TFLE01: TUNISIAN REACTION TO EVENTS IN LEBANON AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TUNIS 001924 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/MAG (MHARRIS),NEA/PPD (AFERNANDEZ) E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO TS SUBJECT: TFLE01: TUNISIAN REACTION TO EVENTS IN LEBANON AND PALESTINE REF: A. TUNIS 1865 ¶B. TUNIS 1922 ¶C. TUNIS 816 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Ballard, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Since the beginning of the current Lebanon/Israel/Gaza crisis, the GOT has stood firmly in support of its "Palestinian and Lebanese brothers", releasing statements of support, sponsoring press articles critical of Israel, and in demonstration-free Tunisia, sanctioning and participating in a march of solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. Tunisian press has been overwhelmingly critical of Israel's role in the fighting, and has consistently condemned U.S. support of Israel. According to press reports, two demonstrations in regional capitals have been banned by the GOT as Tunisian reaction continues to mount. End Summary. GOT Reaction and Statements on the Crisis -------------- ¶2. (U) According to press reports, Lebanese President Fouad Siniora called Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali July 20 to inform him of the developments in the region and the "grave situation within Lebanon" as Israeli raids continued. President Ben Ali reportedly reiterated to the Lebanese President Tunisia's "profound preoccupation with the situation happening to its Lebanese brothers", and pledged his "entire support to the Lebanese government that is faced with the inhumane consequences of the situation." Ben Ali reportedly reaffirmed "the necessity for the international community to intervene for an immediate cease-fire and bring support and help to Lebanon." ¶3. (U) On July 24, the media reported that Tunisian President Ben Ali decided to send emergency humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Palestine out of "solidarity with the two peoples." Ben Ali also encouraged Tunisian citizens to give financial donations to Lebanon and Palestine through a special National Agriculture Bank account under the account number "35/35". The Tunisian Union for Social Solidarity set up the account. ¶4. (U) According to press reports, a conference call took place July 21 between President Ben Ali and leader of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas reportedly informed Ben Ali of the "degeneration of the situation in the Palestinian Territories due to Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people." According to the report: "the call was an opportunity for Ben Ali to reaffirm Tunisia's constant support to the just Palestinian cause and its solidarity and support for the Palestinian people in their fight to regain legitimate rights. Mr. Abbas thanked Tunisia for its position and thanked Ben Ali for his role in defending the Palestinian cause." ¶5. (U) On July 25, GOT online news site www.tunisiaonlinenews.com reported Ben Ali expressed "deep concern as to the deterioration of the situation in the Palestinian territories and in sisterly Lebanon, as a result of the continued Israeli military operations and the adoption of the illegitimate policy of collective punishment." Ben Ali reportedly called "all parties to observe and immediate cease-fire, to exert self-restraint, and to adopt dialogue within the framework of international legality. Finally Ben Ali called on the international community to intervene "immediately and firmly" in order to stop the escalation of fighting. Demonstration in Downtown Tunis -------------- ¶5. (U) On July 24, approximately 1,300 people (according to press reports and eyewitnesses) marched in downtown Tunis (Ref A) in solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. The demonstration was tightly controlled and sanctioned by the GOT. Participants included representatives of opposition parties, civil society groups, as well as unaffiliated Tunisians. Slogans and banners condemned the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Gaza. Participants included: ¶M. Hedi M'Henni, general secretary of the ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD) party and former minister of defense; Mohammed Bouchiha, general secretary of the Popular Union Party (PUP); Ismail Boulehya, general secretary of the Movement of Social Democrats (MDS) party; SIPDIS Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, general secretary of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP); Mongi Khemassi, general secretary of the Green Party for Progress (PVP); Abdessalem Jerad, general secretary of the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT); SIPDIS TUNIS 00001924 002 OF 003 and Hedi Djilani, president of the Tunisian Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts Union (UTICA). Press Reaction -------------- ¶6. (U) Tunisian press coverage has across the board characterized the Israeli response as excessive bordering on murderous. In the days following the initial Israeli attacks, commentaries began to criticize the international community's reaction and the Arab world for its silence on the issue. Several papers have criticized the US' support of Israel, and speculated that the conflict in Lebanon is the beginning of a region-wide campaign against Syria, Iran, and "any other regime that opposes the US and Israel." On the 26th, French daily Le Quotidien ran an editorial describing the Israeli campaign as a "genocide", publicly supported by President Bush. In recent days, the US has been a main object of criticism as stories of Secretary Rice's visit to the region appeared, focusing on public reaction in the Palestinian territories. Le Quotidien published a question/answer section focusing on Tunisia's reaction to the "new Middle East", mentioned by Secretary Rice. Reactions were overwhelmingly negative and suspicious. Lately, newspapers have condemned the US for refusing to call for an immediate cease-fire at the Rome conference. ¶7. (U) The coverage in Arabic daily Ash-Shourouq, the most blatantly anti-American newspaper in Tunisia (Ref B),has been particularly sensationalist and condemnatory of Israel and the US. Its coverage of the crisis has paralleled its coverage of the Iraq War, with graphic photos of dead and wounded Lebanese civilians and injured Israeli soldiers, with captions such as: "Zionists lie about their losses, as the photo illustrates." Headlines have included: "A Million Zionists Seek Shelter from Hizbullah's Rockets!" and "Nasrallah is the Salahuddin of the Modern Era." Ash-Shourouq also printed an imaginary letter from Gamal Abdel Nasser to Nasrallah, telling the latter to continue his important struggle, as well as interviews of "national personalities" on the situation in Lebanon under the headline, "National personalities optimistic about the qualitative changes in the Lebanese resistance." Other Reactions -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On July 28, opposition paper al-Mawqif reported that police banned two demonstrations in Jendouba and Sfax sponsored by trade unionists and members of opposition parties in support of the Lebanese people. Abdessalem Jerad, UGTT secretary general reportedly offered "immediate assistance to the Lebanese people on the Syrian Lebanese border and proposed a five minute silence in all Arab countries in support of the Lebanese people. Post received a "Message of Condemnation" from the Gabes regional UGTT chapter stating that workers from Gabes met "to condemn the U.S.' unlimited support to the Zionist enemy and the U.S. plans to undermine and eliminate the Arab Nation." Famous Lebanese singer, Najoua Karam, currently touring in Tunisia said that profits from her four concerts in Sfax, Gabes, Monastir and Gafsa will be offered to the Lebanese Red Crescent/Red Cross. Al-Mawqif carried a report from a Beirut correspondent criticizing the fact that concerts and events were ongoing at the popular Carthage Music and Cultural Festival in Tunis, "in spite of the dramatic developments in Lebanon." Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) It is clear that the situation in Lebanon and Gaza has caused a great deal of official and private concern in Tunisia, and that emotions continue to rise. Even normally sober, serious newspapers have taken to using emotional language in lurid red headlines and accusatory photo captions. The fact that oppposition PDP party head Nejib Chebbi, a persistent gadfly critical of the GOT who has been subjected to state-sponsored defamation in the media (Ref C), marched with the General Secretary of the ruling party illustrates the depth of feeling on this subject in Tunisia. (The last time the PDP marched with the RCD was over the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq). ¶10. (C) While events in the Levant continue to be a hot topic in Tunisia, the GOT, with its overwhelming security apparatus, will likely be effective in controlling any potentially harmful public reaction. The Tunisian reaction is also somewhat muted due to the traditionally quiet summer months -- many Tunisians are on vacation. Several contacts TUNIS 00001924 003 OF 003 have also pointed out that since universities are currently on summer holiday, a likely venue for further demonstrations has been removed. BALLARD