US embassy cable - 03AMMAN6445

UNCLAS AMMAN 006445 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST ISSUES 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead stories in all papers today, October 7, focus 
on King Abdullah's meeting with Jordanian MPs, during 
which he expressed Jordan's rejection and denunciation 
of the Israeli attack on Syrian territory as being "in 
violation of international legitimacy".  The Security 
Council deliberations of Syria's draft resolution to 
condemn the Israeli attack is another lead story in 
all papers today.  Reports highlight the U.S. 
rejection of the draft resolution and focus on 
President Bush's emphasis that Israel has the right to 
defend itself, but that he urged Israel not to 
escalate the tension in the region.  Another lead 
story highlights the New York Times story that the 
White House has decided to form a new team under 
National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to "review" 
the U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "The need for a unified Palestinian front" 
 
Columnist Yaqoub Jaber writes on the op-ed page of 
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(10/07):  "The American reluctance to get involved in 
the Middle East peace process has a number of reasons, 
some of which are directly linked to the U.S. 
administration, where the conservatives are in 
control.  If we are to look at the Palestinian part of 
the formula, we would find that the incapability of 
the Palestinians to speak with one voice, through a 
government that represents a national unity, has 
contributed greatly to the fact that the United States 
reluctance to get involved..  The Palestinians badly 
need to form a unified front that has the sole purpose 
of establishing the Palestinian state on all 
territories occupied in 1967.  Such a front would be 
able to impose its agenda, not only on Israel and the 
United States, but on everyone who want to see an end 
to this long-standing struggle." 
 
-- "A new episode of the disasters series" 
 
Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (10/07) 
editorializes:  "With the unprecedented Israeli raid 
against Syria, Tel Aviv has once again succeeded with 
additional support from Washington to expand the 
circle of danger and to resort to violence and force 
in times of severe problems.  The Israelis found their 
`golden goose' in the fight against terrorism, because 
they can thwart the peace process, start ethnic 
cleansing, destroy the core of the Palestinian state, 
violate the sovereignty of other states, and fabricate 
all forms of accusations, all in the name of fighting 
terrorism and with the blind support of the Republican 
administration in Washington..  As has been the case 
with the disgusting American bias in favor of Israel, 
Washington alone was `understanding' of the Israeli 
raid, amidst international denunciations and 
condemnations on the widest scale..  Targeting Syria 
at this stage has its own specificity.  Damascus is 
wary of the potential pressure from its American 
`neighbor' on its borders with Iraq, accompanied by 
Israeli raids as promised by Tel Aviv.  This could 
signal the emergence of a new very critical 
geopolitical situation that could find a venting point 
in South Lebanon..  The region is thus thrown in the 
circle of dangers..  These are the headlines of the 
disastrous scenario that is being prepared for, if not 
already implemented, the region, and all during the 
final year of President Bush's term in office; the 
President who has proved that he incapable of being a 
partner in any peace." 
GNEHM