VZCZCXYZ0026
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3721/01 2121127
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311127Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0647
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6147
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3991
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2529
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7187
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1176
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4562
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0781
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6920

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003721 
 
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: Israeli War against Lebanon, 
Syria/Egypt (7/31) 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Syrian papers today reported the new Israeli 
massacre in Qana. Headlines featured President Asad's telephone 
conversation with Lebanese President Lahoud expressing pain and 
shock at the crime that Israel has committed against innocent 
civilians in Qana. President Asad reaffirmed Syria's full 
solidarity with Lebanon and its complete readiness to offer 
anything that would assist, strengthen, and support Lebanon 
against the sinful Israeli aggression. President Lahoud thanked 
President Asad for his sincere sentiments and expressed 
Lebanon's appreciation for the efforts that Syria has been 
making to host tens of thousands of Lebanese who have found in 
their second country, Syria, their best supporter in times of 
hardship. 
 
Headlines also cited a telephone call between VP Shara and 
Lebanese Chamber of Deputies Speaker Nabih Berri in which Al- 
Shara expressed Syria's solidarity with Lebanon. Prime Minister 
Muhammad Naji Itri also called Lebanese Prime Minister Fu'ad al- 
Saniora and expressed strong condemnation of Israeli crimes in 
Lebanon. Itri renewed Syria's full solidarity with Lebanon and 
its readiness to offer all the assistance it needs. Foreign 
Minister Walid al-Mu'allim telephoned Lebanese Foreign Minister 
Fawzi Sallukh expressing strong condemnation of the massacres 
that Israel is committing against the Lebanese people, mainly 
the new Qana massacre. Al-Mu'allim also stressed Syria's full 
solidarity with Lebanon against the Israeli aggression. 
 
Papers also reported phone contacts by Foreign Minister Walid al- 
Mu'allim with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, 
Libya, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar for 
consultations on ways to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression 
and massacres. The foreign minister stressed to his counterparts 
the need to mobilize Arab energies to reach an immediate and 
unconditional cease-fire and make efforts with the international 
community to set up an international investigation commission 
into the crimes that Israel has committed, especially the second 
Qana massacre. The foreign minister also met on (7/30) with the 
heads of Arab and foreign [non-Arab] diplomatic missions 
accredited to Syria to inform them of the Syrian position toward 
the Israeli aggression on fraternal Lebanon. He expressed 
Syria's condemnation of the brutal Israeli aggression on 
Lebanon, its full solidarity with Lebanon, and its full 
readiness to provide everything that would support Lebanon's 
steadfastness and alleviate its suffering as a result of the 
continuing Israeli aggression and siege. Al-Mu'allim stressed 
the need to give utmost priority to an immediate and 
unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon. He stressed that the 
massacres that Israel has been perpetrating against innocent 
civilians in Lebanon for three weeks, the latest of which was 
the Qana massacre, are war crimes according to international 
humanitarian law. This, he said, requires joint international 
efforts to establish an international investigation commission 
into this massacre and the other crimes that Israel has 
committed against defenseless civilians in Lebanon. The foreign 
minister warned against political proposals on the international 
stage which seek to give Israel what it has failed to obtain 
militarily. He asserted the need for concerted Arab and 
international efforts to put an end to the Israeli aggression 
and hold Israel responsible for its disastrous consequences. 
 
Papers also reported that Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu-al- 
Ghayt visited Damascus (7/30) on a brief visit that lasted a few 
hours, during which he met with President Asad and conveyed a 
message from President Mubarak regarding developments in the 
region. The visit was part of Egypt's ongoing efforts and 
deliberations to contain the deteriorating situation in Lebanon 
and intensify moves toward an immediate ceasefire. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Qana: a story of flagrant terrorism. President Asad: An act of 
state terrorism that reflects Israeli savagery. Over 57 persons 
killed, including 42 children. Vice-President al-Shara: Full 
solidarity with Lebanon. Speaker of the People's Assembly al- 
 
Abrash: Brutal massacres and barbarian aggression. Prime Minister 
Otri: Unlimited readiness to offer aid. Lebanese President: We 
will not succumb to Israeli terrorism. Speaker of Lebanese 
Parliament Berri: Conditions of prisoners swap have changed. 
Lebanonese government: Unconditional ceasefire is required. 
President Bush doesn't condemn. US Secretary of State Rice is 
sad! Israeli Prime Minister Olmert: No ceasefire; we need 
additional two weeks. UN SecGen Annan: The Security Council's 
authority is at stake" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/31) 
 
"President Asad denounces the new Israeli massacre in Qana in a 
telephone call with President Lahoud and reviews with Egyptian 
Foreign Minister Abu al-Ghayt current efforts to curb Israeli 
aggression" (Government-owned Tishreen, 7/31) 
 
"US Spokesman Ereli: Israel partially suspends air raids against 
Lebanon for 48 hours" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 7/31) 
 
"With a green light from Rice, Olmert announces continuation of 
aggression against Lebanon" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 7/31) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
"Lessons of South Lebanon and Foolish Threats" 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
Elias Murad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Ba'th, wrote 
(7/31): "The ideas that US President George Bush and British 
Prime Minister Tony Blair raised in their joint press conference 
in Washington on 28 July were strange.... 
 
"For a moment, analysts thought Blair was visiting Washington in 
an attempt to persuade it to seek a cease-fire in Lebanon and 
find a solution to the tense situation that might lead to a 
destructive war endangering the security and peace of the region 
and the world. But it clearly emerged that the British prime 
minister went further than his ally in his unfair position. He 
made random accusations and threatened this country and that, 
without showing any clear sign of responsibility or a desire to 
take a step or make an effort to achieve peace.... 
 
"The strangest thing is that Bush and Blair saw nothing in the 
aggression on Lebanon other than Hizbolllah's capture of the two 
Israeli soldiers, which they considered a terrorist operation. 
For them, anything that Israel does to bring the soldiers back 
is justified and part of the anti-terror campaign that the 
United States claims it has been waging since 9/11. They also 
labeled every party supporting the Lebanese resistance as a 
sponsor of terrorism, in a direct reference to Syria and 
Iran.... 
 
"The US president, who blames every problem in the region on 
terrorism, ignores the fact that terrorism started not on 9/11, 
but when Israel was established.... 
 
"The ideas that President Bush is promoting, such as the 
deployment of an international force in south Lebanon and the 
creation of a new Middle East, are exactly the objectives that 
Israel has failed to realize by force.... 
 
"The nervousness that Bush and Blair showed and the threats they 
made during the press conference were apparently a result of the 
crisis that the champions of the new Middle East plan are 
experiencing as the date of the failure and collapse of this 
plan draws near.... It has become clear to them now that the 
steadfastness of the resistance fighters and their ability to 
confront all types of weapons have foiled their plans, ideas, 
and proposals. In the press conference, therefore, the two 
allies offered a model of arrogance and haughtiness through the 
threatening messages they sent. But we call on them to read and 
comprehend the lesson from south Lebanon, where the military 
machine is retreating in the face of firm belief in the homeland 
and readiness to sacrifice for its sake...." 
 
 
------------------ 
 
"Advocates of War" 
 
------------------ 
 
Ahmad Dawwa, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, said 
(7/31): "What can be concluded from the press conference of US 
President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is 
that the two leaders like organized killing and destruction so 
that they can engage in relief work later. Wasn't the Israeli 
aggression on Lebanon launched with an American green light? 
Aren't most of the weapons used made in the United States?" 
 
"We wonder how Bush and Blair could give Israel new 
authorization to proceed with its dirty war against the Lebanese 
people and provide it with smart bombs and internationally 
banned weapons while they continue to talk about the suffering 
of the Lebanese people.... Bush and Blair are no different from 
a criminal who commits a crime and expresses regret before the 
judge in the hope he will win some sympathy.... 
 
"The conditions that the United States, Britain, and Israel are 
setting for a cease-fire are more dangerous than the war because 
they seek to achieve what the Israeli destructive machine has 
failed to achieve throughout the past days.... Decision-making 
capitals in world must know that Lebanon cannot bear the 
consequences of the US agenda in the region, which cannot be 
realized. The Arab regimes, who thought that Israel would be 
able to defeat the Lebanese resistance within days, must return 
to their senses because Lebanon is just the spark, and the fire 
will reach everyone, and they will be the first." 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
"American Is Part of the Problem" 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
Ali Nasrallah, a columnist in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(7/31): "The real problem in the region is Israel, sustaining 
its occupation of Palestine, Lebanon, and the Golan, and its 
refusal to implement international resolutions.... 
 
"The United States and its unlimited support of Israeli policies 
of occupation, killing, and aggression is a real part of the 
problem.... A radical solution to the Middle East conflict 
begins with the implementation of UN Security Council 
resolutions, which have languished in drawers for six decades, 
obstructed by Israeli rejection, the American veto, and 
Washington's hegemony in the international organization.... 
 
"The United States must realize that its efforts to form and 
deploy international forces to Lebanon to harm Lebanon's 
sovereignty, rob Lebanon of its right to resist occupation, and 
enable Israel to make security gains, are nothing but 
unattainable dreams.... It must realize that the front of 
rejection and opposition will foil all hegemonic plans that it 
seeks to impose on the region, no matter what the 
sacrifices...." 
 
Seche