US embassy cable - 04AMMAN10019

UNCLAS AMMAN 010019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON FRANCE'S CLOSURE OF MANAR 
TV 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, December 20, 
focuses on the response of the Lower and Upper Houses 
of Parliament to the King's speech from the throne. 
Another lead story highlights reports about Saddam 
Hussein's first meeting with his lawyer.  Other 
stories continue to highlight the escalation of 
violence in Iraq, with one paper reporting allegations 
of Shia and Sunni leaders of Israeli Mossad 
responsibility for deadly explosions. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Do they fear our voices so much?" 
 
Columnist Hussein Rawashdeh writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(12/20):  "Assassinating the voice of Al-Manar TV, be 
it by banning its broadcast in France or placing it on 
the American list of terrorism, simply means that the 
western talk about freedom has failed miserably in all 
the tests..  The free Arab and Muslim media, just like 
the free Arab man, the free Arab word and the free 
resistance, has become `legitimate' targets of anyone 
who targets our nation with invasion, deterioration 
and backwardness.. Al-Manar TV, and even Al-Jazirah 
TV, will not be the last, just as Baghdad, Fallujah 
and Rafah are not going to be the last." 
 
-- "The Zionist pressure groups are behind the closure 
of Al-Manar TV" 
 
Columnist Ibrahim Absi writes on the op-ed page of 
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(12/20):  "We had thought that France is the land of 
free art, free thought, free expression, free opinions 
and words, and free political stances, and that it had 
rid itself completely of the enemies of freedom and of 
the Zionist pressure groups.  Yet, here we stand, face 
to face with a shocking French decision, which is by 
all means a decision against France, against freedom 
and against art and thought.  Namely, it is the 
decision to close down the free Arab satellite TV 
station, Al-Manar, on the pretext that it is anti- 
Semitic and on the pretext of the hijab [head scarf] 
worn by the women presenters.  Yet, French officials 
know very well that the reason for the closure, which 
seems to be out of their hands, is completely 
different, namely the fact that this free station, 
which was never anti-Semitic but anti-Zionism, 
managed, with its limited resources and in a very 
short period of time, to expose the lies and deception 
of the Zionist media channels..  The closure of Al- 
Manar TV is a victory for hate over love, for lies 
over truth, for slavery over freedom, for Zionism over 
free France, for the Zionist entity over the Arab 
nation - the nation that failed to establish an Arab 
satellite station that would engage the western public 
opinion, and failed to protect this free Arab station 
that has brought the Arab voice and image to Europe 
and the world." 
HALE