This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003042 
 
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 
 
-- With regards to Middle East issues, lead stories in 
all papers today, June 10, focus on Prime Minister 
Sharon's visit to the United States and his talks with 
President Bush.  Other stories highlight the 
Palestinian announcement of a new smaller cabinet. 
Editorial commentaries continue to criticize Israeli 
violence against the Palestinians and its arrogance 
vis--vis peace issues.  Commentaries also criticize 
the United States and its "blind" support for Israel 
and Prime Minister Sharon. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Wrong message from Washington" 
 
Centrist, influential among the elite English daily 
Jordan Times (06/10) editorializes:  "U.S. President 
George W. Bush is wrong to refuse to set a timetable 
for Palestinian statehood.  Such a timetable would 
give Palestinians hope.  President Bush has adopted 
the position of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. 
The stand he took offers further support to the 
Israeli government.  That translates into mere 
obstacles to efforts aimed at reviving the peace 
process.  The U.S. backing is allowing Sharon to 
become more entrenched in ideological positions with 
which Middle East peace cannot be reached.  President 
Bush still has an opportunity to put the peace process 
back in motion.  His war on terrorism must be 
paralleled by a war on injustice.  In the Middle East, 
this injustice has lasted for far too long.  It is the 
cause of all the tension in the region.  Before it 
ends, peace will not prevail.  Nor will the U.S. 
credibility in the region be salvaged and its claim to 
the moral high ground in fighting terrorism accepted." 
 
-- "Finishing off peace" 
 
Center-left influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(06/10) editorializes:  "Sharon would not have dared 
to be so arrogant and intransigent and so belittling 
of world opinion had it not been for the encouragement 
he continuously receives from the Bush administration 
and had it not been for the perfect political coverage 
he is provided by the U.S. administration.  It is sad 
that, while there are some Israelis who are 
criticizing Sharon for his methods and actually hold 
him responsible for the biggest collapse in this 
region, Washington turns a blind eye to Israeli 
practices.  We resent America's hesitant positions and 
we urge the international community to act fast before 
this region crosses the threshold towards a more 
serious stage of violence and escalation." 
 
-- "No use addressing the Americans" 
 
Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(06/10):  "Arab leaders may as well save their 
efforts.  U.S. President George W. Bush deafens his 
ears to the truth, not because he does not know that 
Israel is the one that is occupying Palestinian and 
Arab lands, nor because he has a grudge against us. 
But only because he is controlled by Congress, which 
is considered more extremist than the Israeli Knesset 
itself.  No point then pleading with and urging the 
Bush administration to change its stance or presenting 
new initiatives.  The Arabs themselves must force 
Israel to abide by their will and desire." 
 
-- "Sharon is at home in the White House" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(06/10):  "Since President Bush came to power, and for 
the sixth time, Sharon enters the White House.  He is 
one of the family.  On the other hand, the Palestinian 
President did not even receive an invitation to visit 
Washington.  This is not protocol, but a situation 
where the U.S. administration is negotiating with one 
party and not the other, when it claims that it is 
trying to resolve the conflict.  Washington, under 
President Bush, may be anything for the Middle East 
issue, but a peacemaker between the Arabs and Israel. 
Talking about a Palestinian state that the U.S. 
administration is going to establish is now just a 
dream.  In the absence of an Israeli peace partner and 
of a serious American administration, the path to the 
Palestinian state is very clear.  That path is 
resistance for freedom, a path chosen by all people 
throughout the world, including the American people." 
GNEHM