Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HONGKONG23
2009-01-05 09:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Hong Kong
how-toP 050948Z JAN 09 ZDK FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6574 INFO WHITE HOUSE WASHDC USDOC WASHDC AMEMBASSY BEIJING AMCONSUL SHANGHAI AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU AIT TAIPEI 0148 CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
UNCLAS HONG KONG 000023
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR, INR/IC/CD, I/FW
DEPT FOR EAP/PD, EAP/CM, EAP/P
DEPT FOR VOA/BRF, TV-WPA
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
PRC POSTS FOR PA
AIT
USPACOM FOR FOR CIS PD ADVISER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SINO-US RELATIONS
TOPIC: Sino-US Relations
Israel and Palestine
HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS:
"The Middle East will not be stable even if the Israeli military
wins the fighting"
The center-left Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily News said in an
editorial (1/5): "...Judging from the preliminary reaction of the
Arab world, including the public in the Gaza Strip, Israel has not
succeeded in making people cast aside Hamas. On the contrary, the
ground assaults have further intensified Arab hatred toward Israel.
Twenty years ago, Israel routed Arafat's Palestine Liberation
Organization armed forces, which were entrenched on the border of
Lebanon, giving rise to the extremist group Hezbollah as a result.
Thus, even if Israel succeeds in routing Hamas, no one can get rid
of the possibility that Hamas may be replaced by another new radical
armed force. Triggering hatred among the Arab public will also
increase the difficulties of governance in some moderate Arabic
countries. It will only make the situation in Arab countries more
unstable."
"How will the fighting in Gaza end?"
The pro-PRC Chinese-language Wen Wei Po had this editorial (1/5):
"...Israel has long premeditated the fighting in Gaza. The
six-month ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended on
December 19, 2008. Hamas refused to continue the ceasefire
agreement. It launched rocket attacks hoping to force Israel to
give up economic sanctions on Gaza and preconditions for the
ceasefire agreement. But this move is just what Israel hoped for.
Israel's attacks have been carefully planned. It has spent half a
year to get ready and wait for Hamas to launched attacks first.
Then it can strike back as a retaliatory move.... The situation in
the Middle East is turbulent. U.S. President-elect Obama will have
to face a grim new test. The U.S. has always been partial to
Israel's military actions. It even vetoed the ceasefire resolution
of the UN Security Council. Since Israel launched air strikes
against Gaza and started its ground offensive, Obama has kept
silent. How will the fighting in Gaza end, and what impacts will
the fighting have on the situation in the Middle East? It becomes
more bewildering."
"Lasting Middle East peace"
The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an
editorial (1/4): "With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even
establishing basic facts can be contentious. Everyone wants a
durable peace agreement between the sworn enemies. But internal
political dynamics, ever fluid and little understood by outsiders,
often make war and conflict the strategy of choice for combatants on
both sides. After a week of merciless bombing of Hamas targets in
the Gaza Strip, Israel looks ready for a ground assault. The
administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has reportedly given
Israel free rein to send in ground troops. It may be tempting to
see the Israelis as exploiting a gap in American politics before the
inauguration of Barack Obama as the new president. However, Mr.
Obama has repeatedly voiced support for Israel as a cornerstone of
U.S. policy in the Middle East and secretary of state-designate
Hillary Rodham Clinton has a long history of friendliness towards
the country. It's highly unlikely the two will confront Israel, at
least at the start of the new administration.... At the moment, the
best that can be hoped for in the current phase of the conflict -
when the dust has settled and enough blood has been shed - is that
Israel will ease or end the Gaza blockade and that an exhausted
Hamas will give up its missile harassment. Meanwhile, a lasting
peace in this tragic land is as remote as ever."
"U.S. and Iran guide the situation in the Middle East; Obama's
silence has aroused suspicion"
The independent Chinese-language Ming Pao Daily News had an
editorial (1/4): "...U.S.' Middle East policy under the Obama
administration is one of the determining factors to decide if Israel
will continue to bomb Palestine. During the presidential election
campaign last year, Obama suggested using dialogue and adopting a
conciliatory attitude to resolve international disputes. He also
said that he would start diplomatic mediations with the Iranian
leadership if necessary. Some U.S. foreign affairs experts believe
that Obama will adjust Bush's Middle East policy after taking
office. Obama will adopt a more moderate approach than that of the
later period of the Bush era. Some people even anticipate
reconciliation between the U.S. and Iran. However, it is hard to
understand why Obama has not yet made any public comment since
Israel launched the air strikes. One of the explanations is that
Obama is still the President-elect, he should not make any comments
on the Middle East issue. However, Obama has nominated Rahm
Emanuel, a Jewish American, as the White House Chief of Staff.
Emanuel was a civilian volunteer in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War.
Thus, Obama's silence has aroused people's suspicions."
DONOVAN
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR, INR/IC/CD, I/FW
DEPT FOR EAP/PD, EAP/CM, EAP/P
DEPT FOR VOA/BRF, TV-WPA
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC
PRC POSTS FOR PA
AIT
USPACOM FOR FOR CIS PD ADVISER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SINO-US RELATIONS
TOPIC: Sino-US Relations
Israel and Palestine
HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS:
"The Middle East will not be stable even if the Israeli military
wins the fighting"
The center-left Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily News said in an
editorial (1/5): "...Judging from the preliminary reaction of the
Arab world, including the public in the Gaza Strip, Israel has not
succeeded in making people cast aside Hamas. On the contrary, the
ground assaults have further intensified Arab hatred toward Israel.
Twenty years ago, Israel routed Arafat's Palestine Liberation
Organization armed forces, which were entrenched on the border of
Lebanon, giving rise to the extremist group Hezbollah as a result.
Thus, even if Israel succeeds in routing Hamas, no one can get rid
of the possibility that Hamas may be replaced by another new radical
armed force. Triggering hatred among the Arab public will also
increase the difficulties of governance in some moderate Arabic
countries. It will only make the situation in Arab countries more
unstable."
"How will the fighting in Gaza end?"
The pro-PRC Chinese-language Wen Wei Po had this editorial (1/5):
"...Israel has long premeditated the fighting in Gaza. The
six-month ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas ended on
December 19, 2008. Hamas refused to continue the ceasefire
agreement. It launched rocket attacks hoping to force Israel to
give up economic sanctions on Gaza and preconditions for the
ceasefire agreement. But this move is just what Israel hoped for.
Israel's attacks have been carefully planned. It has spent half a
year to get ready and wait for Hamas to launched attacks first.
Then it can strike back as a retaliatory move.... The situation in
the Middle East is turbulent. U.S. President-elect Obama will have
to face a grim new test. The U.S. has always been partial to
Israel's military actions. It even vetoed the ceasefire resolution
of the UN Security Council. Since Israel launched air strikes
against Gaza and started its ground offensive, Obama has kept
silent. How will the fighting in Gaza end, and what impacts will
the fighting have on the situation in the Middle East? It becomes
more bewildering."
"Lasting Middle East peace"
The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an
editorial (1/4): "With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even
establishing basic facts can be contentious. Everyone wants a
durable peace agreement between the sworn enemies. But internal
political dynamics, ever fluid and little understood by outsiders,
often make war and conflict the strategy of choice for combatants on
both sides. After a week of merciless bombing of Hamas targets in
the Gaza Strip, Israel looks ready for a ground assault. The
administration of U.S. President George W. Bush has reportedly given
Israel free rein to send in ground troops. It may be tempting to
see the Israelis as exploiting a gap in American politics before the
inauguration of Barack Obama as the new president. However, Mr.
Obama has repeatedly voiced support for Israel as a cornerstone of
U.S. policy in the Middle East and secretary of state-designate
Hillary Rodham Clinton has a long history of friendliness towards
the country. It's highly unlikely the two will confront Israel, at
least at the start of the new administration.... At the moment, the
best that can be hoped for in the current phase of the conflict -
when the dust has settled and enough blood has been shed - is that
Israel will ease or end the Gaza blockade and that an exhausted
Hamas will give up its missile harassment. Meanwhile, a lasting
peace in this tragic land is as remote as ever."
"U.S. and Iran guide the situation in the Middle East; Obama's
silence has aroused suspicion"
The independent Chinese-language Ming Pao Daily News had an
editorial (1/4): "...U.S.' Middle East policy under the Obama
administration is one of the determining factors to decide if Israel
will continue to bomb Palestine. During the presidential election
campaign last year, Obama suggested using dialogue and adopting a
conciliatory attitude to resolve international disputes. He also
said that he would start diplomatic mediations with the Iranian
leadership if necessary. Some U.S. foreign affairs experts believe
that Obama will adjust Bush's Middle East policy after taking
office. Obama will adopt a more moderate approach than that of the
later period of the Bush era. Some people even anticipate
reconciliation between the U.S. and Iran. However, it is hard to
understand why Obama has not yet made any public comment since
Israel launched the air strikes. One of the explanations is that
Obama is still the President-elect, he should not make any comments
on the Middle East issue. However, Obama has nominated Rahm
Emanuel, a Jewish American, as the White House Chief of Staff.
Emanuel was a civilian volunteer in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War.
Thus, Obama's silence has aroused people's suspicions."
DONOVAN