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UNCLAS        MUSCAT 01122

SIPDIS
MUSCATCX:
    ACTION: PAO
    INFO:   DCM POLE AMB

DISSEMINATION: PAO
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: PAO:RHARBUCKLE
DRAFTED: PAO:DHOFFMANN
CLEARED: NONE

VZCZCATI300
PP RUEHC RUEHEE RUEHLO RUEHFR RHMFISS
DE RUEHMS #1122/01 1981211
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171211Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6911
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0418
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0313
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MUSCAT 001122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR 
STATE PASS USTR FOR N. MOORJANI, J. BUNTIN 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION:  ISRAEL-LEBANESE CONFLICT; OMANI LABOR 
LAW REFORM 
 
REF:  MUSCAT 1117 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Omani press decries "Israeli aggression."  Private 
"Al-Watan" daily laments "Arab silence."  The state-owned "Oman" 
deems Hezbollah to be conducting "legitimate resistance."  In 
online discussion, participants applaud Oman's new labor law, 
even if "American pressure" is behind it, and call on Omani 
officials for more transparency.  END SUMMARY. 
 
-------- 
COVERAGE 
-------- 
 
¶2. As noted in reftel, Omani coverage of the strife between 
Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinians initially front-paged 
graphic images of bloodied civilians and destroyed 
infrastructure, with coverage generally moderating from Saturday, 
July 15.  However, the intensification of Israeli strikes in 
Lebanon has meant a concomitant renewal of prominent coverage of 
the violence.  A steady stream of editorials critical of the U.S. 
and Israel has appeared.  Excerpts from some of these are below, 
including more extensive block quotes from the editorials cited 
in reftel. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
BLOCK QUOTES: SELF-DEFENSE OR TERRORISM? 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. "Al Watan" (privately owned daily, circulation 42,000) queried 
"Self Defense or Terrorism?" in a July 12 article by Omani writer 
Khamis Habib Attoubi: 
 
 "If the capture of a murderous soldier justifies the devastation 
of complete towns, displacing people and depriving them of their 
most basic human rights under the pretext of self defense - 
as the White House and its disciples allege - would it also be 
lawful for Russia to launch its intercontinental missiles against 
Iraqi towns in retaliation for the killing of four of its 
diplomats in Iraq by a group of terrorists?  Would Russian 
fighters violate American sovereignty as Israeli fighters 
violated that of Syria?  Just as the Russian President ordered 
his intelligence units to pursue the criminals, the Israeli 
entity should have found means other than organized terrorism to 
free its soldier, especially since the conditions that the 
captors set for the soldier's release are easy and within the 
reach of the Israelis.  However, the matter is about far more 
than the release of a soldier.  In fact, Israel intends to 
reoccupy the Gaza Strip and topple the Hamas government... 
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau Khalid Mashal 
threw the ball in Israel's court when he announced that the 
release of the Israeli soldier should coincide with the release 
of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, and that the life of 
the captured soldier should be preserved.  This is the touchstone 
for divining Israel's intentions toward the Palestinians:  will 
they accept or reject the initiative?  The union of Palestinian 
groups in the face of Israeli terrorism is a good sign, although 
it is accompanied by Arab silence and international collusion. 
These groups must put away the differences between them, which 
threaten to undermine the Palestinian cause and remove it from 
the international agenda." 
 
----------------------- 
"LEGITIMATE RESISTANCE" 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. Government-owned "Oman" (circulation 38,000) published a July 
14 editorial entitled "The Legitimate Resistance and the All- 
Encompassing War": 
 
"The Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues with the 
concentration of the air and artillery bombardment on the 
civilian infrastructure, with the bombardment of Beirut airport 
and power and water stations and the killing of civilians in the 
framework of tyrannical aggression.  The Israeli entity is 
accustomed to this and carries it out with U.S. support, as 
expected.  The Lebanese resistance is legally legitmate in 
defense of a part of Lebanese territory, in light of 
international resolutions that consider it a part of Lebanon that 
remains occupied.  U.S. remarks against Syria might lead to a 
widening of the confrontation, and an all-encompassing war could 
happen in the Middle East... The U.N. should fulfill its special 
role and make clear that the aggression against Lebanon is not 
justified, and that the question of prisoner exchange can be 
negotiated politically instead of bombing Lebanese villages and 
cities, in addition to Israel's killing and destruction of the 
Palestinian people...  Indeed, Israel's aggression comes in the 
framework of U.S. support.  There is no justification for this 
support under the shadow of the rising tension in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, and this American policy does not help to create a 
climate of peace in the Middle East." 
-------------------------------- 
DANGER OF A REGIONAL "EXPLOSION" 
-------------------------------- 
¶5. On July 14, "Al Watan" worried that "Israel's Escalation 
Threatens to Ignite the Region": 
 
"The grave Israeli escalation that appears in the sea, air, and 
land siege imposed on Lebanon and the devastation of the 
infrastructure by the continuous air raids, particularly Beirut 
airport, along with the targeting of civilians, is a continuation 
of the barbaric aggression in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. 
The clear and confirmed goal of this aggression is to subject the 
whole area to a settlement tailored to Israeli standards and 
specifications... This latest escalation indicates the 
deterioration of the situation in the region, which could explode 
and drag other parties into the conflict, endangering the Middle 
East peace process and global peace as well.  The possibility of 
this explosion is especially strong given Israel's mistaken 
understanding of the concept of security... What increases the 
possibility of the situation's explosion is the international 
powers' stance towards this issue, which is considered by the 
United States of America as Israel's 'legitimate self-defense.' 
By adopting this stand, the U.S. is setting an unlawful precedent 
in international relations that supports the killing of civilians 
and the destruction of infrastructure in the name of self- 
defense.  This is in addition to the stand of the United Nations 
Security Council, as expressed in one of its famous resolutions 
that calls for the disarmament of the Palestinian and Lebanese 
militants, and helps the killer and usurper at the expense of the 
victims who have lost their lands and their rights... For the 
reasons above, all parties should exercise their responsibility 
towards this risky escalation." 
 
-------------------------- 
ISRAEL'S "LICENSE TO KILL" 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. The English-language, privately owned "Oman Tribune" 
(circulation 8,000) ran a July 15 editorial entitled "License to 
Kill": 
"The Israelis now have the licesse [sic] to kill. The US veto of 
the resolution in the United Nations Security Council urging 
Israel to end its attacks in Gaza sends a clear message to 
Israel: Continue the offensive without any restraint against the 
Palestinians, kill their men women, children and destroy all 
facilities that will be of use to them. And the Israelis are 
doing just that without any qualms, as they are certain that the 
whole world will not go any farther than condemning them and 
appealing for restraint.  The American position is beyond logic. 
It is true that they are bankrolling Israel, but this does not 
mean that they should countenance Israel's murderous acts, first 
in Gaza and now in Lebanon on which President George W. Bush 
said: 'Israel has the right to defend itself.' The question now 
is, defend against whom? After all these years, why don't the 
Americans and other western powers recognise the fact that Israel 
is the aggressor?" 
----------------------------- 
ISRAEL'S "WANTON DESTRUCTION" 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  On July 16, the English-language, privately owned "Times of 
Oman" (circulation 25,000) published a commentary by editor-in- 
chief Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali entitled "Zionist State an 
Epidemic in the Heart of Arab Nation": 
 
"Ever since the Jewish state came into being in 1948, it has been 
engaged in merciless killings and wanton destruction.  No sooner 
does one campaign of massacres stop than another starts.  It 
appears that Israel cannot survive unless it commits massacres 
and sees the blood of innocents splattered around.  Israel is, 
without doubt, addicted to such heinous practices on a daily 
basis, backed as it is by the silence of the international 
community and support of the US administration... A close reading 
of history reveals that Israel has a criminal record, perhaps 
worst for any country.  Israel, therefore, is the biggest 
criminal in the history of humankind.  The victims in Palestine 
and Lebanon are clear evidence that it continues to perpetrate 
its crimes in cold blood... In a clear show of positive support 
to Israel, the US has been pumping funds and arms into Israel so 
it can pulverise the Arabs at will... The world must either put 
an end to the savage practices of Israel or provide the 
Palestinians with advanced weapons similar to those possessed by 
Israel.  Furthermore, the US has to cease backing the Israelis 
for a balanced confrontation." 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
ONLINE:  LABOR LAWS SUPPORTED DESPITE "AMERICAN PRESSURE" 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶7.  On July 16, participants in Oman's largest online discussion 
forum, Al-Sablah, discussed recent changes to the Sultanate's 
labor laws, in terms sufficiently strong that site administrators 
soon pulled the topic.  Before they did so, 90 people had 
responded; approximately 70 percent supported the changes, though 
they believed these had resulted from "American pressure."  Most 
responses criticized the Omani government's alleged lack of 
transparency and responsiveness regarding labor laws.  One 
respondent wrote that "all of us have been very optimistic about 
the Royal Decree that amends the Labor Law, permitting labor 
unions and strikes. Though all of us hope that these changes are 
originating from the Omani will, we know very well that American 
pressure has been behind them. Even so, it is rational to support 
these reforms when they concern us as Omani citizens, and affect 
us positively.  Rejecting any American proposals regarding reform 
just because they are initiated by America is irrational... We 
have frequently asked the officials and the Omani Government 
through Al-Sablah to allow unions and free speech, though our 
requests have been futile.  Therefore, even if the American voice 
is the only one that gets through to officials, we should support 
this voice... Suppression of freedom of speech continues to 
prevail, and the press is still monopolized.  Public 
participation in decision-making is still prohibited, and 
applicable laws continue to fluctuate between implementation and 
suspension." 
 
¶8.  Another Al-Sablah participant wrote that "when the Minister 
of Commerce and Industry announces to [a local paper] that the 
Sultanate of Oman is looking forward to signing a free trade 
agreement with the U.S., he hopes that the majority of the U.S. 
Congressmen will vote in favor of this agreement, as the 
Sultanate of Oman has already answered all the American inquiries 
regarding its labor policies.  Though His Excellency the Minister 
has answered the American questions, would he be so kind as to 
answer our questions as well, or would he consider us of less 
importance than the Congress? ... Would the government also allow 
the formation of other unions for journalists, writers and 
lawyers?  Would the government permit freedom of speech, and 
allow members of the Shura Council to express their opinions 
freely?  These questions are posed by the Omani Congress (Omani 
public opinion) and require answers from His Excellency the 
Minister." 
 
GRAPPO