US embassy cable - 02HARARE973

UNCLAS HARARE 000973 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND 
SCHLACHTER, AF/RA, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MEP; HARARE 
 
 
1.   Under headline "Israeli attacks on civilians 
   abhorrent," the government-controlled daily "The 
   Herald" dedicated its April 23 editorial to calling for 
   the cessation of the "cycle of violence and counter- 
   violence" in the Middle East.  Excerpts: 
 
2.   ". . .No rational person can condone or support 
   the 
   random killings of Israeli civilians by suicide 
   bombers.  These are acts of terrorism.  But the 
   Israeli solution, an attack on the civilians of 
   Palestine, cannot, for the same reasons, be 
   condoned or supported.  And, looking at how 
   effective the action launched three weeks ago will 
   be, we doubt that there will be any let up in the 
   counter-terror attacks on Israeli civilians. 
   Indeed, we expect there will be more such attacks. 
   There is an urgent need to end this cycle of 
   violence and counter-violence.  Israel's incredibly 
   powerful war machine can obviously send troops 
   anywhere in the occupied territories and can 
   destroy whatever it wishes, and kill whomever it 
   targets.  But it cannot destroy or kill the desire 
   of the Palestinians for a state of their own, 
   especially when such a state appears to be the only 
   way they can live a normal life. 
 
   ". . .We believe that peace can come to Israel and 
   Palestine.  But, as in Northern Ireland, South 
   Africa and other places where dispute centered on 
   religious and ethnic grounds, tremendous moral 
   leadership must be exerted by the religious 
   leaders.  Jewish rabbis the world over need to take 
   a stand on principle, and tell the Israeli 
   government that it cannot betray the core beliefs 
   and tribulations that led to the establishment of 
   Israel in the first place.  Palestinian imams and 
   bishops have to explain that sometimes forgiveness 
   is the only option God gives us.  There is still a 
   chance that what is needed - two states, alike in 
   dignity and living together in peace - can be 
   achieved.  But that needs men and women of highest 
   moral courage to stand up for peace and honor for 
   all." 
 
WHITEHEAD