Oman Media Reaction: Gaza Blockade; Anniversary of Iraqi

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000281 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: Oman Media Reaction: Gaza Blockade; Anniversary of Iraqi War; Punishing Palestinians. ¶1. SUMMARY: State daily "Oman" continues to focus on Israel's blockade of Gaza and on Palestinian suffering, calling for dialogue between Hamas and Fatah. It also condemned not only the Israeli collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, but also condemned the silence of the international community, calling it "Political Hypocrisy". Private Arabic daily "Al-Watan" wrote on the fifth of the Iraqi war and the worsening of the situation, calling all parties to learn from what is happening there. END SUMMARY. -------------- IRAQ IS "EVERYONE'S FALL" -------------- ¶2. On April 9, the privately owned Arabic "Al-Watan" (circulation 42,000) wrote "On the Fifth Anniversary of Everyone's Fall": "Five years ago, there was silence and anticipation for the implementation of the American-Israeli goal to destroy Iraq in satisfaction of their feelings of revenge from their enemy... Did they achieve their goal? Perhaps, but at what price? Who paid most of it? We believe that the Arabs paid more. Americans shed a lot of their blood, as well... The American right wing thought their military path of destruction would last only weeks; however, yesterday saw a bitter and deadly hearing in the congress from the American commander Petraeus and the American Ambassador in Baghdad, Crocker, looking for answers to questions about the causes rocket attacks on the well-protected Green Zone in Central Baghdad, and the reasons for failure to establish security from South Basra to the north of Mosul after five years... After five years, there is still fear in Iraq, but also hope -- that everyone will learn from the death that is taking place every day there." -------------- PALESTINIANS: "UNIFICATION OF RANKS" -------------- ¶3. Government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) called for national dialogue and reconciliation to save the Palestinians on April 10, "Gaza Blockade and National Dialogue": "What is happening to the Palestinian people in Gaza as result of the blockade should not continue and needs to be addressed quickly to end their suffering in terms of both daily life and security. There is a need to end Israeli conduct against Palestinian people. The talk by Hamas to break the embargo requires Palestinian mobilization of all energies and would also require adherence to the agreement between Hamas and Fatah signed in Yemen, beginning a national unity project between the brothers to achieve all national goals, based on freedom, independence, and living with dignity. Israel has exploited the differences between Hamas and Fatah and attacked Gaza; hence, the biggest losers were the Palestinians. Therefore, national dialogue is more important and is the primary option out of the current dilemma. Palestinian leaders should seek reconciliation and start the process of unification of ranks to stand up against Israeli planes." -------------- "INTERNATIONAL HYPOCRISY" TOWARD ISRAEL -------------- ¶4. "Al-Watan" also despaired on April 11 that the international community would take any action to stop Israel calling "Collective Punishment" a "Slap in the Face of the International Community": "The most that can be said about the policy of collective punishment practiced by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is that it is a repeated and strong slap in the face of the international community, whenever Israel resorts to this immoral offence, condemned by every country in the world. However, when it comes to Israel, all eyes goes blind. All know that the attacks are committed without warning on women, children, or elderly people when confrontation should take place only with involved armed sides. However, every time there is an attack against Israel, the Israeli side takes its destructive machine and face unarmed civilians, tearing houses over the heads of their owners and killing children. Everyone is aware that the depth of the Israeli crisis is that they no longer know how to face their opponents except by resorting to collective punishment. However, such crimes against children and women no longer raise the international community in the current state of political hypocrisy toward Israel by its major supporters in Europe and the United States." MUSCAT 00000281 002 OF 002 GRAPPO