US embassy cable - 05AMMAN6137

UNCLAS AMMAN 006137 
 
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 MIDDLE EAST 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead stories in all papers today, August 1, 
highlight various issues related to developments in 
the region, including the attempted assassination of 
Chalabi in Iraq and preparations for Israel's 
withdrawal from Gaza. 
 
          Editorial Commentary on Middle East 
 
-- "Withdrawal from Gaza" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(08/01):  "It is difficult for any Palestinian or Arab 
to object to Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, since its 
withdrawal from all of the occupied territories is 
required.  But there are those who believe that 
Sharon's plan for the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza 
is going to have a negative impact on the Palestinian 
issue..  Israel's withdrawal from any Palestinian 
territory is a gain, provided that it is part and 
parcel of a comprehensive withdrawal from all the 
occupied Palestinian territories and not the 
alternative.  However, if Israel does not want to 
withdraw from all of the West Bank, including 
Jerusalem, then the Palestinians would be better off 
to keep Gaza an arena for shedding Israeli blood and 
killing occupation soldiers who exercise state 
terrorism before the eyes of the entire world. 
Sharon's plan was not put in place for the good of the 
Palestinian issue but rather to weaken it, so there is 
not need to get excited about it." 
 
-- "Returning to the green line" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/01) editorializes:  "The countdown for Israel's 
withdrawal from Gaza has started, thus relieving 
Israel of the burden of its presence in that Strip and 
relatively relieving the Palestinian of the burden of 
the occupation..  Yet, there is a difference between 
this withdrawal being the result of the strong clash 
with the Palestinian armed groups and the high price 
that Israel was paying and its being the natural 
response to and application of the roadmap..  However 
this withdrawal is seen, the point is that the 
Palestinian party has won a major point because of its 
steadfastness.  At the same time, however, the 
Palestinian party is going to be subjected to a great 
test, and this is because it is expected to appear to 
the world as being capable of providing a respectable 
model for national stability where all Palestinian 
factions come together in the higher good of the 
Palestinian people..  We really want to believe that 
the opportunity provided by the Israeli withdrawal is 
going to mark the beginning of a comprehensive review 
of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict." 
 
-- "America's image in the Arab and Muslim world" 
 
Columnist Mohammad Amayreh writes on the op-ed page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(07/31):  "How do we improve the image of the United 
States in the Arab and Muslim worlds?  It is a 
question that occupies the minds of many in the U.S. 
administration, and to which the newly appointed U.S. 
UnderSecretary of State for Public Diplomacy is going 
to try and find an answer..  The negative image of the 
United States in the Arab and Muslim worlds is the 
result of the U.S. policy itself and its unbalanced 
and unjust exercises, and not the result of media 
coverage or criticism of the United States by some 
Arab media outlets." 
HALE