US embassy cable - 02MUSCAT730

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MUSCAT 000730 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR S, P, P/M, NEA, NEA/ARP, INR-MNIEHAUS 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCENTCOM FOR POLAD AND CCJ2 
SECDEF FOR OSD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2012 
TAGS: PREL, MEPN, MU, XF 
SUBJECT: BIN ALAWI ANGRY, FRUSTRATED BY U.S. "BIAS" TOWARDS 
ISRAEL, SAYS ARABS WILL REFUSE TO CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBING; 
SAUDI PEACE PLAN "ONLY WAY FORWARD" 
 
REF: STATE 67796 
 
CLASSIFIED BY POL/ECON CHIEF WILLIAM R. STEWART FOR REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  OMANI MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS BIN ALAWI STRONGLY CRITICIZES U.S. POLICY IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST AND COMPLAINS THAT U.S. IS "COMPLETELY BIASED" 
TOWARDS ISRAEL.  BIN ALAWI SAYS THAT IT IS "IMPOSSIBLE" NOW 
FOR ARAB LEADERS TO CONDEMN SUICIDE BOMBING, WHICH THEY SEE 
NOT ONLY AS LEGITIMATE SELF-DEFENSE FOR THE PALESTINIANS BUT 
THE ONLY WAY THEY HAVE TO "FIGHT BACK" AGAINST "ISRAELI 
ATROCITIES."  BIN ALAWI BLAMES THE U.S. FOR THE CURRENT 
DEPLORABLE SITUATION, SAYING THAT AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY 
FAVORS ONLY THE ISRAELIS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ARABS.  BIN 
ALAWI SAYS THAT THE SAUDI PEACE PROPOSAL ENDORSED AT THE 
BEIRUT ARAB LEAGUE SUMMIT IS "THE ONLY WAY FORWARD" TOWARD 
PEACE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES MET MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS YUSUF BIN ALAWI ON APRIL 10 TO DELIVER REFTEL 
TALKING POINTS (MFA ARABIAN AFFAIRS CHIEF AMBASSADOR AHMAD 
AL-HARTHI AND POL/E CHIEF ATTENDED AS NOTETAKERS).  AFTER 
GLANCING AT THE POINTS, BIN ALAWI SAID THAT "THESE SIMPLY 
FOLLOW THE STATEMENTS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THE 
MEDIA."  THE CHARGE SAID THAT THE POINTS GO BEYOND PUBLIC 
STATEMENTS.  THE UNITED STATES IS ASKING FOR THE HELP OF ARAB 
GOVERNMENTS TO PRESSURE ARAFAT TO DENOUNCE SUICIDE BOMBINGS 
AND TO RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS.  THE CHARGE EMPHASIZED THAT 
THE UNITED STATES IS SINCERE AND GENUINE IN ITS EFFORTS AND 
UNDERSCORED OUR COMMITMENT TO GETTING BOTH THE SECURITY AND 
POLITICAL PROCESSES BACK ON TRACK.  THE CHARGE NOTED THAT 
GENERAL ZINNI HAD MET WITH YASER ARAFAT AND WAS LAYING THE 
GROUNDWORK FOR BEGINNING A PROCESS OF DIALOGUE. THE FOCUS 
NOW, SAID THE CHARGE, IS ON SECRETARY POWELL'S VISIT TO 
JERUSALEM BEGINNING TOMORROW. 
 
3.  (C) BIN ALAWI SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THESE POINTS, WHICH 
HAD BEEN MADE BEFORE. "BUT THEY ARE ONLY WISHES."  WE BELIEVE 
THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS "LOST ITS DIRECTION."  THE UNITED 
STATES PUTS "ALL THE BLAME" ON ARAFAT.  HE IS THE ONLY ONE TO 
BE BLAMED, NO MATTER WHAT THE REALITY.  THE UNITED STATES HAS 
BEEN MAKING MISTAKES ALL ALONG AND NOW IS MAKING "AN EVEN 
BIGGER MISTAKE."  THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS TIME FOR THE 
UNITED STATES, SAID BIN ALAWI.  YOU ASK ARAB LEADERS TO 
CONDEMN HAMAS AND OTHER GROUPS FOR VIOLENCE. "BUT THIS WILL 
NOT HAPPEN."  INSTEAD, HE SAID, ALL YOU WILL GET ARE "FURTHER 
CONFRONTATIONS" WITH ARAB LEADERS. 
 
4. (C) THE CHARGE PUSHED BACK, REITERATING THE U.S. DESIRE 
FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 
1402.  WE NEED TO GET THE ELEMENTS OF A POLITICAL PROCESS 
UNDERWAY ONCE AGAIN, SAID THE CHARGE.  GENERAL ZINNI HAS 
ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MUCH BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, AND WHEN 
SECRETARY POWELL COMES HE WILL ENCOURAGE BOTH SIDES TO 
DECLARE A CEASEFIRE AND THEN MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO BEGIN A 
POLITICAL PROCESS.  THE KEY, SAID THE CHARGE, IS FOR FRIENDLY 
ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO REINFORCE OUR MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIAN 
AUTHORITY AND TO ASK ARAFAT TO SUPPORT THE CEASEFIRE AND 
ISSUE A STRONG STATEMENT AGAINST TERRORISM. 
 
5.  (C) SHAKING HIS HEAD, BIN ALAWI SAID "YOU ARE CRACKING 
ALL YOUR RESOURCES IN THE ARAB WORLD."  THE ISRAELIS ARE 
"DESTROYING EVERYTHING," AND YOU WANT ARAB LEADERS TO ISSUE 
STATEMENTS "AGAINST HAMAS, AGAINST PALESTINIANS." "IS THIS 
LOGICAL?"  YOU HAVE LOST DIRECTION, REPEATED BIN ALAWI. 
REMEMBER, SAID BIN ALAWI, THE MITCHELL REPORT WAS YOUR 
PROPOSAL.  THE PALESTINIANS AGREED.  THE PALESTINIANS ARE 
WILLING TO IMPLEMENT IT.  THEN CAME TENET.  AGAIN THE 
PALESTINIANS AGREED.  BUT INSTEAD OF IMPLEMENTING IT, YOU 
(THE U.S.) "SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE ISRAELIS 
WON'T ACCEPT IT."  INSTEAD, YOU SENT ZINNI TO THE REGION TO 
DESIGN "YET ANOTHER PROCESS."  ONLY THIS TIME, THE PROCESS IS 
TAILORED TO MEET ONLY ISRAEL'S DESIRES. BUT NOW, THE 
PALESTINIANS WON'T AGREE TO IT, BECAUSE "IT IS NOT FAIR." 
"WE KNOW THAT ISRAEL REFUSED 14 POINTS IN THE TENET PLAN. 
YOU AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE THE DIGNITY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR 
PROPOSAL.  AFTER ALL, YOU PUT IT FORWARD.  BUT INSTEAD, YOU 
CHOOSE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE POOR PALESTINIANS." 
 
6.  (C) THE CHARGE REPLIED BY NOTING THAT MISTAKES HAVE BEEN 
MADE BY BOTH SIDES.  NO, INTERJECTED BIN ALAWI, "NOT BY BOTH 
SIDES."  THE ISRAELIS AND THE ISRAELIS ALONE HAVE REJECTED 
ALL THE PROPOSALS THE U.S. HAS PUT FORWARD, HE SAID.  THEY 
HAVE BEEN THE STUMBLING BLOCK, NOT THE PALESTINIANS.  THE 
CHARGE SAID THAT THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED, AND NOW THE 
PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS INSISTED ON THE IMMEDIATE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1402.  WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT 
MAKE, REJOINED BIN ALAWI.  ISRAEL REFUSES TO IMPLEMENT 1402. 
HOW CAN THE U.S. DEFEND ISRAEL FOR ITS WRONGDOING?  YOU HAVE 
NOW CREATED A SITUATION, CONTINUED BIN ALAWI, WHERE "THERE IS 
NO HAMAS, THERE IS ONLY THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE."  "YOU ARE 
GOING DOWNHILL."  I AM SPEAKING TO YOU FRANKLY, SAID BIN 
ALAWI.  I AM GIVING YOU ADVICE AS A FRIEND MUST.  WE FEEL 
SORRY FOR OUR FRIENDS IN WASHINGTON. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL YOU 
HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DOING IS TO PUT EVERYONE IN THE REGION IN 
"A VERY AWKWARD POSITION." 
 
7.  (C)  THE CHARGE SAID THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO DRAW 
THE LINE AT SUICIDE BOMBINGS.  THE U.S. NEEDED THE SUPPORT OF 
ITS ARAB FRIENDS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE PALESTINIANS TO ISSUE 
A CLEAR CONDEMNATION OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS OF INNOCENT 
ISRAELIS.  "THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN," SAID BIN ALAWI. 
YOU CANNOT ASK ARAB LEADERS TO CONDEMN PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE 
WHEN THEY HAVE "NO OTHER WAY TO FIGHT BACK."  "WHY DO YOU 
ONLY CONDEMN THE PALESTINIAN?" CONTINUED BIN ALAWI.  WHY DO 
YOU NOT CONDEMN ISRAELI ATROCITIES?  WE BLAME THE U.S. FOR 
NOT HAVING PUT OBSERVERS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES.  THE 
PALESTINIANS NEED PROTECTION JUST AS MUCH AS ISRAELIS DO. 
THE ARABS HAVE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR U.S. OBSERVERS, BUT THERE 
HAS BEEN "NO RESPONSE" FROM THE U.S.  WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT 
THE US WANTS ONLY FOR THE PALESTINIANS "TO SURRENDER TO 
ISRAEL."  "THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN."  THE ISRAELIS WANT 
THE RIGHT TO INVADE THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES AT ANY TIME, AND 
ARREST ANYONE THEY WANT FOR ANY REASON. "IS THIS FAIR?" 
 
8. (C) THE CHARGE REPEATED THAT THE U.S. HAS ASKED ISRAEL TO 
WITHDRAW FROM THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES.  YES, SAID BIN 
ALAWI, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING.  BUT YOU STILL DO NOT 
CONDEMN ISRAELI AGGRESSION. YOU ONLY CONDEMN THE 
PALESTINIANS.  YOU AMERICANS CANNOT AVOID BLAME FOR THE 
CURRENT SITUATION,.  YOU TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY FROM 1993 -- 
YOU PUSHED THE MADRID PROCESS FORWARD.  YOU SOUGHT AND 
OBTAINED THE SUPPORT OF THE ARABS.  AND YET NOW YOU ONLY TAKE 
ONE SIDE.  THIS WAS NOT THE CASE UNDER THE PREVIOUS TWO 
ADMINISTRATIONS -- THEN YOU WERE "BASICALLY FAIR."  BUT THE 
POLICIES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE LED TO THE CURRENT 
SITUATION.  "THERE IS NO PEACE PROCESS." 
 
9. (C)  THE CHARGE STRESSED THAT THE U.S. IS GENUINELY 
COMMITTED TO TRYING TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR A CEASEFIRE TO 
TAKE HOLD, FOLLOWED BY A POLITICAL PROCESS AND PEACE 
NEGOTIATIONS.  IN ORDER TO DO THIS, THE U.S. SEEKS THE 
ASSISTANCE OF THE ARABS TO PRESSURE THE PALESTINIANS TO DO 
WHATEVER THEY CAN TO PREVENT FUTURE SUICIDE BOMBINGS.  FINE, 
RESPONDED BIN ALAWI.  BUT WHAT WILL THE U.S. DO IN RETURN? 
"WHAT WILL YOU DO TO THE ISRAELIS?  THEY DESTROY EVERYTHING. 
THEY ARE THE AGGRESSORS.  THE WHOLE WORLD CAN SEE THE 
ISRAELIS DESTROYING MOSQUES AND CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS AND 
SCHOOLS.  WHAT WILL THE UNITED STATES DO TO THEM?"  THE 
CHARGE RESPONDED THAT THE U.S. HAS STRONGLY URGED THE 
ISRAELIS TO WITHDRAW THEIR FORCES FROM THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES BACK TO ISRAEL PROPER, AND TO REMAIN THERE.  BUT 
THIS WILL ONLY BE EFFECTIVE -- AND ONLY LAST -- IF THE 
PALESTINIANS CAN STOP FUTURE SUICIDE BOMBINGS. 
 
10. (C) BIN ALAWI SAID THAT THE KEY TO RESOLVING THE CRISIS 
IS NOT MILITARY OR SECURITY -- THE ANSWER IS TO RETURN TO A 
POLITICAL PROCESS.  THE SAUDI PROPOSAL, ADOPTED BY THE ARAB 
LEAGUE AT THE RECENT BEIRUT SUMMIT, IS "VERY CLEAR" AND "THE 
ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VIOLENCE."  THE FIRST STEP, SAID BIN 
ALAWI, IS FOR ISRAELI FORCES TO PULL BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE 
"ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2000."  ANY OTHER WORDS OR ACTIONS WILL 
"NOT BE HELPFUL."  AND THE LOSERS, ACCORDING TO BIN ALAWI, 
WILL BE "THE POOR PALESTINIAN PEOPLE."  THE CHARGE SAID THAT 
THE U.S. BELIEVES IN AND IS NOW THOROUGHLY ENGAGED IN A 
POLITICAL DISCUSSION WITH ALL THE PARTIES.  BIN ALAWI ASKED, 
"THEN WHY DON'T YOU ENFORCE THE AGREEMENTS AND DECISIONS 
WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE?"  WE HAVE HEARD WORDS AND 
STATEMENTS BEFORE, CONTINUED BIN ALAWI.  "WE HAVE HEARD YOU 
SAY 'WE WANT THIS' AND 'WE HOPE THAT.'"  WHAT IS NEEDED NOW, 
HE ADDED, ARE NOT WANTS, HOPES, OR WISHES BUT "ACTION."  "IF 
YOU ARE SERIOUS, YOU CAN FORCE THE ISRAELIS TO WITHDRAW."  IT 
HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.  BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN IF IT IS 
ONLY A "MATTER OF CONVENIENCE." BEFORE THE ARABS CAN BE 
"TOUGH ON THE PALESTINIANS," BIN ALAWI INSISTED, WE MUST 
FIRST SEE YOU BE "TOUGH ON YOUR FRIENDS, THE ISRAELIS." 
 
11. (C) BIN ALAWI WARNED THAT THE U.S. WAS "MAKING A VERY 
DANGEROUS MISTAKE" IN APPROACHING ARAB LEADERS TO PRESSURE 
THE PALESTINIANS.  "THIS WILL ONLY LEAD TO CONFRONTATION WITH 
THE ARABS," SAID BIN ALAWI, "WHICH NO ONE WANTS."  BY ASKING 
ARABS AND PALESTINIANS TO CONDEMN HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD, 
YOU ARE IN FACT ASKING THEM TO CONDEMN THE RIGHT OF 
PALESTINIANS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.  THE CHARGE SAID THAT THE 
U.S. INSISTS THAT ALL ACTIONS BY ANY PARTY MUST BE PEACEFUL. 
THEN WHY DO YOU NOT CONDEMN THE ISRAELIS FOR USING F-16'S, 
APACHE HELICOPTERS, AND TANKS TO ATTACK INNOCENT PALESTINIAN 
CIVILIANS, ASKED BIN ALAWI.  SINCE THE UNITED STATES, THE 
WORLD'S ONLY SUPERPOWER, WON'T PROTECT THE PALESTINIANS, 
SUICIDE BOMBING IS THE ONLY WAY LEFT OPEN TO THEM FOR 
SELF-DEFENSE.  SUICIDE BOMBING HAS ENGENDERED MUCH DISMAY AND 
HORROR AND RESULTED IN VERY NEGATIVE IMAGE IN THE U.S., THE 
CHARGE STRESSED.  "F-16'S AND APACHES HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY 
NEGATIVE IMAGE IN THE ARAB WORLD," BIN ALAWI SHOT BACK. 
 
12. (C) WE DO NOT WANT TO DESTROY ISRAEL, BIN ALAWI SAID. 
OMAN HAS FOR MANY YEARS BEEN AN ACTIVE PLAYER IN THE PEACE 
PROCESS.  WE HAVE HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL.  WE HAVE 
INVESTED HEAVILY IN ISRAEL FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS.  WE 
WANT ISRAEL TO LIVE IN PEACE AND SECURITY WITH ITS NEIGHBORS. 
 NO ONE IS ASKING ISRAEL TO COMPROMISE ITS SECURITY.  BUT WE 
WANT THE SAME FOR THE PALESTINIANS.  AND MORE AND MORE ARABS 
ARE BECOMING CONVINCED THAT ISRAEL DOES NOT SEEK PEACE AND 
SECURITY BUT RATHER "PEACE AND TERRITORY."  "AFTER 11 YEARS 
OF A FAILED PEACE PROCESS, ISRAEL NOW WANTS ARAFAT GIVE UP 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORY.  HE WILL NEVER DO THAT."  THE U.S. HAS 
ENTERED VERY DANGEROUS TERRITORY, WARNED BIN ALAWI AGAIN. 
"DON'T PUSH THE ARABS TO THE WALL." 
 
13. (C) IT IS NOT ONLY THE PALESTINIANS WHO SUFFER FROM THIS, 
CONTINUED BIN ALAWI.  WE ALL DO.  "TELL SECRETARY POWELL THAT 
EVERY DAY WE (THE OMANI GOVERNMENT) FACE HUMILIATION FROM THE 
STREET" BECAUSE OF OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH THE U.S.  NEVER MIND 
ABOUT THE WAR ON TERRORISM OR EVENTS IN AFGHANISTAN OR IRAQ, 
BIN ALAWI SAID.  THE UNITED STATES HAS ONLY ONE PROBLEM -- 
THE MIDDLE EAST.  "WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH U.S. FOREIGN 
POLICY FOR TWENTY YEARS," BIN ALAWI CONCLUDED.  "THE ONE 
THING WE HAVE LEARNED IS THIS:  YOU ONLY GET ATTENTION IF YOU 
SHOUT.  OTHERWISE, YOU ARE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY."  CONSIDER ME 
TO BE SHOUTING. 
 
14. (C) COMMENT:  WHILE THE MEETING WAS PERFECTLY CORDIAL, 
BIN ALAWI WAS IN LITTLE MOOD TO LISTEN.  HE HAD ORIGINALLY 
GRANTED ONLY FIFTEEN MINUTES WHEN WE REQUESTED THE 
APPOINTMENT; THE DISCUSSION ENDED UP TAKING OVER AN HOUR. 
HIS FRUSTRATION REFLECTS SENTIMENTS WE HAVE HEARD FROM ALL 
LEVELS OF OMANI SOCIETY:  WE WANT ACTION, NOT WORDS.  U.S. 
CREDIBILITY IN OMAN HAS BEEN GREATLY DIMINISHED; OMANIS ARE 
CONVINCED THAT WE HAVE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT TO ISRAEL NO 
MATTER WHAT WE SAY.  THE PRESS, INTERNET CHAT ROOMS, AND OUR 
INTERLOCUTORS ALL POINT TO THE LENGTH OF TIME IT IS TAKING 
FOR THE SECRETARY TO REACH ISRAEL; THIS IS SEEN AS A CLEAR 
DELAYING TACTIC TO ALLOW THE ISRAELIS TIME TO FINISH THEIR 
OPERATIONS.  BIN ALAWI'S ALLEGATIONS THAT GENERAL ZINNI IS 
NOT NEUTRAL BUT IS REPRESENTING THE ISRAELIS MORE THAN THE 
U.S. IS ALSO A UBIQUITOUS BELIEF HERE.  WHEN WE ARRIVED FOR 
THE MEETING, BIN ALAWI HAD A LARGE SCREEN TELEVISION ON HIS 
OFFICE TUNED TO ABU DHABI TV BEAMING GRIM IMAGES FROM THE 
WEST BANK/GAZA.  THE VOLUME WAS SO LOUD, HE HAD TO INTERRUPT 
THE MEETING TO TURN IT OFF.  IT IS LIKELY HE TURNED IT BACK 
ON AS SOON AS WE LEFT -- AND THAT MOST OMANIS ARE WATCHING 
THE SAME THING.  IT IS UNLIKELY ANYTHING WILL BREAK THROUGH 
THEIR ABSORPTION WITH THE VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND 
THEIR ANIMOSITY TOWARDS THE U.S. AND ISRAEL SHORT OF AN 
ISRAELI PULLOUT AND AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO A POLITICAL 
DIALOGUE, OFFERING AT LEAST A GLIMMER OF HOPE AT THE END OF A 
VERY DARK TUNNEL. 
 
 
DRY