Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL46
2009-01-10 09:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:  

AFGHANS PROTEST ISRAEL, U.S. OVER GAZA

Tags:  PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KPAL AF IS IR GZ 
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VZCZCXRO3918
PP RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0046/01 0100928
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 100928Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6643
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000046 

SIPDIS

KABUL FOR USFOR-A
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KPAL AF IS IR GZ
SUBJECT: AFGHANS PROTEST ISRAEL, U.S. OVER GAZA

Classified By: A/DCM Valerie Fowler for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000046

SIPDIS

KABUL FOR USFOR-A
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS
CG CJTF-82, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KPAL AF IS IR GZ
SUBJECT: AFGHANS PROTEST ISRAEL, U.S. OVER GAZA

Classified By: A/DCM Valerie Fowler for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. Thousands of Afghans took part in protests
this week over Israeli military operations against Hamas in
the Gaza Strip. Some protesters voiced anger at perceived
U.S. support for the Israeli government and over Palestinian
civilian casualties, two themes that also resonated in
insurgent propaganda. Afghan media and political leaders
spoke out strongly against Israel's actions as demonstrations
cropped up in Kabul and several provincial centers.
Pro-Western Afghans, taken aback by the passionate and
well-organized displays of anti-Israel and anti-U.S. anger,
suspect Iranian involvement in stoking the fires of an Afghan
population normally more ambivalent to the Palestinian cause.
In a conversation with NDS Director Saleh, the Ambassador
advised close vigilance over the demonstrations' sponsors and
action only if illicit armed groups appeared to be forming.
End summary.

Afghans Take to the Streets Nationwide
--------------


2. (SBU) More than 2,000 protesters took to the streets in a
January 2 protest in downtown Kabul near Camp Eggers.
Protesters chanted anti-Israel and anti-U.S. slogans,
accusing the two governments of genocide against
Palestinians. Other Kabul protests, including "Death to
America" chants and burning flags, drew crowds in the
hundreds and briefly closed some streets. Protests also
occurred in Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, Parwan, Kunduz,
Badakhshan, Baghlan, Asadabad, Takhar, Kapisa, Laghman and
Khost provinces.


3. (SBU) In Herat, some 400 people gathered at the Friday
Mosque, eventually moving the rally to the governor's
compound and another religious shrine. Many event organizers
are linked to Herat strongman (and current Energy Minister)
Ismail Khan's wing of the Jamiat-e-Milli party. About 500
men attended a protest in Kunduz city, where the heads of the
provincial council and ulema council spoke out against

Israel. Tensions flared, with protesters throwing rocks at
police, who responded by firing shots into the air. Two
police officers and one demonstrator sustained injuries.

Afghan Intel Chief: Demonstrations "Contrary to Afghan Law"
--------------


4. (C) NDS Director Saleh told the Ambassador that recent
demonstrations in Kabul and other parts of the country
calling for Afghans to join the Palestinian jihad were
contrary to Afghan law. Nonetheless, a number of prominent
and wealthy Afghans were patronizing these demonstrations.
The Ambassador agreed such demonstrations were troubling,
adding that the U.S. was unhappy with the situation in Gaza
and was counseling all sides to show restraint. He encouraged
the Afghans to maintain close vigilance over the sponsors and
activists behind the demonstrations, but to take action only
if it appeared an illicit armed group was forming.

Insurgents Co-Opt Issue for Propaganda
--------------


5. (U) Insurgent groups have attempted to associate the
presence of Coalition forces here with the actions of the
Israeli military. A Hezb-e-Islami/Gulbuddin (HIG) spokesman
told Afghan media a suicide bombing in Parwan near a U.S.
military convoy was in response to "criminal operations in
Gaza." That attack killed two Afghan civilians and wounded
18 more, in addition to two U.S. soldiers. A Taliban
statement that received wide press coverage called Israel's
invasion of Palestinian territory an "invasion of Islamic
rights" and urged Muslim countries to unite in opposition to
Western "invasions of Palestine, Afghanistan, and Iraq."

Elite and Media Have Their Say Too
--------------


6. (U) Afghanistan's religious authorities and politicians
have criticized Israel's actions. In a January 6 statement
welcoming visiting Pakistan President Zardari, President
Karzai condemned Israel's assault on Gaza and called on the
international community to end bombing attacks on civilians.
The national Ulema Council of religious scholars urged the UN
to intervene to stop Israel's attacks. The National United
Council of Afghanistan, a collection of prominent academics
and religious figures, said Israel was leading the "devil's
war against humanity." The scholars also condemned Arab
governments for their silence. Parliament, currently in
recess, did not issue an official statement, but several MPs

KABUL 00000046 002 OF 002


criticized the U.S. in media appearances.


7. (U) In recent days, state-owned and private news
outlets have widely reported on anti-Israel protests across
Afghanistan. In a December 29 press conference, Presidential
Spokesman Humayoon Hamidzada said the government of
Afghanistan condemned "Israel's attacks on innocent
Palestinians," and demanded an immediate halt to operations.
Almost all Afghan daily newspapers ran editorials condemning
the attacks on Gaza in strong terms, calling on Israel to
halt its operations and asking the international community to
create a plan to end the violence. Weesa Daily, an
independent pro-government newspaper, also covered the Afghan
Ulema Council's call for the Organization of the Islamic
Conference to stop the violence and end Israeli occupation of
the Gaza Strip. Afghan media sources have privately claimed
that anti-Israeli protests are known to be organized and
supported by Iranian groups.

Iranian Elements Suspected of Organizing Some Protests
--------------


8. (C) The ferocity of the protests in a country whose
population is usually more ambivalent toward
Israeli-Palestinian issues led a number of pro-Western
Afghans to suspect Iranian involvement. Deputy National
Security Advisor Spenzada said popular rallies for
Palestinians are a rarity, with Afghans historically
disengaged from those causes. Other contacts believed
individuals working for the Iranian government, either
covertly or out of Iranian-funded cultural centers, were
directly involved in the protests and manipulated the public
messages to have a more anti-US tilt. One moderate Hazara
political leader claimed Sunni groups were behind most of the
protests, but recognized others suspected an Iranian hand.
He feared these suspicions would tarnish his ethnic group as
an Iranian puppet due to the Shia connection.
WOOD