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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #1821/01 1101334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201334Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8467
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 5890
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3764
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2265
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 6972
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0911
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4345
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0567
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6711

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 001821 
 
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: Palestinian Territories, Iraq, 
Lebanon, Iran (4/20) 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers today reported that the Syrian 
Popular Committee to Support the Palestinian People opened 
special accounts at the Real-Estate Bank of Syria and the 
branches of the Commercial Bank of Syria in Damascus, Hama, Homs, 
Lattakia, Aleppo, Tartus, Daraa, Swieda, Der-Ezzor, Kamishli, 
Hasaka and Idleb for donations in support of the Palestinian 
people. The Committee called on Syrian citizens to make 
donations. 
 
Papers also reported that the US Communist Party sent a message 
of solidarity with Syria on the occasion of the 10th Conference 
of the Syrian Communist Party, currently in session in Damascus. 
"The term 'war against terrorism' led by Washington and its ally 
London is being used to block democracy and justify the 
occupation of Iraq," the US Communist Party's message said. 
"The US Communist Party stands against all forms of occupation 
and military bases on foreign lands and against the provocative 
policy of Israel in the Arab region," it added. 
The US Party expressed desire for "a better and deepened 
cooperation based on building a new world free of greed and 
racism."  "The Communist Party Conference is being held during a 
critical stage where the Arab nation, particularly Syria, faces 
big threats that target her steadfastness and struggle for the 
Arab interests," Suleiman Qaddah [Vice Chairman of the National 
Progressive Front] added. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"FM Al-Moualem [to Al-Jazeera TV]: Borders cannot be demarcated 
in occupied land; recognition of sovereignty is not exclusively 
linked to the presence of embassies" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 
4/20) 
 
"Al-Moualem calls for respecting Iraq's sovereignty and 
territorial integrity: Israel is the sole threat to Arabs" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/20) 
 
"A special bank account is established to raise funds for 
Palestinians" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/20) 
 
"Moscow offers USD 10 million in aid to Palestinians. Arab 
treasuries contribute USD 5 million. Hanieh confirms constant 
principles. Palestinian factions reject foreign pressure" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/20) 
 
"Hamas denies storing weapons in Jordan. Canceling Al-Zahar's 
visit is submission to foreign pressures" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 4/20) 
 
"Saudi FM Al-Faisal emphasizes the importance of ridding the 
Middle East of WMD. Straw: Israel should be included" (Government- 
owned Al-Ba'th, 4/20) 
 
"Lebanese factions confirm Lebanon's Arab identity and 
distinguished relations with Syria, rejecting US aid coupled with 
political diktat" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 4/20) 
 
"Blair considers a military operation against Iran unlikely. 
Moscow's international contacts fail to take any decision against 
Iran" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 4/20) 
 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
"You Who Live in Glass Houses, Do not Throw Stones" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (4/20): "The US and Europe have denounced the Tel Aviv 
bombing and described it as 'a horrifying brutal act'.... while 
they remain silent on Israel's terrorism.... 
 
 
"Why do the United States and the EU condemn what happened in 
Tel Aviv, which is an individual act resulting from the 
circumstances of coercion, repression, siege, and aggression 
that the Palestinian people are experiencing, while they issue 
no condemnation against the killings, destruction, terrorism, 
and assassinations that Israel perpetrates even against children 
and pregnant women...?" 
 
--------------- 
 
"Weak Pretexts" 
 
--------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (4/20): "The situation in the occupied Arab 
territories after the Tel Aviv operation, which was carried out 
by a Palestinian teenager, does not differ from the situation 
that existed before the operation. For years now, Israeli 
terrorism against the Palestinian people has been a daily 
routine.... 
 
"We regret the blind and illogical international bias that 
justifies Israeli terrorism and sees it as reaction to 
Palestinian 'terrorism'.... 
 
"It is inconceivable to say that the occupier-killer is engaged 
in self-defense while the victim of the aggression and 
occupation is not allowed to react or even condemn. 
 
"A Palestinian who lives under occupation and faces Zionist 
crimes has nothing to use other than his body as a means to 
reject injustice and respond to his executioners.... 
 
"The UN Security Council must shoulder its legal and ethical 
responsibility and take the side of right and justice...." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
"The Tenth Anniversary of the Qana Massacre" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Muhammad al-Khadir, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Ba'th, commented (4/20): "Ten years ago more than 100 Lebanese 
civilians, who had sought refuge at a UN base in Qana, were 
killed by Israeli shelling during Operation Grapes of Wrath.... 
 
"The targeting of civilians under the UN flag in 1996 is being 
repeated daily and in various forms by the Israeli occupation 
without any deterrence or international action to end this 
terrorist policy that gives no weight whatsoever to 
international laws and norms. On the contrary, it appears that 
the United States and the EU are in harmony with the Israeli 
policy that seeks to starve out the Palestinians...." 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
"A US Threshing floor and Angry Harvesters" 
 
------------------------------------------- 
 
Khalid al-Ashhab, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (4/20): "The American war on Iraq has failed to bring 
the claimed democracy to that country or help Iraqis live in 
peace and security. But what is more important is that what at 
first appeared to be a holy war on what was termed world terror 
does not appear so today, especially after that holiness brought 
a tremendous quantity of sins and crimes not only against Iraq 
and the Iraqis, but also against Americans and their sons, as 
more and more coffins return to the United States from a war 
that they now know very well is the war of an obsessed ruling 
group, not a holy war.... 
 
"The winds of change are blowing against the United States, and 
 
the opposition to Rumsfeld's policies is in fact opposition to 
the policies of President Bush and his team...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
"Do not Think, We Are Thinking on Your Behalf" 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
Ali Nasrallah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (4/20: "The West does not want Iran and the developing 
world to advance scientifically and technologically.... The West 
argues that oil-rich Iran has no need for nuclear energy.... 
 
"It is for Iran, not others, to decide whether it needs to 
develop its energy sources. Through this, Iran is exercising a 
right acknowledged by international law. The 'free democratic 
world' should abandon its arrogance and stop its attempt to 
fabricate a losing battle with Iran...." 
 
Seche