Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TUNIS1924
2006-07-28 14:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tunis
Cable title:  

TFLE01: TUNISIAN REACTION TO EVENTS IN LEBANON AND

Tags:  PREL PGOV KPAO TS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4141
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHTU #1924/01 2091431
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 281431Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1411
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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)

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);

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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