MEDIA REACTION: SKEPTICISM ABOUT GREATER MIDDLE EAST

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000025 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: SKEPTICISM ABOUT GREATER MIDDLE EAST INITIATIVE, PALESTINIAN INFIGHTING. REF: MUSCAT 00002 ¶1. SUMMARY: Privately owned "Al-Watan" blames "illegitimate invasion" for crises in Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon. "Al-Watan" and government-owned "Oman" regret Palestinian infighting, and call for unity and "patient resistance" against Israel. END SUMMARY. -------------- COVERAGE -------------- ¶2. Government dailies avoided reporting the Saddam Hussein execution almost entirely, but private dailies did provide some coverage (REFTEL). All dailies gave prominent coverage to Palestinian internecine violence. -------------- BLOCK QUOTES: U.S. TO "REDRAW" MIDEAST MAP -------------- ¶3. On January 4, the privately owned daily "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) wondered, "2007: A Year of Reconciliation?": "As the Arab world ushers in the year 2007, conflict continues in Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon with one common cause: the presence of illegitimate invaders...Other similar characteristics of these conflicts are an increase in the killing rate, destruction of infrastructure and developmental projects, and continuing economic and social turmoil. Illegitimate invasion is the main cause of all these dangerous consequences that are spiraling towards civil war. All this plays right into the interests of the U.S., which is using its Greater Middle East Initiative to redraw the map of the Middle East to Israel's advantage. Then the U.S. can truly dominate militarily and scientifically, and guarantee economic control of the Middle East and all its markets." -------------- PALESTINIAN INFIGHTING IS "ILLOGICAL" -------------- ¶4. State-owned daily "Oman"(circulation 38,000) published a January 6 editorial entitled "Palestinian Violence and the Illusion of Regional Peace": "It is unfortunate that what is happening between Fatah and Hamas is illogical and contrary to the national interest of the Palestinian people who have been struggling for more than half a century to reclaim their rights from the Israeli entity. So this fight between brothers is for the benefit of Israel, which has longed for such division. This scene might spiral out of control if violence continues between the Palestinian factions in front of Arab and international media. What confuses everyone is the question of who benefits from the fight and what its consequences are for the Palestinian issue." -------------- PALESTINIAN STRIFE IS ISRAEL'S NEW "WEAPON" -------------- ¶5. On January 7, "Al-Watan" also published an editorial about Palestinian infighting entitled "Getting Away with Division": "Part of understanding what is going on in Palestine is knowing that Israel has discovered another weapon to use against the Palestinians: divide and rule, in addition to executing any leaders who begin to unify the Palestinians. The Israelis' invasion plan requires them to keep Palestinians fighting amongst themselves, while maintaining a blockade. This scenario, so destructive for Palestinians, must be met with an understanding of the situation that leads Palestinians to unify their efforts and stand to face the enemy. The Palestinians need to prove that they can resist patiently. Unity is the only escape from this dilemma." GRAPPO