Palestinians Need Protection": "With the increasing talk about Israel's intention to draw its water borders, its conspiracy to deprive the Palestinians of their water resources is becoming obvious. The international community's increasing pressure on Israel to establish its borders and negotiate on final status issues...is prompting Israel to deal with opposition to its plan to swallow all natural water resources. Examining Israel's borders might indicate its attempt to withdraw only from lands that do not possess any water resources, and thus deprive the Palestinians of water access." -------------- Appeal for Palestinian Unity -------------- ¶3. "Al-Watan" carried an editorial on March 13, entitled "Hamas Alone Is Not Enough": "National unity among the various Palestinian factions is needed. Every Arab is looking forward to forging a national unity that will have the power to confront Israel's military escalation, arrests, and assassinations. Palestinian groups must set aside their conflicts and ideological differences and cooperate to form the national government. Then they can start creating policies and strategies for the transition to a new government that can deal with the challenges and mistakes that are blocking Palestinian development." STEWART