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UNCLAS AMMAN 005251 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO
 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON ACTION IN SOUTH LEBANON 
 
Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Open possibilities" 
 
Columnist Nahed Hattar writes on the back-page of independent, 
mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (07/13):  "Hezbollah's bold 
decision to deal a new successful blow to the Israeli occupation 
army lies on that dividing line between being a support tactic to 
ease Israel's aggressive pressure on Gaza, amidst Arab and 
international silence, and being a defense-offense strategy....  Tel 
Aviv of course has the option of a comprehensive escalation, 
including strikes or even war against Syria and Iran.  This means 
that the region would go on fire, with the United States reaping the 
negative effects in Iraq and a new popular wave against the U.S. 
policies would be launched.  The colonialist American Israeli 
alliance is able to bring more harm to the Palestinians, Iraqis, 
Lebanese and Syrians.  But there will never be a military solution 
to colonialist fight with the Arab people who can no longer tolerate 
the aggression, the arrogance, the contempt, the usurpation and the 
starvation.  The conflict is open then as long as there is 
resistance, which not just a mere idea, but effect organizations in 
Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq....  A war would do away with Abu 
Mazen's presidency and the cooperative Palestinian trend, and would 
immediately finish off the active Lebanese formula that came about 
following Hariri's assassination, but the most important development 
would be the fall of the Malki government in Iraq, the end of the 
sectarian warfare in that country, and turning all weapons against 
the American occupation.  Amidst all this, Jordan would be able to 
breathe easily with regard to the Sharon-Olmert plan to swallow the 
West Bank and implement the old-new plan for the alternative 
homeland in Jordan....  We did not invent the conflict with Israel 
and America and we did not choose it.  It is imposed on our nation 
and is challenging its existence and the fate of its people.  There 
is no choice but for the nation to accept the challenge." 
 
-- "The south is on fire" 
 
Chief Editor Ayman Safadi writes on the back-page of independent, 
centrist Arabic daily Al-Ghad (07/13):  "South Lebanon is going to 
go on fire and this fire may reach Beirut and Damascus.  On the 
surface, Hezbollah can be held responsible for the escalation, but 
the scene is much more complicated.  The scene must be looked at in 
its entirety, and in this scene Israel takes full responsibility for 
keeping the shadow of war hovering over the region's present and 
future.  The past years have seen Israel's retraction from the peace 
process.  The result is that Israel benefited from the peace process 
while the Palestinians got nothing, making the situation a time bomb 
waiting to explode.  Rights are not given; the oppression is not 
eased; peace is not accomplished.  Israel enjoys security and peace 
and the Palestinians are deprived of them and suffer more and more. 
The state of imbalance is not corrected.  There had to be some 
action....  One cannot look at what is happening in south Lebanon 
and Gaza in isolation of the conflict's history and the results of 
the Israeli policy.  In this formula, Israel is condemned by all 
means and measures." 
HALE