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DE RUEHDM #4128/01 2341328
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O 221328Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1133
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6211
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4048
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2609
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7242
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1239
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RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 6976

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 004128 
 
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: Syria/Qatar, Qatar/Lebanon, 
Syria/Iran, Lebanon/Israel (8/22) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers today reported the working visit to 
Damascus by Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, 
and his meeting with President Asad, which focused on the 
Israeli aggression against Lebanon and its repercussions, the 
current Arab position, the situation in the Palestinian 
territories and Iraq, and bilateral relations. Viewpoints over 
those issues were identical.  Both leaders agreed to continue 
consultations and coordination between the two sisterly 
countries. 
 
Syrian papers also featured the press conference held jointly by 
Lebanese president Emile Lahoud and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad 
Bin Khalifa Al Thani just after their meeting in Beirut.  The 
Emir praised the Lebanese people and the Resistance "which has 
realized the first Arab victory over Israel for many years." 
Sheikh Hamad criticized calls to disarm Hezbollah while Israel is 
receiving weapons, saying "we stand by every country that wants 
to defend its land, but to prevent Hezbollah from getting weapons 
while Israel is arming itself more and more is definitely 
unacceptable."  He called upon Israel to implement UNSC 
Resolution 1701 and stop its continuous violations of Lebanese 
sovereignty.  For his part, Lahoud expressed appreciation for 
Qatar's stance in support of Lebanon during its crisis, pointing 
out the Qatari efforts in the Security Council to improve the 
resolution, which neither met Lebanese ambitions nor reflected 
the events of the war or the victory of the Resistance.  The 
Lebanese President confirmed that Lebanon will demand 
compensation from Israel for all damage to the Lebanese 
infrastructure during the Israeli aggression. 
On Syrian-Iranian relations, papers cited a statement by Syrian 
Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassoun, who participated in 
the 19th International Conference of Islamic Unity in Tehran. 
Hassoun said that "the victory of the Lebanese Resistance has 
been achieved by the strong will of the Lebanese people." 
"Features of a new Middle East have begun to appear after this 
victory;  a Middle East that was launched by the will of nations 
not through the policy of repression," Sheikh Hassoun added 
during a meeting with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Leader of the 
Supreme Council of the Iranian Islamic Revolution.  Mufti Hassoun 
added that "Lebanon has achieved a miracle by fighting the 
Zionist aggression.  The positive situation brought about by the 
victory of the resistance has reflected on the whole Islamic 
nation."  He called on all Muslims to leave disputes aside and 
unite in facing challenges that target Islamic unity. 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"President Asad and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad discuss the 
aggression against Lebanon and the situation in Iraq and the 
Palestinian territories.  Identical points of view and agreement 
on continuing consultations" (Government-owned Tishreen, 8/22) 
 
"Sheikh Hamad from Beirut:  Points of views were identical, and I 
carried an invitation to the Lebanese Prime Minister to visit 
Damascus.... Had the oil weapon been used during the aggression 
it would have served Lebanon's interest.  The Resistance victory 
is the first victory for Arabs in years" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 8/22) 
 
President Asad sends a message of condolences to President 
Mubarak on the victims of train crash" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 8/22) 
 
"Information Minister Bilal:  Syria works for Arab solidarity and 
her stances are firm regarding peace" (Government-owned Al- 
Thawra, 8/22) 
 
"At least 4 US soldiers killed in Baghdad and al-Anbar.  An Iraqi 
child killed by the American army" (Government-owned Tishreen 
8/22) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
---------------------- 
 
"A Scheme of Sedition" 
 
 
---------------------- 
 
Muhammad Khayr al-Jammali, a columnist in government-owned Al- 
Thawra, wrote (8/22):  "Israel, the United States, and their 
aides in Lebanon are working to stir up domestic strife in 
Lebanon in an attempt to render the historic and strategic 
victory that the Lebanese Resistance achieved void of its 
military, political, and strategic content.  Each of the three 
parties has its own objective.  While Israel's objective is to 
restore some of its lost deterrent power and military prestige, 
the American objective is to prevent forces of resistance and 
opposition in the region from turning the military victory into 
a political victory, as this would foil all American plans for 
the region. 
 
"As for those assisting the United States and Israel in the 
region, their objective is to come out of the difficult 
situation they found themselves in as a result of the victory of 
the Resistance.... 
 
"These aides are plotting against this victory through 
incitement against the Resistance and Syria and the promotion of 
false accusations against them to distort the national role of 
the Resistance and the pan-Arab role of Syria in supporting this 
Resistance.... 
 
"What is being concocted against Lebanon now is a major and 
serious plan of sedition to create a deep rift between the 
people and the Resistance.  The aim is to isolate, besiege, and 
harass the Resistance.  They want to hide the suspicious role 
they played in the past and the role they are now playing to 
abort the results of the victory and turn them to the service of 
the revival of the Zionist-American scheme in the region, which 
has entered its death throes, from Iraq to Lebanon.  But 
Lebanon's people and the Resistance, and with them Syria and the 
honorable forces in the region and the world, will not allow 
this scheme to achieve any of its objectives, just as they 
earlier foiled the plan to contain Lebanon and aborted its 
political and military instruments." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
"They Are Preparing for New Rounds of Aggression" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
Dr. Khalaf al-Jarrad, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/22):  "There is ongoing criticism in Israel of the 
Israeli military and political leaders over their performance in 
Lebanon.... Arabs must not conclude that the extremist Israeli 
society will resign itself to the idea of defeat and turn into a 
moderate society supportive of peace and international 
legitimacy.... There are Israeli calls to resume war and pursue 
Hizbollah leaders.... It would therefore be a misjudgment to 
believe that heavily wounded Israel, which is used to swift and 
decisive victories, will abide by the newest Security Council 
resolution or respect the international will and implement its 
obligations under this resolution.... 
 
"We believe that the leadership of the Lebanese Resistance, 
which has great experience in the Zionist enemy's affairs, 
tactics, plots, treacheries, aggressive nature, and racist 
expansionist composition, will deprive Israel of the chance to 
take revenge and avenge the loss of the dignity of its army on 
the soil of South Lebanon.  It will not enable the Zionist enemy 
to achieve what it failed to achieve with its planes, missiles, 
tanks, and warships.... 
 
"We expect Israel to violate the cease-fire through attacks 
against Hizbollah positions or attempts to assassinate or kidnap 
Hizbollah leaders.  We also expect the countries that drafted 
UNSC Resolution 1701 to give conflicting interpretations in 
order to serve Israel's interests.... 
 
"As for the United States, it will not rest before the 
implementation of all previous resolutions, first of all 
 
Resolution 1559, which seek to end every form of resistance 
against the Zionist occupation, isolate Lebanon from its Arab 
environment, dismantle the bonds of brotherhood and the 
intertwined and organic relations between Lebanon and Syria, and 
sow the seeds of infighting, civil war, and division along 
sectarian, denominational, and feudal lines in Lebanon. 
"This serious situation demands Arab vigilance and readiness.... 
Arabs must return to the principles, bases, and conventions on 
which common Arab action was built over the past 60 years.... 
Arabs must not relinquish Arab solidarity, even if at a minimum 
level.... Israel must not be given the opportunity to single out 
the Arab countries one after the other, taking advantage of 
inter-Arab sensitivities and different views and positions...." 
 
--------------- 
 
"The Real Test" 
 
--------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/22):  "Lebanon, which emerged victorious thanks to its 
valiant resistance, has become a real power in the equation of 
the conflict with the enemy, able to confront the Israeli- 
American hegemonic plans.... 
 
"The Arab nation now feels that any true resistance can put an 
end to Israeli arrogance.... Israel now tastes the humiliation 
of defeat, while the United States earned nothing from the 
Israeli aggression against Lebanon other than the peoples' 
hatred for its policy.... 
 
"The war against Lebanon has proven that the will of nations is 
the decisive word in any real test.  That is exactly what the 
national Lebanese Resistance has proven." 
 
---------------------------- 
 
"Europe, the Silent Witness" 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Charles Kamilah, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, 
wrote (8/22):  "There are two possible reasons behind Europe's 
reluctance to commit troops to South Lebanon.  First, Resolution 
1701 did not end the aggression, so much as seek to shackle the 
Resistance and allow the aggression to continue without 
resistance.... 
 
"The Israeli infiltration attempt in eastern Lebanon on August 
19 clearly shows this flagrant bias towards the aggression by 
Resolution 1701.... Europe does not want its troops in South 
Lebanon to serve as a silent witness to Israel's violations, 
which will be condoned by the United States.  The second reason 
is that Europe is tired of serving as a fire brigade and a 
charity fund for reconstructing what the American military 
machine destroys...." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
"Aggression against Lebanon and Arab Responsibility" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
Dr. Isa al-Shammas, an op-ed writer in government-owned Al- 
Ba'th, wrote (8/22):  "The official Arab position toward the 
Israeli aggression on Lebanon and the Palestinians was terribly 
weak and indifferent.... 
 
"Some Arabs live deep in their dreams, concerned only about 
their positions and not shocked by the massacres and bloody 
scenes that their Arab brothers are experiencing in Lebanon.... 
The Arab peoples were astonished and disgusted with the 
statements that some Arab leaders made against Lebanon and its 
valiant Resistance, which is defending the dignity of all Arabs 
and their right to exist vis-a-vis the Israeli-American plan in 
 
the Arab region.... 
 
"We wonder why some Arab leaders are ignoring the sentiments of 
their peoples, which are becoming more inflammatory day after 
day and which will certainly reach a point that will burn the 
thrones of these leaders and those who stand behind them.... We 
wonder why Arabs are not severi 
ng all their relations with 
Israel or implementing the Arab League Charter and the common 
Arab defense pact...." 
 
Corbin