US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI504

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000504 
 
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; NSC 
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:  THE WALL COURT CASE IN THE HAGUE 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE SITUATION IN THE WEST BANK AND THE WALL COURT 
CASE AT THE HAGUE DOMINATED COVERAGE IN ELECTRONIC AND PRINT 
MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" NOTES THAT ISRAEL'S THREATS 
TO DESTROY THE ROAD MAP ARE ONLY A NEW FORM OF BLACKMAIL.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE PATIENT AND MERCY KILLING," SHARJAH- 
BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 02/25: 
 
"IF THE U.S., GEORGE BUSH, AND ALL THE LIKOUDIANS IN HIS 
ADMINISTRATION ARE LOOKING AT THE ARAB COUNTRIES AS A PATIENT, 
THEN THE PRESCRIPTIONS OF AIRCRAFTS, TANKS, AND POISONOUS 
DIPLOMATIC GLOVES ARE ONLY TO KILL THE PATIENT THROUGH WHAT 
WESTERNS CALL 'MERCY KILLING,' AND ARE NOT TO HELP IN THEIR 
RECOVERY.  WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE 
AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION IS WHAT THE U.S. WANTS TO 
IMPLEMENT IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES AND ON MUSLIMS NOW, BUT IN A 
HARSHER WAY SINCE IT ADDS THE ZIONIST GREEDINESS TO ITS 
OCCUPATION BENEFITS." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON ISRAEL'S THREATS OF DESTROYING THE ROAD MAP AT 
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI- 
GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 02/25: 
 
"THE ISRAELI THREAT OF DESTROYING THE ROAD MAP AT THE 
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE YESTERDAY, THAT IS IF THE COURT 
ANNOUNCES ANY LEGAL OPINION REGARDING THE WALL, IS ONLY A NEW 
ISRAELI BLACKMAIL OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY. SHARON 
DESTROYED THE ROAD MAP WHILE IT WAS STILL ON PAPER. AMERICAN AND 
EUROPEAN ADVICE GIVEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE GIVE 
SHARON THE GREEN LIGHT TO CONTINUE BUILDING THE WALL. THIS 
SILENCE AND FAVORITISM WILL NOT BRING PEACE TO THE REGION BUT 
WILL BRING DESTRUCTION AND VIOLENCE." 
 
4.  NOTING ISRAEL'S DISAPPROVAL OF HAVING INTERNATIONAL FORCES IN 
GAZA, ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 
02/25: 
 
". PALESTINIANS AND ARABS IN GENERAL, WITH ALL THEIR FRIENDS IN 
THE WORLD ARE REQUESTING THE INTERFERENCE OF THE UN TO PLAY A 
ROLE THAT WILL OVERRIDE WASHINGTON'S VETO AND ISRAEL'S REJECTION, 
IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TOO 
LONG." 
 
WAHBA