US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI827

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000827 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/IPA, NEA/PD AND NEA/ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/14 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, IS, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE REACTION TO YASSIN ASSASSINATION 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba for Reasons 
1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY. The UAE Government strongly denounced the 
Israeli government's killing of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed 
Yassin outside a mosque in Gaza yesterday.  In a statement 
reported widely by the press, UAE Minister of Information 
and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (AbZ), 
speculated that Israel timed the assassination to disrupt 
the Arab Summit in Tunisia.  In a phone call to the 
Ambassador, he said he hopes the USG will try to calm the 
situation with an appropriate reaction from the White House 
and Department of State.  The media fiercely condemned the 
killing, and criticized U.S. officials for not doing the 
same. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) On the day of the killing, UAE Minister of 
Information and Culture, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al 
Nahyan, called the Ambassador to say that the UAE considers 
the U.S. a friend and ally, and as such he owed it to her 
to speak frankly about the UAE reaction to the 
assassination.  Clearly agitated and deeply worried about 
the consequences of the event, AbZ said that the Israelis 
have made a huge mistake, and it seems their intent is to 
empower Hamas, for by killing Yassin, they made a hero out 
of him.  While the UAE is vehemently opposed to Hamas and 
what Yassin stood for, AbZ said that Israel's act was sheer 
madness.  He further said that Sharon is not stupid, and 
that he is playing the "spoiler role" on purpose in order 
to undermine the USG's peace efforts.  AbZ believes the 
Israelis acted now to ensure that the Arab Summit would be 
a failure.  Finally, AbZ said that he hopes the USG will 
try to calm the situation with an appropriate reaction from 
the White House and Department of State. 
 
3. (U) In a statement to the press, which appeared in 
today's papers, AbZ speculated that Israel timed the 
assassination to disrupt the Arab Summit in Tunisia.  He 
also predicted that the "hideous massacre" would accelerate 
the whirl of violence and result in more bloodshed.  "The 
murder of Sheikh Yassin is a reflection of the state 
terrorism espoused by the Israeli government," AbZ said, 
and he called on the international community to not act as 
a bystander towards this and other crimes.  He urged the 
world and "big powers" to put an end to Israel's "incessant 
aggressions and provide international protection to the 
Palestinian people in the occupied territories." 
 
4. (U) All major UAE newspapers extensively covered the 
assassination.  Photos of his mangled wheelchair in a pool 
of blood made the front pages, along with declarations from 
Hamas that the action justified an all-out war on Israel. 
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's congratulatory 
remarks toward his armed forces were called "repulsive." 
Condemnations from world leaders, including UN Secretary 
General Kofi Annan, were printed, and it was pointed out 
that the U.S. did not condemn the attack, quoting USG 
officials' statements that "Israel has the right to defend 
itself." 
 
5. (U) Editorials in the major newspapers fiercely 
condemned the killing, holding it as evidence that Sharon's 
government will do anything to avoid any commitment to 
peace and the roadmap, and call on Palestinian nationalists 
to retaliate.  Writers predict, and some encourage, an 
escalation in violence.  The Abu Dhabi-based semi- 
government newspaper "Al Ittihad" editorialized that the 
act "...will lead the region to more violence and bloodshed 
and will destroy all hopes of peace in the Middle East, 
which Sharon does not want to succeed...the international 
family, headed by the countries supervising the peace 
process, is requested to move and stop the Zionist 
organized terrorism..." 
 
6. (C) COMMENT: In reaction to regional events over the 
past year, the UAEG has chosen to delay announcing its 
reaction until the GCC has come forward with a 
pronouncement.  In this case, the UAE chose to make its 
own, immediate reaction, signaling its deep concern over 
possible repercussions throughout the region. END COMMENT. 
 
WAHBA