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DE RUEHEG #4919 2220901
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100901Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0451
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS CAIRO 004919 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/PPD FOR ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ROBIN SMITH AND 
DAVID BENZE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PREL PREL IS LE EG
SUBJECT:  "LEBANON IS IN EGYPT'S HEART." EGYPT 
MEDIA TRENDS:  AUGUST 9, 2006 
 
 
¶1.  Summary.  One of the main news stories and 
subject of much commentary was the 70-member 
delegation which traveled to Lebanon yesterday 
"as an assertion of solidarity to the Lebanese 
people during this hard time."  Commentaries were 
particularly rough in their criticisms of the US 
and Israel today, including one which pointed the 
finger at the American people.  Television 
programs provided significant airtime to members 
of Al-JamaQa Al-Islamia (the Islamic Group) to 
offer their denial of the story from earlier in 
the week that their members had joined the ranks 
of Al-Qaeda.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  In the headlines and front pages.  "All of 
Egypt Supports Lebanon Against the Israeli 
Aggression", "Lebanon is in Egypt's Heart". Such 
were the headlines in pro-government papers, and 
the main story in all monitored pro-government, 
opposition and independent papers highlighted 
Lebanese Prime Minister SinioraQs meeting with 
the 70-member Egyptian delegation, headed by the 
Egyptian Ministers of Information, Trade and 
Industry, Health, and the Assistant Secretary 
General of the ruling National Democratic Party, 
Gamal Mubarak.  As reported, the delegation 
declared support for Lebanon against the Israeli 
aggression.  Opposition and independent papers 
focused their headlines on their perception of 
Hezbollah's, or "the resistance's" ability to 
remain "steadfast" in the face of the Israeli 
Qbutchers. 
 
¶3.  In the commentaries.  The day's commentaries 
in independent daily, Al-Masry Al-Yom, were 
particularly negative toward the US and Israel. 
One well-known columnist, who also writes for 
government-owned, Al-Ahram, expressed that his 
"hatred of Israel's warring governments was 
reinforced by the image of Israeli children 
writing messages on missiles."  He explained, 
"This is why I depend on Hezbollah to take 
revenge." A regular contributor criticized the 
US's "claims of spreading democracy throughout 
the region" as doing so "on the corpses of women, 
children and the elderly."  In perhaps one of the 
most notable commentary's for its unusual focus 
on the American people, Mahmoud El-Khodeiry, a 
well-known judge who was on trial earlier this 
year for criticizing the parliamentary elections 
for being "influenced",  called President Bush 
"the most brilliant ruler who was able to turn 
the entire world against his own people."  He 
specifically noted his "opposition" to the 
"fallacious" sentiment "we hate the American 
government, not the people" because, "unlike the 
Arab countries, the American people chose this 
government." 
 
¶4.  On the airwaves. In a special edition 
program, Egyptian Television's Channel 1 aired a 
long program on the Egyptian Islamic Group's 
denial of any membership connection with Al- 
Qaeda. In the words of Sheikh Karam Zohdi, "Since 
1996, the group launched an initiative ... to put 
down weapons and ... since the release of most of 
them in 2001, no one has deviated from this path 
of peace."  Satellite-broadcast, Dream TV's 
popular evening program, "10 PM" also focused on 
the Islamic Group's denial of any involvement 
with Al-Qaeda, as they have "chosen the path of 
peace."  In the words of one guest, "the real 
threat now ... comes from small chaotic groups 
that emerge and take their orders through 
computers from Al Qaeda and other extremists. 
RICCIARDONE