US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2130

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002130 
 
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 ZEYA 
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  IRAQ/PALESTINE 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  HANDING OVER IRAQ TO IRAQIS AND THE DETERIORATING 
SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" CRITICIZED THE 
BRUTAL PICTURES OF HOSTAGES THAT MEDIA HAVE CONTINUOUSLY 
PUBLISHED AND AIRED ON TV.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" 
NOTED THAT THE WORLD HAS BEEN INSECURE SINCE IRAQ WAS OCCUPIED, 
CONTRARY TO STATEMENTS BY PRESIDENT BUSH.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  CRITICIZING THE MEDIA AND THE IMAGES THEY PUT ON TV AND IN 
THE NEWSPAPERS, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" 
EDITORIALIZED 06/28:(CIRCULATION 100,000) 
 
". WHAT THE KIDNAPPERS OF THE HOSTAGES IN IRAQ AND IN EACH 
COUNTRY DO TO THEIR VICTIMS BY PHOTOGRAPHING THEM BEFORE AND 
AFTER THEY ARE KILLED AND MAIMING THEM SHOULD GIVE THE ONES WHO 
RACE TO PUBLISH THE STORY SOME SORT OF SHAME - NOT MEDIA 
CREDIBILITY, WHICH THEY TOTALLY LOST.  THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING 
MONEY OUT OF THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF HUMANS." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE PALESTINIANS HAVE GOD TO PROTECT 
THEM," DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 
06/28:(CIRCULATION 30,000) 
 
"DID THE ARABS ACCEPT THAT OUR BROTHERS IN PALESTINE SHOULD BE 
WITH NO ONE TO PROTECT THEM?  DID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
DECIDE TO OVERLOOK THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE AND NOT TO CARE ABOUT 
WHAT THE BUTCHER SHARON IS DOING?. IN RESPONSE TO THIS ARAB AND 
INTERNATIONAL SILENCE TOWARDS ISRAEL'S CRIMINAL ACTIONS WE HAVE 
NOTHING TO DO BUT TO REQUEST AN INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIVE POWER TO 
SAVE THE PALESTINIANS." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON THE LETTER FROM PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TO PRIME 
MINISTER SHARON ON THE U.S. CONSENT AND NOTING THAT THIS WILL 
GIVE ISRAEL THE GREEN LIGHT TO CONTINUE ITS ATTACKS, SHARJAH- 
BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 06/27:(CIRCULATION 
95,000) 
 
". WHAT DOES THIS CONSENT MEAN?  IN PRINCIPLE IT IS AN OPEN 
ATTACK AGAINST THE UNITED NATIONS AND NEGLIGENCE OF ITS 
DECISIONS. IT IS ALSO AN ATTACK AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE'S 
HISTORICAL RIGHTS, IT IS A CLEAR ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUPPORTING THE 
LAW OF THE JUNGLE BY TAKING OVER LANDS THROUGH WAR, AND IT IS A 
LETTER TO THE ARABS THAT SAYS CLEARLY THAT THE U.S. HAS DECIDED 
TO SUPPORT ISRAEL.  WHAT IS THE ARAB RESPONSE WHEN ALL ARABS ARE 
TARGETS?  IT IS A DECISION THAT DOES NOT ONLY CONCERN 
PALESTINIANS BUT IT CONCERNS EVERYONE. THIS IS AN AUTHORIZATION 
FOR ATTACKS." 
 
5.  NOTING THAT THE HOSTILITY AGAINST THE U.S. IS THE WORK OF 
THEIR OWN ADMINISTRATION, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 06/27: 
 
". BUSH IS DEPRIVED OF ANY WELCOMING PUBLIC RECEPTION IN ALL THE 
COUNTRIES HE VISITS. WE CAN'T ALSO DISREGARD ARAB AND MUSLIM 
DISAPPROVAL TOWARDS AMERICAN POLICY. THE AMERICANS HAVE WORKED ON 
INCREASING THE HOSTILITY AGAINST THEM, AND HERE WE MEAN NOT THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO SAID NO TO THE OCCUPATION OF IRAQ, BUT 
HOSTILITY AGAINST THE DECISION MAKERS WHO ARE DOING BAD THINGS TO 
THEIR COUNTRY THAT WAS A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY IN THE 
WHOLE WORLD." 
 
6.  CRITICIZING PRESIDENT BUSH'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE WORLD IS A 
SAFER PLACE SINCE IRAQ WAS OCCUPIED, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 
06/26: 
 
". IT SEEMS THAT BUSH DOES NOT LIVE IN THIS WORLD AND DOES NOT 
KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, OR HE KNOWS BUT HE IS PRETENDING TO BE 
UNAWARE OR ACTING DUMB THINKING THAT THE WORLD WILL BELIEVE HIM 
SINCE WHAT HE IS SAYING IS COMING OUT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
GREAT COUNTRY. EVEN U.S. CITIZENS IN THE U.S. DO NOT FEEL SECURE 
ANYMORE. IRAQ WAS MORE SECURE BEFORE THE OCCUPATION, THE REGION 
WAS MORE SECURE, AND THE WHOLE WORLD WAS MORE SECURE." 
 
ALBRIGHT