VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #1309/01 0531354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221354Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8398
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0278
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1165
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUMICEA/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS AMMAN 001309 
 
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 TSOU 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT TO 
REGION, HAMAS, GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Prominent headlines lead front-page reporting in 
all papers published today, February 22, on the 
release of the Jordanian hostage who was kidnapped in 
Iraq two months ago.  Another lead story focuses on 
King Abdullah's meetings with visiting Qatari Foreign 
Minister and British Interior Affairs Minister to 
discuss regional developments and the issue of the 
image of Islam. 
 
   Editorial Commentary on Secretary Rice's Visit to 
                        Region 
 
-- "About Rice's tour" 
 
Daily columnist Bassem Sakijha writes on the op-ed 
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (02/22):  "The least that could be said about 
Condoleezza Rice's tour in the Arab countries is that 
it is insolent and impertinent.  The attempt to rally 
the official Arab support for starving the Palestinian 
people and punishing it for exercising democracy can 
only be received by resentment on the part of the Arab 
people.  Had there been freedom of expression, there 
would be demonstrations and protests asking the bronze 
lady to return home.  Popular forces in the Arab world 
should tell Washington that the do not trust the 
American money and assistance in the first place, 
because they are conditional and they are provided in 
return for political gains..  We hope that the Arab 
and Muslim countries will not succumb to such 
insolence.  After all, this is exactly what pulls the 
rug of legitimacy from under the feet of regimes, 
overturns security formulas and promotes extremism and 
violence." 
 
-- "Rice and the reap of the American policy" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(02/22):  "The tour of U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice in the region takes place under the 
explicit objective of pulling in the ranks against 
Iran and the Hamas movement..  Since Iran's power has 
grown as a result of American forces becoming hostages 
of Iran in Iraq, Rice is in need of an Arab role 
should the confrontation between Washington and Tehran 
develop into an armed conflict.  Iran's boldness in 
defying America and the European Union on Iran's 
nuclear issue is based on America's political mistakes 
in Iraq, mistakes that did Tehran's strategy a favor 
even Ayatollah Khomeini never dreamed of..  Moreover, 
America's allies in the region cannot understand 
Rice's request of them to besiege and abort the Hamas 
government.  After all, this too is the fruit of 
American and European pressures to hold elections in 
Palestine.  Had such pressures been exercised on the 
Sharon government since 2003 to stop his attacks 
against the Authority's areas and his destruction of 
its entity and its institutions, the results of the 
elections would have been different..  All that is 
going on in the region is the reap of the American 
policy that has adopted and implemented unilateralism, 
arrogance, dictations, military force and bias to 
Sharon and shelved the demands of Arab allies..  What 
Rice wants these days is to build new alliances that 
feed the war on Iraq, increase tensions in Palestine, 
and open a new front with Iran." 
 
     Editorial Commentary on Global War on Terror 
 
-- "The words of Karen Hughes and the actions of her 
administration" 
 
Chief Editor Ayman Safadi comments on the back-page of 
centrist, independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (02/22) on 
Karen Hughes's February 20 interview on pan-Arab 
satellite television channel Al-Jazeera.  Safadi says: 
"The mission of Karen Hughes is to improve the image 
 
of the U.S. in the Arab world, a mission that will not 
be accomplished by defending the positions of the U.S. 
administration, but by identifying the American 
mistakes that made millions of Arabs and Muslims 
convinced that the U.S. is their enemy.  The words of 
Karen Hughes will not mend the damage caused by her 
administration.  These words, pre-prepared by American 
think-tanks and lobby groups will only consolidate the 
negative image towards the U.S.  For instance, Hughes 
explained the Palestinian people's vote for Hamas in 
terms of the Palestinian people's desire to end 
corruption, and spoke of everything except the 
principal concern of the Palestinians, which is top 
end the Israeli occupation. To improve the image of 
the U.S. in the Arab world Karen Hughes should focus 
her attention on Washington, because the problem is 
there." 
 
  Editorial Commentary on Hamas Role in PA Government 
 
-- "Israel punishing Hamas" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back-page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(02/22):  "The Israeli government was waiting for the 
convening of the Palestinian Legislative Council and 
its decision to assign Hamas with the government's 
formation in order to declare its punitive measures.. 
But these punitive measures were of no surprise to 
anyone, least of all Hamas, and for the simple reason 
that all such punitive measures were used before 
against Fatah's government..  Israel says that the 
Hamas government does not abide by signed agreements. 
So has Israel abided by them?  Is freezing the 
Authority's money not considered a violation of signed 
agreements?  Most likely, Israel wanted to deal a pre- 
emptive strike to the agreements reached between 
Israel and the Palestinian Authority out of fear that 
Hamas would actually abide by them and thus embarrass 
the Israeli government.  The risk of any Israeli, 
American and European punishments against Hamas lies 
in the fact that will end up hurting the Palestinian 
people.  The Hamas government will have to look for 
other financial sources, and since the Arab sources 
will be hesitant to provide any financial support for 
fear of angering America, the only other available 
source will be Iran.  Iran wants to find a stepping 
stone in Gaza, as it did in South Lebanon, and turn 
Hamas into something like Hizbollah.  As for the 
behavior of Israel and America, they only serve Iran's 
plan."  HALE