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 003793 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL 
NICOSIA FOR ILMG 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES 
 
SUMMARY 
 
NEWS REPORTS IN JORDAN'S DAILIES CONCENTRATED ON THE 
KING ABDULLAH-PRESIDENT PUTIN'S AFFIRMATION THAT THEIR 
COUNTRIES REJECT MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ, 
PRESIDENT BUSH'S CONFIRMATION THAT THE U.S. WILL WORK 
BY ALL MEANS TO CHANGE THE IRAQI REGIME, THE JORDANIAN 
GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPT TO CALM THE CONTROVERSY 
SURROUNDING ITS DECISION TO FACILITATE THE PASSAGE OF 
PALESTINIANS FROM THE WEST BANK TO JORDAN, AND AN 
INTERVIEW WITH JORDAN'S AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO THE 
U.S. 
 
EDITORIAL WRITERS COMMENTED ON THE PRESIDENT'S REMARK 
ON IRAQ AND THE SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES 
 
 
NEWS REPORTS 
 
JORDANIAN DAILIES ON JULY 10 ALL LED WITH REPORTS ON 
THE STATEMENT BY KING ABDULLAH AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT 
PUTIN, IN WHICH THEY AFFIRMED THEIR COUNTRIES' 
REJECTION OF A MILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ. 
 
DAILIES ALSO QUOTED PRESIDENT BUSH'S ASSERTION THAT THE 
U.S. IS WORKING BY ALL MEANS TO CHANGE THE IRAQI 
REGIME. 
 
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR 
CARRIED A FEATURE ON THE IRAQI PRODUCTS FAIR IN AMMAN 
THAT ATTRACTED A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO 
THE REPORT. 
 
THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR COMMENTED FOR THE SECOND TIME 
IN THREE DAYS ON THE JORDANIAN GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO 
FACILITATE THE PASSAGE OF PALESTINIANS COMING FROM THE 
WEST BANK.  HE STRESSED THAT PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO 
HUMANITARIAN CASES AND THAT JORDAN WILL CONTINUE 
WORKING TO SUPPORT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. 
 
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR 
INTERVIEWED JORDAN'S AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO THE U.S. 
KARIM QAWAR, WHO SAID THAT THE WOULD WORK TO EXPAND 
JORDAN-U.S. RELATIONS IN ALL FIELDS. 
 
 
EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES 
 
-- BUSH RAISES THE RED CARD 
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST DR. FAHED AL-FANEK WROTE IN 
SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON JULY 
10: "BUSH IS DOES NOT RAISE THE RED CARD AS A FAIR 
INTERNATIONAL REFEREE, BUT AS THE LEADER OF THE MOST 
POWERFUL NATION ON EARTH, WHICH GIVES HIM NON- 
NEGLIGIBLE WEIGHT.  AT THE SAME TIME, NO ARAB REGIMES 
WILL DEFEND ARAFAT'S LEADERSHIP OF THE PALESTINIANS 
BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO UPSET THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT OR 
BET ON A LOSING HORSE.  ARAFAT SAID WHILE UNDER SIEGE 
IN RAMALLAH THAT HE WOULD NOT BE AN EXILE OR A 
PRISONER, BUT A MARTYR.  BUT MARTYRDOM IS NOT LIMITED 
TO LAYING DOWN ONE'S LIFE.  IT CAN INCLUDE FORSAKING 
ONE'S POSITION.  FRIENDS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE ARE 
BORED WITH THEIR OWN WARNINGS AGAINST THE MONOPOLY OF 
POWER AND CORRUPTION THAT THREATENED THE FUTURE OF THE 
PALESTINIAN ENTITY.  THESE WARNINGS WERE IGNORED, 
PERMITTING THE ENEMIES OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO USE 
THE SITUATION CREATED BY ARAFAT TO DESTROY THE 
PALESTINIAN DREAM." 
 
-- NORMALIZATION WITH THE ENEMY BARS THE ROAD TO PEACE 
TAHER AL-ADWAN, CHIEF EDITOR OF INDEPENDENT, MASS- 
APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM WROTE ON JULY 10: 
"WHAT PRESIDENT BUSH DESCRIBED AS PROGRESS IN 
PALESTINIAN REFORMS DOES NOT MATCH THE REALITY OF THE 
SITUATION BECAUSE TALK OF REFORMS UNDER OCCUPATION IS 
LIKE HAVING HAPPY DREAMS IN THE MIDDLE OF A GRAVEYARD. 
THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI MEETINGS ARE NOT STEPS TOWARDS 
A PEACE PROCESS, BUT FORCED PALESTINIAN NORMALIZATION 
WITH THE OCCUPATION.  THIS PALESTINIAN AND ARAB 
NORMALIZATION WITH THE PRESENT REALITY WILL ONLY TEMPT 
SHARON TO CONTINUE DESTROYING THE PEACE PROCESS WITH 
THE PALESTINIANS. THE RETURN TO THE PEACE PROCESS WILL 
NOT START WITH PALESTINIAN REFORMS BUT WITH 
INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY AS EXPRESSED IN SECURITY 
COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS FROM 242 TO 1397.  IGNORING ISRAELI 
SAVAGERY THAT IS JUSTIFIED BY THE NEED TO KEEP ISRAEL 
SAFE WILL ONLY SPELL DANGER TO THE WHOLE REGION." 
 
-- AMERICAN THREATS TO STRIKE IRAQ 
THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL 
ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON JULY 10 SAID: "PRESIDENT 
BUSH HAS STARTED AGAIN TO ISSUE THREATS OF A MILITARY 
STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ.  THIS TIME HE DOES NOT BOTHER TO 
GIVE ANY PRETEXTS, BUT STATES OPENLY THE OBJECTIVE THAT 
THE U.S. KEPT HIDING AND DENYING FOR 12 YEARS, WHICH IS 
TO REPLACE THE IRAQI REGIME BY ONE MADE IN AMERICA. WE 
REALIZE THAT OUR VOICES WILL BE DROWNED BY THE NOISE OF 
AMERICAN WEAPONRY, BUT STILL WE WARN THAT THE RESULT OF 
THE NEW AGGRESSION WILL HURT NOT ONLY 20 MILLION 
IRAQIS, BUT ALL ARABS.  IT WILL NOT SERVE EVEN THE 
INTERESTS OF THE U.S. NOR ANYONE EXCEPT PERHAPS ISRAEL, 
WHICH CONTINUES TO URGE WASHINGTON TO DESTROY IRAQ AND 
WEAKEN THEN ARABS."  GNEHM