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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 000718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KPAO KMDR OPRC EG XF ZP ZR IS DA XZ
SUBJECT:  EGYPTIAN MEDIA THEMES, JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 5. 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  The past week saw a resurgence of reactions 
to the Danish caricature of the prophet Mohammed, with 
commentators in the press and on television identifying 
it as an issue of greater intolerance of Islam.  Media 
outlets continued their focus on the Palestinian election 
results, especially scrutinizing Hamas' ability to lead, 
Fatahs need to reform and prospects for keeping the 
Middle East Peace Process on track.  On the domestic 
side, there was an overwhelming reaction over the weekend 
to the sinking of the Egyptian ferry, Al Salam Bocaccio 
¶98.  All papers led with the disaster and television 
coverage was devoted entirely to the unfolding crisis. In 
In 
the commentaries, 33 percent of the week's columns and 
editorials focused on domestic issues, including critical 
opinions of democracy and politics in Egypt; 30 percent 
on the Palestinian elections and the Middle East Peace 
Process; 11 percent on the Danish cartoons and tolerance 
of Islam; while 10 percent expressed negative views 
toward U.S. policy, a rate higher than all other weeks 
this year.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  The Cheese War.  The December, 2005 printing of 
cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in Danish 
newspapers re-emerged during the past week and dominated 
all media, with news items featuring riots, recalling of 
Arab country ambassadors from Denmark and boycotts of 
Danish goods.  On January 31, pro-government dailies, Al- 
Ahram (circulation 750,000) and Al-Akhbar (circulation 
800,000) highlighted Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit's 
summoning of the Danish and Norwegian ambassadors to 
"clear their slate of anti-Islam campaigns, and the 
Egyptian Chamber of Commerces resolution to boycott 
ott 
Danish products (also featured on the front pages of pro- 
government daily, Al-Gomhouriyya, circulation 50,000, and 
independent daily, Al-Masry Al-Yom, circulation 15,000). 
The evening television talk shows also focused on the 
issue.  The host of Orbit satellite television's popular 
evening show, El-Qahera El-Yom, devoted his January 30, 
31 and February 5 programs to pushing an Egypt-wide 
boycott of Danish products, interviewing the Danish 
ambassador on his government's position, and traveling to 
Denmark to investigate the sentiment there. Egyptian 
Television Channel 2's evening show "In Depth" brought 
commentators together on Feb. 1 to discuss the cartoons 
in the greater context of lack of tolerance of Islam, 
with a representative of Al-Azhar mosque who described 
the caricatures as "a clear blasphemy" and declared that 
"the unfortunate misunderstanding of Islam starts in 
Danish schools." 
 
¶3.  Is Hamas Capable of Rising to the Challenge?  Early 
in the week, as the public reflected upon the news of the 
Hamas victory in the Parliamentary elections, 
commentators lauded the "democratic elections"; but as 
the week progressed, much of the commentary, such as that 
expressed in an Al-Akhbar column on January 31, focused 
on Hamas' responsibility to bring peace to the region and 
to rise to the responsibility of becoming a legitimate 
political voice to preserve the Road Map.  Many other 
commentators echoed Al-Akhbars sentiment that "the 
success of Hamas  will depend on its creativity in 
facing practical problems but also on the international 
community's reaction and how it will deal with that." 
Columnists pinned responsibility on Hamas, such as in Al- 
Ahram on January 30, by asserting that "Hamas is now at a 
crossroads where it can either negotiate for peace or 
lose all that Palestinians have gained over the past ten 
years." As the week progressed, more columns were focused 
on "realpolitik", such as an Al-Akhbar columnist who 
who 
argued that "Hamas may find itself compelled to be 
politically realistic when it comprehends the sizeable 
responsibility on its shoulders." (Feb. 4) The difference 
of opinion expressed by two of Al-Ahram's most senior 
columnists was indicative of the current uncertainty over 
what the future holds. Ibrahim Nafei on February 1 
asserted that "Hamas is suffering its victory as it has 
to deal with internal and foreign affairs with no 
qualified technocrats, and with ideologies it can't give 
up," and Salama Ahmed Salama asserted on February 2 that 
"Hamas is adopting more pragmatic ideas and is holding to 
the truce." 
 
¶4.  Negative Commentary on the U.S. Rises.  The past week 
saw a rise in negative commentary toward the U.S. in pro- 
government and independent papers.  Critical commentary 
linked the Hamas victory to U.S. pro-democracy policy in 
the Middle East.  Commmentators, especially in pro- 
government papers, blamed the U.S. for "destroying the 
credibility of their own democratic slogans" by "failing 
to work with Hamas" (Al-Ahram, unsigned editorial, 
January 31), for showing "extreme double standards in 
calling for democracy and cutting assistance" (Al- 
Gomhouriyya, February 1), and for "weakening Fatah and 
therefore supporting Hamas" (Al-Gomhouriyya and Al- 
Akhbar, Feb. 2).  Al-Akhbars unsigned editorial on 
January 31 asserted that Hamas victory refuted Bushs 
claims about the lack of democracy in the Palestinian 
authority.  On the cutting off of assistance, Al-Ahrams 
first unsigned editorial on February 1 echoed others in 
asserting that cutting assistance and enforcing a 
political boycott of Hamas will only help strengthen the 
fundamentalist movement.  In Al-Gomhouriyya, President 
Bushs State of the Union Address was characterized as a 
contradiction due to his expression of support for 
democracy while rejecting Hamas victory in the 
elections. 
 
¶5.  Ferry Tragedy in the Red Sea.  Domestic media 
attention was quickly diverted from international issues 
tional issues 
to the Egypt ferry disaster on February 3.  As of 
February 4, all papers and television news led with the 
story of the ships disappearance and President Mubaraks 
visit to Hurghada.  Egyptians watched protesting families 
stone police at port stations, and heard transportation 
and safety officials on satellite and terrestrial evening 
talk shows describe compensation schemes for victims 
families, and defend against accusations of lax safety 
standards.  By January 5, commentators in independent and 
pro-government papers remarked critically about the 
governments response.  Columns in Al-Masry Al-Yom railed 
against the governments rush to make denials about the 
sunken ferry before an investigation has been conducted, 
while Al-Ahram published a call on the government to 
deal with the catastrophe openly and honestly and Al- 
Akhbar printed the claim that accidents happen not 
coincidentally, but as the result of a long history of 
negligence and poor planning.  Al-Gomhouriyya published 
published 
columns supporting the government and praising Mubarak 
for standing by the people in the disaster and 
encouraging the search and rescuing of many people. 
Ricciardone 
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