MEDIA REACTION: GAZA STRIP; LEBANON; ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000070

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: GAZA STRIP; LEBANON; ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEET IN CAIRO.



1. SUMMARY: Editorials in private daily "al Watan" call the U.S.
veto of the UNSC draft resolution on Gaza "typical discriminatory
policy". Another "al Watan" editorial states that Arab foreign
ministers find themselves at a difficult crossroad at the Arab
Leagues meeting on Lebanon. State daily "Oman" highlights the
importance of this meeting taking place in Cairo and recommends that
Arabs take more active steps to force Israel to stop the blockade.
END SUMMARY.

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FOISTING GAZA ON ITS NEIGHBORS
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2. On January 26, "Al-Watan" (private Arabic daily; circulation
42,000) comments that the Gaza blockade is a tactic to separate
Gaza, impose responsibility for it upon Egypt and Jordan, and
continue expanding illegal settlements. "The American insistence on
including the so-called 'Palestinian rockets' in the UN Security
Counsel draft resolution ... is not new in the context of the
totally and clearly biased American policy to Israel. However, it
is another action added to the list that has hindered hundreds of UN
resolutions condemning Israeli terrorism. What is yet more
dangerous here is that while the world is busy with the humanitarian
situations in Gaza (in the absence of food, electricity, water and
medical supplies) Israel is sending messages to its friends that its
security is threatened, and so Gaza should be separated from it and
added to Egypt and Jordan, who should take full responsibility -
that is, after adding its illegal settlements to its borders. In
this way, the Israelis set the stage for settling the Palestinian
issue and sneaking around what was called Bush's promise for two
states."

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ARABS AT A CROSSROADS
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3. "Al-Watan's" January 27 commentary states that Arab foreign
ministers find themselves at a difficult crossroad in regard to
Lebanon's political crisis, saying "Lebanon does not Want
Painkillers":

"Arab foreign ministers will find themselves in this meeting at a
crossroads: one imposed on them by the difference in point of views
among Lebanese parties towards Arab initiatives working to remove
Lebanon from political, economic, security, and social disturbance.
The second: fear of rejection from Lebanese parties of this
initiative, which will have a negative reflection on the Arabs'
performance...It is no secret that there are very complicated issues
in Lebanon, making it an easy target for its enemies forward plans
for redrawing the map of the region."

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COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT IS STATE TERRORISM
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4. The state-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) notes
that, while the Arab foreign ministers' meeting is ostensibly to
discuss Lebanon, the situation in Palestine weighs heavy on the
agenda:

"The ugly blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza is in violation of all
international laws and principals and totally conflicts with the
fourth Geneva treaty - therefore, it falls, as collective punishment
for all Palestinian people, in the list of crimes against humanity.
The blockade and its accompanying violence is state terrorism that
will not prepare the environment for any peace or even push
negotiation between Palestinians and Israel as hoped. The Arabs
having offered all that they have, and indeed having reached the end
of the road through Arab initiatives that all Arab countries agreed
on for a total and just compromise with Israel, than it will take
more than drafting a resolution of condemnation to ending the
blockade and return life to normal in Gaza. Will the ministers be
able to make Israel take action?"

FONTENEAU