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O 281029Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7358
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5822
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3709
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2192
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6930
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0820
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4285
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0517
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6664

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000810 
 
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: Syria, Hamas, Secretary Rice's 
visit, Lebanon, Iraq (2/24-28) 
 
¶1.  Summary: 
 
Syrian papers highlighted the meeting held by F.M. Walid al- 
Mo'allem with Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al after the latter 
returned from his tour of the countries of the region. 
Ezeddin al-Darwish editorialized in Tishreen that he expects 
"further escalation" in the region after Secretary Rice's visit, 
as the issues she discussed are "escalatory and tailored to fit" 
Israel and because "the program of the visit and some of the 
meetings constituted a clear provocation." He added that the U.S. 
Administration wants to score successes at the expense of the 
Palestinians and Lebanese after it failed to do so in Iraq. 
 
Samir Shibani opined in Tishreen that the occupation forces 
dissolved the Iraqi army and stripped Iraq of all the components 
of a state, leaving the arena open for death squads, bombings, 
assassinations, and destruction of mosques and places of worship. 
 
End summary. 
 
¶2. Selected Headlines: 
 
 
"Bush expects escalation of tension in Iraq; news of U.S. 
intelligence and Mossad role in the bombings." (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 2/26) 
 
"Palestinian Premier Designate Hanieh heads toward formation of 
a national coalition government; EU released 120 million Euros 
for the Palestinians." (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/28) 
 
"Washington opposes a draft resolution to establish a council for 
human rights." (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/28) 
 
"F.M. Al-Mo'allem stressed with Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al 
the importance of maintaining Palestinian national unity." 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/28) 
 
"Lebanese circles call for blocking the path of the American plan 
and for preparation for national dialogue." (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 2/27) 
 
"Lahhoud: The parliamentary majority is inciting the Lebanese 
with the support of powers that are allied with Israel." 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 2/28) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
------------------------------------ 
"Following Rice's Tour" 
------------------------------------ 
 
Ezzedin al-Darwish, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (2/26): "Following Rice's quick and highly suspicious tour 
to some countries of the region, the situation is likely to 
escalate, especially in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, 
as always is the case following such visits by American officials 
to the region. 
 
"What confirms these expectations is that the issues brought by 
Secretary Rice and leaked by the media are escalatory and 
 
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tailored to Israeli measurements. 
 
"The U.S. Secretary of State wants the countries of the region to 
launch a war of famine and siege against the Hamas Movement and 
then against all of the Palestinian people, in accordance with an 
Israeli program that was adopted as an official policy following 
the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections. 
 
"In Beirut Rice was clear in manifesting American arrogance, 
through statements and meetings whose objective was to escalate 
the Lebanese situation. 
 
"All of the above means that the American Administration wants to 
 
achieve victories at the expense of the Palestinians and Lebanese 
since it has failed to do so in Iraq." 
 
------------------------------------------ 
"The Serpents of the Occupation and Sects" 
------------------------------------------ 
 
Samir Al-Shibani a columnist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (2/25): "The American-British occupation forces realize 
very well, more than others, that they are unable to assassinate 
Iraq. Three years after the invasion and various forms of 
violations, the occupation forces have failed to delete Iraq from 
the geographic map, the historical memory, and future horizons. 
On the other hand, these forces have become more convinced and 
aware that sectarian, confessional and ethnic strife is the only 
way for them to achieve those objectives and take this revenge -- 
the historic Zionist dream. 
 
"The occupation forces dissolved the Iraqi army and stripped Iraq 
of all the components of a state. The arena was left open for 
death squads, bombings, assassinations, and teams of looters. 
 
"The world has seen images of torture and human right violations 
that constitute a blot of shame on humanity's record. Programmed 
assassination of Iraqi brains has not ceased, and churches, 
mosques and places of worship have not been spared shelling and 
bombing. All this is happening in the presence of the American 
occupation army and its allies. The Iraqis have not tasted 
security, stability, peace or the alleged democracy for a single 
moment. On the contrary, they have tasted the tragic and horrible 
consequences of the occupation. 
 
Seche