GAZA'S RIPPLE EFFECTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001868 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO NEA/ARP FOR JHARRIS AND MBLONG, DRL/NESCA FOR MHICKEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2018 TAGS: BA EG IS LE PGOV PHUM PREL SA SUBJECT: GAZA'S RIPPLE EFFECTS REF: A. MANAMA 827 ¶B. RIYADH 1657 RIYADH 00001868 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Disparate yet vocal groups in Saudi Arabia are stepping out of the shadows to protest events in Gaza. In Eastern Province, protesters on December 19 reportedly carried Hezbollah flags and Hassan Nasrallah posters while chanting anti-Israel and anti-U.S. slogans. Privately, a group of Shi'a youth shared insights into the protest as well as deep-seated anger with religious discrimination. A group of 24 activists announced a sit-in to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, seeking others to join their cause. Meanwhile, the Saudi government took public steps to support the Gazan cause. END SUMMARY. -------------- QATIF PROTEST AND SUBSEQUENT ARRESTS -------------- ¶2. (C) Embassy contacts confirmed media and blog reports of a pro-Gaza demonstration in Qatif, Eastern Province (EP) on December 19. The demonstration mirrored simultaneous protests in nearby Bahrain (Reftel A),Lebanon and elsewhere. Some reports held that the Qatif demonstrators carried Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah posters. Saudi authorities took no apparent action to stop the peaceful protest. Yet, Shi'a contacts reported that, as of Sunday, December 21, Saudi authorities had arrested at least six protesters. -------------- EP SHI'A FIND COMMON GROUND WITH HEZBOLLAH -------------- ¶3. (C) On December 21, Emboffs traveled to the majority Shi'a community of Safwa. A group of five, mainly young Shi'a described life as a religious minority in Saudi Arabia (Septel). The meeting's host made no pretense of hiding two photos of Nasrallah adorning the living room wall, nor the trio of rifles propped near the door. The group expressed economic frustration and gave examples of religious discrimination, openly discussing their lack of loyalty to the Saudi government. They characterized EP Shi'a as able to distinguish between religion and politics. Though they may look to Ayatollah Khameni in Iran, Ali al-Sistani in Iraq or Mohammed Fadlallah in Lebanon for their religious guidance, many of the youth in particular look to Hezbollah as their political voice. ¶4. (C) These Shi'a youth did not admit to participating in the December 19 protest, but they described the circumstances with first-hand knowledge. They confirmed that the demonstration was peaceful and no one was arrested at the time. However, within forty-eight hours, unidentified authorities had detained at least six participants, mainly finding them at their homes. According to one of the interlocutors, police photograph demonstrations and identify the leaders, who are later arrested. Knowing this, many demonstrators hide their identify by wrapping their faces. The youths agreed that anyone carrying a photo of Nasrallah faces almost certain arrest. Per their description, protesters tend to be young and defy the advice of their community elders, who in vain warn them to steer clear of these demonstrations. Estimates of the size of the December 19 demonstration range from a few hundred up to two thousand participants. -------------- ACTIVISTS CALL SIT-IN -------------- ¶5. (C) Saudi activists announced plans to hold a sit-in to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Twenty-four activists have signed-up, three of whom have listed their phone numbers for anyone wishing to join. The group of 24 includes self-described lawyers, writers, teachers and human RIYADH 00001868 002.2 OF 002 rights activists. Popular web sites such as the conservative al-Saha (www.alsaha.com) and liberal al-Toomar (www.alToomar.com) published the draft petition, to be sent to the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to seek official permission for the sit-in. The petition explains that "it is not normal that the birthplace of Islam and Arabism, and the country of the Two Holy Mosques, remains quiet without expressing its protest in a peaceful, public way." According to the petition, the letter of request will be sent to MOI on December 30, with the sit-in scheduled for December 31 at 1 p.m. -------------- OFFICIAL SAG RESPONSE TO GAZA -------------- ¶6. (C) The SAG publicly condemned "the flagrant Israeli aggression." The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz authorized medical assistance for Palestinians injured in Gaza. Specifically, the King approved Saudi aircraft to transport the injured for treatment in Saudi hospitals. According to the announcement, a plane carrying "medicine and other assistance" was scheduled to arrive in Egypt on Sunday, December 28, to be delivered to the Egyptian Red Crescent. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) The Saudi public will expect a strong SAG response to the Gaza conflict in support of the Palestinians. Where the official response does not meet expectations, breathing space opens for other groups to take up the cause. Groups with their own interests may exploit Gaza as a means of promoting different agendas. The Qatif demonstration shows that Nasrallah's call to action found an audience among Saudi's Shi'a community, where Hezbollah appears to be making gradual inroads. Organizers of the proposed sit-in repeat methods used to promote October's forty-eight hour fast in support of jailed activists (Reftel B): a peaceful form of protest, spread by blogs and word-of-mouth, developed by the same core group of activists. The SAG took no action to stop the fast, and the activists may now be emboldened to go one step further. The SAG will be asked to decide whether to halt or permit a peaceful, public sit-in for a cause enthusiastically supported by a stirred Saudi public. END COMMENT. RUNDELL