US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI2998

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002998 
 
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: IRAQ/WEST BANK 
 
 
1.  Summary:  The suicide bombings in Beersheeba yesterday and 
the kidnapping of two French journalists in Iraq dominated 
coverage in local print and electronic media.  An editorial in 
"Al Khaleej" noted that the suicide bombings in the West Bank are 
defensive acts.  An editorial  in "Al Bayan" suggested that 
foreign hands were at work in the kidnappings, while "Akhbar Al 
Arab" pointed out that kidnapping innocent people will not help 
the resistance.  "Al Khaleej" editorialized on the presence of 
large numbers of Israeli spies inside the US government.  "Al 
Ittihad" printed an article criticizing the lack of condemnation 
for Bin Laden in Muslim countries.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Commenting on the suicide bombing that took place in the West 
Bank yesterday and noting that the Palestinians were only 
defending themselves, "Al-Khaleej" editorialized 09/01: (Arabic 
daily, Sharjah-based, circulation 85,000) 
 
". These operations confirm that what Sharon tried to do by 
building the wall and reoccupying the lands that were free could 
all be wiped out by one person who could destroy all the 
fortresses of occupation.  Of course, now everyone will stand in 
line to condemn the Beersheeba operations forgetting what the 
Zionist did and are still doing, as if killing Arabs is allowed 
since the American `Law of the Jungle' allows it, and it is 
forbidden for the Arabs to defend themselves." 
 
3.  Noting that the kidnappers of the French journalists in Iraq 
are far from the honorable resistance, "Al Bayan" editorialized 
08/31:(Arabic daily, Dubai-based business-oriented, circulation 
40,000) 
 
". What can be affirmed is that the kidnapping of the French 
journalist benefits strange powers that are far from the 
honorable resistance; these kidnappings serve the occupation and 
its tails and supporters. It is not absent from the minds of the 
intelligent people that there are harmful and dangerous hands 
that are playing with Iraq, some are well-known such as the 
Zionist intelligence agencies, and some are unknown and are 
trying to distort the picture of resistance and raise hate among 
Muslims and people in the world, and to harm the French Muslims 
in particular." 
 
4.  Commenting on the kidnapping of the French journalists and 
noting that kidnapping innocent people will not help the 
resistance, "Akhbar Al-Arab" editorialized 08/30: (Arabic daily, 
Abu Dhabi-based, circulation 20,000) 
 
". The whole world agrees that resistance is something that is 
legitimate that is based on the country's right of independence, 
freedom, and sovereignty. And resistance is an honorable 
phenomenon. So what good will kidnapping civilian innocents do 
who are not even part of the conflict?. If it were not for the 
media and the journalists who convey to the world the 
developments, opinions, and events no one would have ever heard 
about the Iraqi resistance. Kidnapping journalists and civilians 
will harm the resistance cause. What is worse is that these 
kidnapping forces are distorting the picture of Islam and the 
picture of resistance." 
 
5.  Noting that if the U.S. focused more on their country's 
policy towards Israel they would discover that the Israeli spy is 
just a small part of what the Zionists are really doing in the 
U.S. administration, "Al-Khaleej" editorialized 08/29: 
 
". The Israeli spies in the U.S. are many, and what was revealed 
in the Pentagon is very similar to what is happening in other 
American official departments, institutes, and companies.  And 
this is growing more and more while the White House policy is 
built on satisfying the Zionist entity, and this is what is 
distorting the picture of the U.S. in the world and is making it 
lose its credibility and become hated." 
 
6.  Writing in "Al Ittihad" on 8/28, (Arabic daily, Abu Dhabi- 
based semi-official, circulation 85,000) Kuwaiti columnist 
Dr.Saad Bin Tafla Al Ajmi wrote an article under the headline "We 
Are All Bin Laden" noting how Muslims were against the British 
Indian writer Salman Rushdi and made a big fuss about a book he 
wrote but there were no reactions against Bin Ladin who killed 
many innocents: 
 
". The questions about our attitude as a nation towards Bin Laden 
are very interesting, especially the attitude towards `political' 
Islam, and the political hypocrisy that has caused so much damage 
to the Muslims.  I don't say damage to Islam because no one 
including Bin Laden could damage Islam.  It is very sad to 
compare our attitude as a nation and as Muslims towards Salman 
Rushdi to our attitude towards Bin Laden.  Do we remember Salman 
Rushdi?. Let us leave all opinions aside, but has there been any 
demonstration against what Bin Laden did and is still doing in 
Muslim countries?  Maybe some of us demonstrated in our hearts in 
support of Bin Laden?  Satellite channels race to broadcast his 
speeches and his fatwas, not to forbid them like Salman Rushdi's 
book was forbidden, did we announce prizes for whoever captures 
Bin Laden like we did towards Rushdi? We gave an idea to the 
whole world with our weak position and attitude towards Bin Laden 
that we are all Bin Laden!" 
SISON