US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2874

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002874 
 
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, PASS TO MOC; PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  NAJAF/THE PALESTINAIN AUTHORITY 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN NAJAF AND CORRUPTION 
IN THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT 
AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  UAE COLUMNIST ABDULLAH RASHID CRITICIZED 
PRESIDENT YASER ARAFAT AND DESCRIBED HIM AS THE CORE OF ALL 
CORRUPTION IN THE PA SINCE HE WILL NOT INITIATE REFORM.  AN 
EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" NOTED THAT MILITARY ACTION IS NOT 
THE SOLUTION FOR THE IRAQI CRISIS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  NOTING THAT MILITARY ACTION IS NOT THE SOLUTION IN NAJAF BUT 
WILL LEAD TO MORE RESISTANCE IN OTHER CITIES, ABU DHABI-BASED 
ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 08/24: (CIRCULATION 
20,000) 
 
". MILITARY ACTIONS WILL NOT BRING SOLUTIONS FOR IRAQ, AND THE 
ONLY THING THAT WILL BE LEFT IN THE IRAQI PEOPLE'S MIND IS 
MEMORIES OF A LOST COUNTRY BECAUSE OF A GOVERNMENT THAT DID NOT 
SUCCEED. AND SINCE MILITARY ACTIONS ARE NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM 
IN IRAQ, THEY WILL JUST LEAD TO MORE RESISTANCE IN OTHER CITIES, 
AND IF THIS HAPPENED THEN THERE IS NO TIME FOR SOLUTIONS. THE 
IRAQI GOVERNMENT SHOULD MOVE TOWARDS THE INDEPENDENCE OF IT 
DECISIONS BEFORE MUKTADA, AND SHOULD DEPEND ON NATIONALS FOR 
SUPPORT AND CONSULTATION." 
 
3.  UAE COLUMNIST ABDULLAH RASHID WROTE AN ARTICLE UNDER THE 
HEADLINE "A CORRUPT AUTHORITY" IN ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT 
"AL ITTIHAD" ON 08/23: (CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". WHEN COVERING UP FOR CORRUPTION COMES FROM THE HIGHEST PERSON 
IN THE AUTHORITY WHO IS YASER ARAFAT, THEN THIS HAS ONE MEANING 
WHICH IS THAT ARAFAT IS CONFIRMING ALL WHAT IS SAID IN THE WEST 
AND BY THE ISRAELIS THAT HE IS THE CORE OF THE FINANCIAL AND 
ADMINISTRATIVE CORRUPTION IN THE AUTHORITY.  TODAY WE ASK ARAFAT: 
WHAT SHOULD WE SAY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACCUSED THE AUTHORITY OF 
CORRUPTION? SHOULD WE DENY IT?. SHOULD WE BELIEVE YOUR DENIAL 
STATEMENTS?. BUT YOU ARE THE ONE NOT FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND 
CORRUPTORS? HOW COULD WE BELIEVE YOU?.  THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY 
SHOULD HAVE INITIATED THE NECESSARY REFORM IN ITS ORGANIZATIONS 
BECAUSE THIS WOULD HAVE HAD POSITIVE OUTCOMES BOTH INTERNALLY AND 
EXTERNALLY. BUT AUTHORITY OFFICIALS JUST IGNORED THIS ALTHOUGH 
ARAFAT CONFESSED THE MISTAKES. DOES THE AUTHORITY UNDERSTAND THE 
IMPORTANCE OF REFORM AND TO BEAUTIFY ITS PICTURE INSIDE AND 
OUTSIDE PALESTINE?  DOES THE AUTHORITY REALIZE THAT DISTRIBUTION 
OF RESPONSIBILITY WILL MAKE IT STRONGER IN FACING THE 
CONSPIRACIES THAT ARE BEING PREPARED FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE?" 
 
SISON