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DE RUEHEG #4918 2220857
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100857Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0450
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 004918 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PPD FOR ROBIN SMITH AND DAVID BENZE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL PREL IS LE EG
SUBJECT:  EGYPT MEDIA TRENDS:  AUGUST 7, 2006 
 
 
¶1.  Summary. The main headlines in today's papers 
were the Israeli casualties of the day, Al-Jamaa 
Al-Islamia's denial of ties to Al-Qaeda, and the 
Muslim Brotherhood's temporary retraction of its 
call to send 10,000 "mujahadeen" to Lebanon. 
Headlines also revealed displeasure with the US- 
France sponsored UN Security Council resolution. 
Two television programs - one satellite and one 
Egyptian terrestrial - hosted opposing 
discussions on Hezbollah. On that note, results 
from the latest online poll on popular website, 
masrawy.com, showed the vast majority of voters 
get their news from satellite television.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  In the headlines. "Black day for Israel: 13 
Israeli soldiers killed." "Three killed and 160 
wounded in rocket attack on Hayfa."  Such 
headlines appeared on the front pages of pro- 
government, opposition and independent papers 
today, as did photos of the corpses of Israeli 
soldiers.  Absent from the pro-government 
headlines, but prominent in opposition and 
independent papers were Al-Gamaa Al-Islamia's 
denial of "Al-ZawahiriQs Lies about its Leaders 
Joining al-Qaeda," "Muslim Brotherhood Members 
Refrain from Going to Beirut with the National 
Delegation," and "Akef Retracts: We WonQt Send 
Mujahadeens to Lebanon Before They are Trained 
and Approved by the Arab Leaders."  Pro- 
government daily, Rose Al-Youssef's headlines 
focused largely on reaction to the US-France 
proposal. "The Security Council adds fuel to the 
fire."  "France conceded and sided with America 
... the international position weakens Siniora." 
 
¶3.  In the commentaries. Comments on two popular 
evening programs showed opposing positions on 
Hezbollah.  Al-Mehwar TV, a privately-owned 
channel broadcast through Nilesat for paying 
subscribers, hosted an expert from Al-Ahram 
Strategic Studies Center to speak about Hezbollah 
on the evening political talk-show, Bebasata 
(Simply).  The host called Hassan Nasrallah "one 
of the prophetQs descendents" and a student of 
Shiite leader, Moussa El Sadr.  He described 
"HezbollahQs relationship with Iran" as based on 
"doctrinal religion," and Iran's assistance to 
Hezbollah as "not a crime, but a source of pride 
in a time when Arab states have left a 
strategic vacuum that Hezbollah has managed to 
fill."  He accused Arabs who criticize Hezbollah 
of "trying to cover up for their weakness and 
suspicious relations with Israel." 
 
In contrast, government-owned, Egyptian 
Television's popular evening talk-show, El Bate 
Beitak (Your Home), whose current events, public 
interest talk show format appeals to Egyptian 
households, hosted Khayr Allah Khayr Allah, a 
Lebanese journalist whose spoke against 
Hezbollah's abduction of the two Israeli soldiers 
as an act against the state "causing the entire 
state to pay." He denied any need for Hezbollah 
to be armed since Israel's withdrawal," and also 
denied claims of Hezbollah's popularity among 
Lebanese.  "Reality is different from what you 
see on television," he said, affirming that 
Hezbollah does not need support as it is "an 
extremely rich organized group that obtains 
weapons from Iran despite the Lebanese 
governmentQs rejection."  He affirmed Hezbollah's 
agenda since the year 2000 has nothing to do with 
"resistance" as the group has an agenda other 
than LebanonQs interests. 
 
¶4.  Public sentiment.  According to the latest 
opinion poll in popular Egyptian portal, 
masrawy.com, voters provided insight as to how 
they get their news about "the Zionist invasion 
of Lebanon." Out of a total of 2,211 votes, 63 
percent (1,517 votes) admitted to watching 
satellite channels.  The second most popular 
medium was internet sites, with 25 percent of the 
vote (589). Official mass media and opposition 
papers received significantly fewer votes, with 
217 and 39 respectively. 
RICCIARDONE