US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4724

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Identifier:	02AMMAN4724
Wikileaks:	View 02AMMAN4724 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Amman
Created:	2002-08-21 11:08:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	KMDR JO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS AMMAN 004724 
 
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 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT//CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, August 21, focuses 
on Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb's visit to Syria and 
his talks with the Syrian President regarding regional 
and bilateral issues.  Another major story highlights 
Israel's assassination of the brother of Ahmad Saadat, 
a leader of the Palestine Front for the Liberation of 
Palestine (PFLP) currently in Palestinian custody. 
All papers report, without comment, the end of the 
Iraqi embassy hostage situation in Germany. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "An enemy does not become a brother" 
 
Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page 
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/21):  "Had we felt even for one moment that the 
Israelis really want peace and that a historical 
reconciliation restoring freedom and land to the 
Palestinians is the solution, we would have called for 
giving peace a chance and we would have urged everyone 
to stop the resistance.  But the number of those 
[Israelis] who believe in peace is minute.  There is 
no point in looking for ways to convince the Israelis 
of peace or to give compromises in order to prove to 
them that the Palestinians want peace.  There is no 
other way for the Palestinians but to continue their 
resistance in the absence of international pressures 
on the enemy.  Anything being said or done that does 
not ultimately support the resistance makes a reward 
for the occupation and the occupiers." 
GNEHM