US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI3731

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003731 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  ABU MAZEN VISITS THE UAE PALESTINE 
SOUTH LEBANON IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE VISIT OF PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHMOUD 
ABBAS TO THE UAE AND EVENTS IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, SOUTH 
LEBANON, AND IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN THE UAE MEDIA.  AN "AL 
ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL CRITICIZED THE ARAB LEAGUE'S "SILENT ATTITUDE" 
FOR THE PLIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL 
BAYAN" CLAIMS THAT THE ISRAELIS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESTROYING 
THE CEASEFIRE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER MAHMOUD ABBAS ARRIVED IN THE UAE 
ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, AND DEPARTED FOR DOHA ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 
12.  HIS VISIT WAS COVERED IN ALL ARABIC AND ENGLISH DAILIES AND 
FEATURED ON ARABIC SATELLITE TV STATIONS ABU DHABI TV, AL 
ARABIYYA, AND DUBAI TV.  DURING THE VISIT, PM ABBAS MET WITH 
SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, CROWN PRINCE OF ABU DHABI, 
SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHED AL NAHYAN, CROWN PRINCE OF DUBAI, 
SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, UAE ARMED FORCES CHIEF OF 
STAFF, AND SEVERAL OTHER IMPORTANT UAEG OFFICIALS.  DURING THESE 
MEETINGS, PM ABBASS DISCUSSED THE ROADMAP, HIS RECENT VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON, AND ISRAEL'S CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION OF THE FENCE IN 
THE WEST BANK, NOTING THAT "THIS WALL IS A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK 
FOR ACHIEVING PEACE AND IMPLEMENTING THE ROADMAP" IN THE OFFICIAL 
EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY ARTICLE APPEARING IN ALL MAJOR ARABIC AND 
ENGLISH DAILES. 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE ZIONISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE," DUBAI- 
BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 
8/13: 
 
"THE CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE BLOODY TERRORIST ARIEL SHARON ARE 
PUSHING THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.  THESE NON- 
STOP CRIMES DESTROYED THE CEASEFIRE AND THE TRUCE THAT WAS SOUGHT 
BY THE RESISTANCE IN ORDER TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT THEY WANT PEACE 
... IT IS THE PALESTINIANS' RIGHT TO RESIST IN ALL WAYS IN ORDER 
TO RECLAIM ITS STOLEN RIGHTS ...  SHARON AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE 
FOR THIS HEBREW COUNTRY SHOULD REALIZE THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO 
REMOVE THE ROOTS OF RESISTANCE BECAUSE THE PALESTINIAN LAND IS 
RIPE TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE ..." 
 
4.  CRITICIZING THE ARAB LEAGUE, SEMI-OFFICIAL ABU DHABI-BASED 
ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 8/12: 
 
"... THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS BEEN UNFAIR TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE TWICE: 
ONCE WHEN IT WAS WATCHING THEM BURN AND TOSS IN THE HEAT OF YEARS 
OF WAR, GRIEF, HUNGER, POVERTY, AND SUPPRESSION.  AND ONCE AGAIN, 
WHEN IT NEGLECTED THEM AND ABANDONED THEM WHEN THEY WERE TRYING 
TO COLLECT WHAT WAS SCATTERED, BANDAGE THEIR WOUNDS, AND REDRAW 
THEIR OWN FUTURE ... WE HOPE THE ARAB LEAGUE IS SATISFIED WITH 
ITS SUMMER AND WINTER HIBERNATIONS AND ENJOYS ITS CONSTANT 
LAZINESS AND SLEEPINESS IN ORDER TO GAIN THE REWARD OF THE 
OPPRESSOR." 
 
ALBRIGHT