OMAN MEDIA REACTION: GAZA, HISTORY, AND IDEOLOGY

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000030 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, INR/R/MR, NEA/SA/EX/PMO LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU SUBJECT: OMAN MEDIA REACTION: GAZA, HISTORY, AND IDEOLOGY ¶1. SUMMARY: Omani dailies continue to condemn Israel and blame the UN Security council for not playing an effective role in stopping the Gaza crisis. State daily "Oman" says Israel's ignoring of the UNSC resolution buys it more time to kill, while private daily "Al Watan" suggests that militant ideology has prevailed in Israel, leaving no room for political maneuvering. END SUMMARY. -------------- NO LESSONS FROM HISTORY FOR ISRAEL -------------- ¶2. On January 8, Arabic state daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) opined that Israel refuses all peace initiatives in an attempt to end Palestinians hopes for an independent state. "Israel Rejects Truce Initiatives" says: "Despite calls to end the Israeli massacre of Palestinian civilians, the killing of thousands, the destruction of the vital facilities and infrastructure, the blocking of food and medicine, and the stopping of any rescue operation, Israeli officials are looking to kill yet more Palestinians in hopes of occupying Gaza. All European and Egyptian initiatives to stop the aggression, despite the Palestinian acceptance, have failed and were met with Israeli resistance. Overall, it seems that Israel has forgotten that more than sixty years of aggression, murder, and destruction did not stop the Palestinians from demanding rights acquired through legitimate international resolutions, which Israel has refused." -------------- ISRAEL: AN INTERNAL STRUGGLE OF IDEOLOGIES -------------- ¶3. Private Arabic daily "Al Watan" (circulation 42,000) wrote on January 9 that militant ideologies have taken over in Israel, leaving politicians unable to decide on matters that serve the Israeli state and its interest. According to "The Military Option is not Serving Israeli Survival": "The political ideology must precede and serve any military decision or action. However, it is the opposite in Israel. Their military wants to wage war, at the same time pulling the rug from under their politicians... Washington may believe that by the absolute backing up of the Israeli aggression it is presenting the Israelis a last-minute gift before the Bush administration's departure. In fact, it is giving them a poisoned gift, for this only increases Israeli's internal and external crisis. They should have left it to the politicians to estimate the importance of accepting the cease-fire suggestion as a way out of the dilemma, one further complicated by the launch of a mysterious rocket from Southern Lebanon, meaning that the war is about to expand. The continued domination of military ideology over political thought is no longer serving the security and survival of Israel, and the demonstrations of millions denouncing Israeli aggression and the expelling of their diplomats from the capitals of the world is proof of that." -------------- RESOLUTIONS AND WORLD OPINION -------------- ¶4. On January 10, "Al Watan" broadened its criticism, saying that the Israeli refusal of the UNSC resolution and the continuation of the killing of civilians indicates that the role of the Security Council is no longer effective, at least on the humanitarian level - meaning that "Humanity should Rescue Itself": "The UN Security Council has became a political tool in the hands of the superpowers, who hold the veto power and use it to accomplish their interests only, regardless of any human cost. The Israelis have ignored all resolutions issued, and their politicians have declared that they do not care about any external force dictating their any decisions... Wasn't the establishment of Israel itself a result of an external force, the same that yesterday's resolution? The UN resolution might not meet the Arab demands, but may open the door to efforts to activate the role of the world's public opinion and organizations of civil societies to pressure Israel to stop the fighting in Gaza." GRAPPO