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