US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1222

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001222 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2009 
TAGS: PREL, TC 
SUBJECT: Strong reaction to President's remarks on 
Gaza withdrawal, Rantissi assassination 
 
 
Classified by Ambassador Marcelle M. Wahba, reasons 
1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
Ref: State 84066 
 
1. (C) Summary: The response in the UAE to President 
Bush's April 14 remarks supporting Israel's Gaza 
withdrawal plan has been stronger and more anti- 
Administration than what we are used to hearing.  The 
April 17 assassination of HAMAS leader Rantissi 
ratcheted up the tenor of the criticism, with some of 
our contacts asserting that the U.S. has given Israel 
the green light to do what it pleases.  There has been 
no public official UAE response to President Bush's 
remarks or to the Rantissi assassination.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (C) President Bush's April 14 declaration in 
support of Israel's Gaza withdrawal plan, together 
with the assassinations of HAMAS leaders Shaykh Yassin 
and Rantissi, have contributed to a build-up of 
tension and anger among Emiratis and Arab expatriates 
that our FSNs say they have not seen in many years. 
Some of our contacts expressed anger and disbelief 
over what they perceive to be a major departure from 
past U.S. policy, particularly on the right of 
Palestinian refugees to return to Israel.  Others 
faulted Arab leaders for their acquiescence to Israeli 
actions and for their failure to send a strong message 
to the US on its Israel policy.  Some Arab expatriates 
speculate that President Bush is trying to influence 
the Jewish vote in next November's election. 
 
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American green light 
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3. (C) Two Emirati men attending the Abu Dhabi book 
fair on April 16 told our FSN information specialist 
that they refused go to the Embassy's book exhibit and 
added "everything American" should be banned from the 
book fair.  An Emirati employee at Emirates Media told 
our FSN information and cultural assistant that it 
appears President Bush is giving Israeli Prime 
Minister Sharon "a green light" for aggression in Gaza 
and on denying the rights of Palestinian refugees. 
Some of our contacts are afraid that this shift in 
U.S. policy will cause the entire peace process to go 
back to square one. 
 
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Arab leaders criticized 
----------------------- 
 
4. (C) Arab leaders must play a bigger role, but the 
situation is complicated by the fact that Palestinians 
are so divided on their tactics, said Awad bin 
Mohammed Al-Otaiba, an Under Secretary at the Ministry 
of Electricity and Water and a former Under Secretary 
with the Ministry of Information.  "I don't know if 
the Palestinians know where they are going.  They 
should understand that Israel is a fact of life" and 
learn to live in peace with Israelis just as 
Jordanians and Egyptians do, he told Polchief. 
"Violence does not get you anywhere," he added.  "We 
Arabs, we like to live in peace, raise our children, 
and send them to school." 
 
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No official response 
-------------------- 
 
5. (C) There has been no official UAEG response to 
President Bush's April 14 remarks backing Israel's 
Gaza withdrawal plan.  Polchief met with Ambassador 
Ahmed Al-Muqarrab, director of the MFA Department of 
European, American, and Oceanian Affairs on April 18 
to deliver reftel talking points.  Al Muqarrab 
listened carefully then said he would brief Foreign 
Minister Rashid Abdullah and Under Secretary Abdullah 
Rashid. 
 
Harsh criticism in the media 
---------------------------- 
 
6. (U) Reaction in the media to Bush's remarks has 
been very sharp, including comparisons to the Balfour 
Declaration.  An editorial in "Al Shurooq" magazine 
notes that President Bush's declaration, "in complete 
support of Sharon's plan, has gone beyond the redlines 
that previous administrations have established."  The 
changed policy direction reveals that the U.S. cannot 
be an honest broker and that U.S. policy is biased 
toward Israel, according to "Al Shurooq."  The 
publication also asks whether Arab leaders will take a 
stand.  "Gulf News" challenged Arab leaders "to listen 
to their people now - and to their consciences - and 
take a stand against Israel's constant insults and 
abuses."  The same April 19 editorial said it was 
"time to send a strong message to the US, saying Arab 
states will not accept humiliation and will not be 
submissive." 
 
Anti-normalization group statement 
---------------------------------- 
 
7. (U) The UAE Anti-Normalization Committee, a 
Sharjah-based Emirati organization comprised of 
Islamic intellectuals, issued a statement April 18 
calling on Arab and Islamic leaders to respond to 
President Bush's declaration "confiscating" the right 
of return.  The statement said that the "Second 
Balfour Declaration" comes amid "unprecedented Arab 
and international silence," and warned that "History 
will not be fair to those who remain silent." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (C) That the UAE leadership has not issued a public 
statement reacting to President Bush's remarks on the 
Gaza withdrawal is not unusual.  The UAEG's position 
on the Middle East peace process remains one of 
encouraging all parties to find peaceful means of 
achieving a two-state solution. 
WAHBA