ISLAMIC COMMUNICATIONS MINISTERS DISCUSS GAZA, IMAGE OF ISLAM

UNCLAS RABAT 000114 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/MAG, AND NEA/PI LONDON, PARIS AND DUBAI FOR MEDIA HUBS E.0.12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM KPAO EAID KMPI MO SUBJECT: ISLAMIC COMMUNICATIONS MINISTERS DISCUSS GAZA, IMAGE OF ISLAM ¶1. (U) Summary: Communications Ministers from Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) member states met in Rabat on January 27-28 to address the image of Islam in the international media. A prepared statement from King Mohammed VI of Morocco opened the event, focusing on Gaza, encouraging continued cooperation within the Islamic world, and advocating better communications to promote the image of Islam. The conferees adopted a "Rabat Declaration," focusing on these same basic themes. End summary. ¶2. (U) The King's opening statement declared that Morocco would continue its efforts to put an end to aggression and occupation in Gaza, to lift the "sanctions" against Gazans, and work towards a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict through the establishment of an independent state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital. The King advocated the adoption of new means of communication and more effective planning and coordination to convey the voice of the Islamic world, highlighting the importance of keeping up with information technology and new media so as to present an accurate image of Muslims and Islam. Participants "lauded" the King's message adopted it as one of the basic documents of the conference. A decision was made to hold the next (ninth) edition of this conference in Gabon in 2011. ¶3. (U) The two-day event culminated with the issuance of the "Rabat Declaration." On the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Declaration hailed the role of the Islamic media in "revealing the despicable Israeli aggression" against Gazans, urging the media to continue pursuing efforts to highlight and support the "legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people." It condemned Israel's "harassment" of the press and its refusal to provide access to Gaza for journalists to cover "the killing of humans and the destruction of homes and trees." It called on the media to support all efforts to achieve national unity of the Palestinian people. ¶4. (U) In the field of strategic communications, the Declaration underscored the value of transparency and accountability in the media, and called for an integrated plan to address the image of Islam in the outside world. It outlined the role of the Islamic media in confronting and exposing efforts to spread prejudice and hatred against Muslims, and to associate Islam with violence and terrorism. It emphasized how emerging technologies can be leveraged to help the media fight all forms of intolerance, racism and hatred, and promote democratic societies, the values of citizenship, human rights, and mechanisms for good governance. It supported the ongoing efforts to restructure and fund the Islamic News Agency (INA) and the Islamic Broadcasting Union (ISBU),which are to play a key role in the campaign to bolster Islam's image. ¶5. (U) Aside from the government-owned media, the local Moroccan press barely feigned interest in the conference, providing perfunctory coverage, and practically no commentary. One prominent independent newspaper director, noted for his fiery criticism of the Moroccan Government, excoriated the assembled ministers, stating that Ministries of Communication were nothing more than obsolete propaganda machines designed to prop up Arab regimes. He said that the only service the ministers could render to the Arab people would be to disband their ministries. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: This conference suggests that the Gaza crisis has had a universalizing effect across the Islamic world, and demonstrated that the Information Ministry officials are in closer accord than those working at the summit level. End comment. JACKSON