VZCZCXYZ0041
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0671/01 0471233
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161233Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7183
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5801
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3694
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0510
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6657

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND 
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: Al-Hariri's Anniversary 
Speeches, Palestinian Territories (2/16) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian newspapers sharply reacted to the speeches 
that Walid Jumblatt, Sa'd al-Hariri, Samir Ja'ja, and other anti- 
Syria Lebanese figures delivered in the demonstration staged in 
Beirut to mark the first anniversary of former Lebanese Prime 
Minister Rafiq al-Hariri's assassination. They said accusations 
made by anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians were "decadent and 
insulting," and accused these Lebanese figures of "vulgarity and 
betrayal of Lebanon and the Arab nation." 
 
Papers also reported that on Wednesday the regional leadership of 
the Ba'th party in Lebanon condemned the campaign of provocation 
and accusations made by some Lebanese statesmen in Beirut against 
Syria and the Lebanese presidency. The leadership refused 
criticism by those who attacked Syria and criticized their 
speeches during the Al-Hariri anniversary. It also refuted 
accusations against the Lebanese national resistance, which 
liberated the land, pointing out that hurting the symbols of 
resistance is a red line. 
 
End summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Arab and Lebanese anger over the campaign of rancor and 
allegations on the anniversary of the Al-Hariri assassination. It 
encourages civil strife, deepens fragmentation and flatters 
Israel. Ba'bda Palace: Lahoud has not succumbed to blackmail and 
has not pulled back from challenges" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
2/16) 
 
"The Kadima Party supports Jumblatt and pledges to protect him" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 2/16) 
 
"Two Russian experts denounce the exploitation of the Al-Hariri 
crime. General Lunev: Russians sympathize with Syria" (Government- 
owned Tishreen, 2/16) 
 
"Fatah sets its conditions. Mofaz threatens to server relations 
with the Palestinian Authority. Israel: Hamas is a hostile 
entity" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/16) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
"They Are Re-assassinating Al-Hariri" 
 
---------------------------------------- 
 
An unsigned editorial (2/16) says: "Trading on Al-Hariri's blood 
never sank to the level it sank to in the February 14 
demonstration in Beirut to mark the first anniversary [of his 
death].... It was a party of invective and abuse. The ethical 
degeneration and the festival of curses that was led by 
politicians, who lost their temper and skillfully used pathetic 
language, did not befit the occasion...or show respect for the 
thought and legacy of the man who carried a pan-Arab message.... 
 
"Al-Hariri was always a big friend of Syria who defended the 
national and pan-Arab issues of Syria and Lebanon.... Some 
parties in Lebanon incite against Syria, the resistance, and the 
Palestinians, while they glorify collaborators, isolationists, 
and killers." 
 
"There is flagrant interference by Western embassies and their 
intelligence services in domestic Lebanese affairs.... Lebanese, 
like Syrians and Arabs in general, are now more aware of the 
magnitude of the conspiracy that targeted Al-Hariri, a 
conspiracy that continues to wreak havoc in Lebanon and to 
target Syria and its positions...." 
 
------------------------ 
 
"Sinking to the Bottom" 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Thawra, reads 
(2/16): "Some people find themselves in the weakness of their 
accusations, the inferiority of their vocabulary, and the 
vulgarity of their ethics.... 
"We saw Walid Jumblatt sinking in his stinking swamp to the 
bottom and Sa'd al-Hariri begging as never before.... The scene 
was eloquent, indeed expressive, and the words and movements 
were sufficiently indicative. Some people were confused: Is this 
a commemoration of Al-Hariri's martyrdom or is it a party to 
seek charity and hurl invective....? 
 
"Everyone in Lebanon heard Ja'ja' saying he wants the presidency 
at any price, and repeated to those who did not hear: 'at any 
price.' And no one in Lebanon failed to see the amount of 
bankruptcy and failure in Walid Jumblatt's trivialities and 
vulgarity...." 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
"A Rancorous Festival On Valentine Day" 
 
--------------------------------------- 
 
A political editor commented in government-owned Tishreen, on 
(2/16): "Yesterday the rancorous ones and the enemies of 
Lebanon, Syria, and Arabism spread their venom against Syria, 
the Lebanese presidency, and the Lebanese resistance.... 
 
"Speakers in the rancorous festival, who included a person 
convicted in famous crimes [Samir Ja'ja'], a mentally ill person 
[Walid Jumblatt], and a political novice [Sa'd al-Hariri], 
impinged upon Syria, which stopped the Lebanese civil war and 
offered thousands of martyrs in defense of Lebanon, its Arabism, 
and its national unity.... 
 
"The cheap attack on Syria was the common denominator in the 
speeches of the same team that linked itself to foreign 
trusteeship and the anti-Lebanon and anti-Arab plans.... 
 
"During the festival alarm-stricken and vindictive faces were 
taking turns in speeches that assassinated Al-Hariri once again 
and tried to assassinate the Lebanese national resistance, 
Lebanon's sovereignty and stability, and Syrian-Lebanese 
relations, which have deep roots in history and geography, and 
which are baptized by blood.... 
 
"Steadfast Syria receives the stabs of treachery with the 
firmness and power of the big ones. It does not slide into the 
holes of the dwarfs and conspirators. It trusts the Lebanese 
people, who will not be misled by those who try to mislead them 
no matter how skilful they are, and no matter what foreign 
forces support them and what money is wasted to fund their 
campaign against Lebanon, Syria, and Arabism...." 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
"A Political and Nervous Collapse" 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government-owned 
Al-Thawra, wrote (2/16): "Speeches delivered by leaders of the 
gang of hatred and plotting in Lebanon show that they began to 
suffer a nervous breakdown after the failure of their conspiracy 
against Lebanon and Syria.... 
 
"These Lebanese reached the point of open treason through their 
impingement upon the symbols of national and pan-Arab 
sovereignty and through their incitement against the weapons of 
the resistance, which was, still is, and will continue to be 
Lebanon's first line of defense against the Israeli danger...." 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"When Rancorous Ones Howl" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (2/16): "We regret the low-level discourse by a group 
that strayed from the right path and sought to mislead the 
Lebanese public and international justice.... 
 
As for Syria, it rises above trivialities and pitiful people. 
Syria takes pride in the Lebanese people and their great 
sacrifices and valiant resistance. Syria is strong with its 
history and the unity between the people and the political 
leadership, whether the rancorous ones like it or not. Syria 
represents the dignity and pride of the nation. The agents and 
humiliated subservient followers should reconsider their 
calculations and ask forgiveness from God, the Lebanese people, 
and the blood of the martyrs. They should know that the nation 
will not forgive their collaboration with the enemies of Lebanon 
and Arabism and their exposed roles in creating sedition and 
splits and fabricating disputes with the brothers to serve the 
big powers and Zionism...." 
 
Seche