MEDIA REACTION: SINO-US RELATIONS

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