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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #3945/01 2251300
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131300Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0907
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6175
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4018
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2573
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7212
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1205
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4587
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0806
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6945

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 003945 
 
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: UNSC Resolution on Lebanon, 
Syria/Norway, Palestinian Territories, Iraq (8/11-13) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary: Syrian papers gave prominent coverage to the 
adoption of UNSC Resolution No. 1701, with detailed descriptions 
of its contents. 
Papers also reported a press statement by Lebanese Foreign 
Minister Salloukh praising the UN Human Rights Council's 
resolution condemning the Israeli aggression against Lebanon. 
Salloukh said that the resolution strongly condemned Israeli 
human rights violations, including deliberate targeting of 
civilians, and called for an investigation of Israeli massacres 
in Lebanon. The Minister said that the resolution is one of a 
series of complaints and cases that will be filed against 
Israel. Salloukh also discussed with the Assistant UN High 
Commissioner for Refugee Affairs the situation of the Lebanese 
people who have been displaced by the Israeli aggression and 
plans for their return to their homes. Salloukh also met with 
the US Ambassador in Beirut, and the Personal Representative of 
the UN Secretary General in Lebanon and discussed with them the 
enforcement of UN Resolution 1701 and the deteriorating 
situation in south Lebanon. 
 
Papers also reported that talks between Deputy Foreign Minister 
Faisal Miqdad and Svein Sevje, the Norwegian Envoy to the Middle 
East, focused on the latest developments in the region, the 
Israeli military aggression against Lebanon and the UN Security 
Council resolution. Talks also covered the situation in the 
occupied Palestinian territories and Israeli  violations of 
international law and UN resolutions. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"A catastrophic day for Israeli Merkava tank. Over 100 Israeli 
soldiers killed or injured in confrontation with Lebanese 
national resistance. The national resistance downs an Israeli 
helicopter, killing its crew, and destroys 34 Merkava tanks" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/13) 
 
"The Lebanese government approves UNSC 1701 resolution with 
reservations" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 8/13) 
 
"Nasrallah, SecGen of Hizbollah, comments on the latest UN 
Security Council resolution on Lebanon: War is not over yet... 
When Israeli hostilities stop then Lebanese retaliations will 
end... The resistance confirms commitment to the April 
Understanding... Our reservations on the UNSC resolution will be 
discussed with the cabinet" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/13) 
 
"Nasrallah: Issuance of the UNSC resolution fails to stop the 
aggression. The UNSC resolution is unfair and the resistance will 
go on fighting to defend our country. The Arab delegation to the 
UN: The Resolution is unbalanced and fails to consider Lebanon's 
interests. UN Chief Annan: Not adopting the resolution earlier 
undermined confidence in the international organization. Iran: 
the Resolution serves Israel.  Russian President Putin: The 
Resolution gives a chance for political solution. Israeli Premier 
Olmert thanks US President Bush for his efforts on behalf of the 
resolution" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/13) 
"Israeli Prime Minister Olmert takes the risk of dispatching his 
army to south Lebanon's graveyard. The Lebanese national 
resistance destroys an Israeli gunboat; the Israeli navy 
staggers" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/12) 
"Treacherous Israel strike hits displaced Lebanese from Marjoyoun 
at night" (Government-owned TIshreen, 8/12) 
"Mosque orators and Imams: The massacres in Lebanon confirm the 
enemy's racism and hatred of Arabs" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
8/13) 
"Haaretz: Olmert has failed in managing the battle politically 
and militarily; He must resign" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/12) 
"After providing Israel with smart bombs, the US administration 
provides Israel with cluster bombs" (Government-owned Tishreen, 
8/12) 
"Deputy Foreign Minister Miqdad holds talks with the Norwegian 
envoy on the UNSC debate over the Israeli aggression" (Government- 
owned Al-Thawra, 8/11) 
 
 
"Israeli embarrassment and defeat in South Lebanon. Lebanese 
bloodshed continues under the rhythm of the UNSC debate. 18 
Israeli soldiers killed and 38 wounded. 18 Mirkava tanks 
destroyed and 30 others withdrawn from the battlefield" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/11) 
"Warnings against the deteriorating health of Dwaik, Speaker of 
Palestinian Legislative Council, in Israeli jail. Israeli 
occupation troops destroy a building in Gaza and wound 4 
Palestinians who were demonstrating against the separation wall" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 8/12) 
"Four US soldiers killed or wounded in clashes in Iraq while 135 
Iraqis were victimized by a terrorist explosion in Najaf" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 8/11) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------- 
 
"Fascists" 
 
----------- 
 
Isam Dari, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
commented (8/12): "We were not surprised by US President George 
Bush's remark that he is at war with those whom he called 
'Islamic fascists.' Wasn't he the one who said the United States 
was waging a crusade? 
 
"With all the politeness he is known for, Bush said that only 
some Muslims are fascists, not all of them, for he did not want 
to find himself compelled once again to apologize for another 
'slip of the tongue.' 
 
"But aren't we, the political illiterates, entitled to ask: Who 
are the fascists? What is meant by the term 'Islamic fascists'? 
Is it connected to terrorism, for example? 
 
"If President Bush meant to liken the Lebanese, Palestinian, and 
Iraqi resistance, in particular, to the Italian fascism that 
Mussolini's party represented or to the Hitler-led Nazi party, 
how does he describe Israel and its army, which for the entire 
past month has been killing women and children, destroying 
bridges, and targeting hospitals, ambulances, and everything 
that moves, including trees? 
 
"Here we do not forget that Bush used the claimed British 
disruption of an attempt to blow up a passenger plane en route 
to the United States to reveal to us the truth about the racist 
fascism and to prove to us that the term 'crusade' that he once 
used was not a slip of the tongue, but a Zionist policy and 
ideology adopted by the neoconservatives, whose identification 
with the Talmudic creed has led them to a point where they 
preach the battle of Armageddon, in which the Jews will defeat 
evil. According to this Talmudic creed, evil is represented by 
the followers of all earthly and divine religions, mainly Islam 
and Christianity. 
 
"Thus the neo-fascists disclose their full support for and 
blessing of the neo-nazis. And thus the facts on the ground 
prove that all these are the enemies of the people and the 
enemies of freedom and humanity. They are the ones who are 
waging the war of murder and destruction in Lebanon, and were 
doing the same before that in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
"The exporters of the weapons of destruction and genocide have 
no right to talk about fascism. And those who supported and 
blessed the killing of women and children and the destruction of 
everything in Lebanon, and who violated human rights in Abu 
Ghurayb, Guantanamo, and many other places, have no right to 
utter such reckless terms that harm Islam, the religion of love, 
brotherhood, and peace. The Islamic nation must respond, even if 
through the media, to the racist and arrogant ones. This is the 
least that can be done. Those words by Bush mark a new stage in 
the onslaught against the Islamic nation and the continuation of 
the destructive war against it. Is it not time for an 
 
awakening?" 
 
-------------------------- 
 
"Democracy of Destruction" 
-------------------------- 
 
Samir al-Shibani, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/12): "It has now become clear to the peoples and 
governments of the region that the democracy the US 
Administration has been talking about is meant only as a cover 
for its plan to infiltrate the region and redraw its map in a 
way that serves the interests of the United States and 
Israel.... 
 
"After all the Israeli destruction, horror, and massive use of 
internationally banned weapons in Lebanon and its assassination 
of democracy in Palestine, it has become clear to all Arabs that 
they have no option other than resistance. Here is the Israeli 
enemy continuing its aggression, understanding and recognizing 
nothing else.  All Arabs, therefore, have to support the 
resistance and entrench the culture of resistance. Here is the 
American and Israeli 'democracy' entering its second month, 
carrying with it destruction, poison, and fascist conduct.  What 
an evil democracy...." 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Ironical Contradictions" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Ahmad Hamadah, an editorialist in government-owned Al-Thawra, 
wrote (8/11):  "Claims by the Israeli representative at the 
United Nations that Israel does not target civilians in Lebanon 
and that it is only fighting Hizbollah are ridiculous.... 
 
"These are bald lies, easily refuted.... If the massive 
destruction of Lebanese bridges, buildings, villages, cities, 
hospitals, and the entire infrastructure is not, as the Zionist 
representative claimed, a destruction of Lebanon, then what is 
it...? 
 
"Israel's claims that Hizbollah fighters operate amid civilians 
are false and baseless.... Images aired by the media prove that 
children, women, and the elderly are directly targeted by 
Israel.... Israel, which seeks to delude the world into thinking 
that it is fighting terrorism, is a terrorist entity that has 
been engaged in massive massacres since the first day of its 
establishment...." 
 
---------------------- 
 
"Deadly US Friendship" 
 
---------------------- 
 
Muhammad Ali Buzah, an editorialist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote (8/11): "Who can believe US statements that 
despite the tragic events in Lebanon the United States remains 
firmly and uncompromisingly committed to Lebanon and determined 
to bring the country out of its ordeal and help it live as a 
free and sovereign country?  Who is the United States trying to 
fool? 
 
"If this mad and brutal Israeli killing and destruction in all 
Lebanese villages, cities, and regions with smart bombs and 
other prohibited weapons of destruction, and the use of the veto 
to obstruct the adoption of any international resolution against 
the Zionist entity and its crimes, and the attempts to save 
Israel and turn the defeat of the Biblical-American plan in 
Lebanon under the blows of the valiant resistance into a victory 
for the two allies, giving them gains they failed to achieve in 
the war -- if all this does not embody the blind racist hatred 
toward Lebanon and the [Arab] nation in general and does not 
 
reflect a strong desire to see them vanish, then what is it 
called?  Is it an expression of friendship and part of the 
alleged and promised support for this country? 
 
"White House officials and their partners in Tel Aviv have been 
pursuing a policy of lies, hypocrisy, and deception and waging 
reckless and aggressive wars that have brought nothing but 
disasters and inflamed feelings of hatred and hostility toward 
the United States and its spoiled monster, Israel.... 
 
"The Lebanese and Arabs do not need this deadly American 
love.... Arabs must use their pressure cards to ward off the 
fateful danger and to defend honor and dignity.... Homelands are 
safeguarded not through friendships with and subservience to the 
United States, but by adopting the option of resistance." 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"The Illusion of a New Middle East" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Ali Sawahah, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote 
(8/11): "Why is the new Middle East plan doomed to failure...? 
 
"First, the proponents of the new Middle East rely on the 
arrogance of power, which will not be acceptable to the peoples 
of the region, as the situations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 
Lebanon have proven.... Second, the plan does not address the 
root-causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict.... Third, the United 
States lacks the most fundamental standards of integrity and 
neutrality.... Washington is not only biased toward Israel, but 
is also a partner in the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and 
Arabs.... 
 
"The resistance in Lebanon and Palestine cannot easily be 
crushed because it is not a passing phenomenon.... Hizbollah and 
HAMAS represent a new renaissance for the nation...." 
 
Corbin