VZCZCXYZ0024
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0122/01 0381344
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071344Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2924
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6559
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4331
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 2944
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7502
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1558
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 4896
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1110
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7234

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR:STHIBEAULT AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND 
AFERNANDEZ, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Palestinian Territories, Syria/Netherlands, Lavrov/Mousa, 
Lebanon, Iraq (2/6) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on Feb. 7 quoted an official source at 
the Syrian Foreign Ministry expressing, on Feb. 6, deep concern over 
Israeli excavations in the area of the al-Aqsa Mosque that threaten 
the safety and sanctity of the mosque. "Syria, which strongly 
condemns this aggression, sees those acts as a flagrant violation of 
the Islamic sanctities and Muslims' feelings all over the Islamic 
world," the source said.  "Syria stresses that respecting others' 
sanctities is the most prominent feature of civilized societies, or 
those who claim to be civilized, and this is what Israeli 
authorities, that are doing the condemned digging, lack," it noted. 
The source said that Israel, as an occupying authority, must protect 
the holy places according to international law and the Geneva 
Convention.  "Syria calls on the Organization of Islamic Conference 
to move, on behalf of the Islamic world, to stop any act that 
threatens the safety and sanctity of the holy mosque of Aqsa," it 
added. 
 
Papers also reported that Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem 
received a telephone call on Feb 6 from his Dutch counterpart 
Bernard Bot on developments in the region. 
 
On the Middle East peace process, papers reported that Russian 
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Feb. 6 reiterated Russia's call to 
solve the issues of the Middle East by including all basic regional 
sides in meetings with the International Quartet.  In a press 
conference with Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa following 
talks in Moscow, Lavrov said:  "Russia emphasized its call for the 
participation of the main regional countries."  The Russian FM 
reiterated his country's rejection of any provocative attempts to 
damage the religious sanctities in Jerusalem, expressing Russian 
support for a Palestinian national unity government.  He welcomed 
Mousa's efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Lebanon, 
underlining the necessity of intensifying efforts to reach national 
reconciliation with the participation of all Lebanese forces. 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Syria expresses deep concern over Israeli excavations in the area 
of the al-Aqsa mosque.  These acts are flagrant violations of the 
Islamic holy places and Muslims' feelings all over the Islamic 
world" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/7) 
 
"Commencement of the Palestinian dialogue in Mecca.  Israel 
demolishes al-Maghareba road leading to the al-Aqsa Mosque" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 2/7) 
 
"Foreign Minister al-Mouallem reviews in a telephone call latest 
regional developments with Bernard Bot, Foreign Minister of the 
Netherlands" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 2/7) 
 
"Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov renews his country's 
position which calls for solving Middle East issues through the 
participation of all main regional sides and the International 
Quartet Committee" 
 
"President Lahoud asks UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ignore 
the two messages sent by the current illegal government" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/7) 
 
"An Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Baghdad.  Tehran: New terrorism by 
occupation forces" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 2/7) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
----------------------- 
 
"Lies and Fabrications" 
 
----------------------- 
 
Elias Khuri, a commentator in government-owned Al-Ba'th, said (2/7): 
 "Some politicians are skilled at fabricating falsehoods against 
Syria.  They turn white into black and black into white, forcing you 
-- though you hate it -- to speak up! 
 
"These politicians, who have become nothing but willing trumpets, 
are not satisfied with anything.  No matter what Syria does for 
Iraq, and no matter what it offers for the sake of Iraq's fraternal 
people and their unity and freedom, these politicians are ungrateful 
and unfair to it, persistently leveling false accusations against it 
and working for estrangement from it. 
 
"Some of them, for example, have volunteered this piece of 
information:  Half of those who carry out terrorist operations 
infiltrated from Syria.  My God! It is as if these brilliant 
politicians were standing at the border carrying meters to count 
infiltrators and non-infiltrators and determine who is a terrorist 
and who is not.  They ignore the fact that Syria has made and is 
still making tremendous efforts to control the border.... 
 
"Another allegation is that Iraqi citizens are not 'sufficiently 
welcomed' in Syria.  This is a despicable fabrication because Syria 
is the only country in the whole world that opened its doors to the 
Iraqi brothers unconditionally.  It received hundreds of thousands 
of Iraqis and offered them everything it could offer, so much so 
that the Iraqi dialect is the dominant dialect in some regions.  Yet 
we still hear lies, fabrications, and hypocrisy! 
 
---------------- 
 
"Jerusalem Anew" 
 
---------------- 
 
Ali Qasim, a commentator in government-owned Al-Thawra, wrote (2/7): 
 "Israel finds in intra-Palestinian clashes and the international 
situation an opportunity to Judaize Jerusalem.... Israel persists in 
excavations and demolitions around Al-Aqsa Mosque.... 
 
"Tel Aviv seeks to change totally the demographic situation of the 
holy city and its spiritual and religious stature for more than one 
billion Muslims.  Palestinians must unify their ranks to confront 
the Israeli scheme.... 
 
"Israeli activities in Jerusalem provide Palestinians with a real 
opportunity to overcome their differences and foil the attempts that 
seek to sow domestic strife...." 
 
------------------ 
 
"Where Are Arabs?" 
 
------------------ 
 
Umar Jaftali, an editorialist in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(2/7):  "The US Administration's hellish plan in the region aims at 
protecting Israel and controlling the oil resources.  As part of 
this plan, Palestinians have been besieged and pushed toward 
domestic strife to allow Israel to implement its plans and Judaize 
Jerusalem.... 
 
"In Lebanon, the US Administration prevents accord among the 
Lebanese, and its Ambassador, Feltman, tells the February 14 forces 
what they should do or not do.... The aim is to prolong the 
political crisis, obstruct Arab mediation, and push everyone toward 
absurd labyrinths and sectarian strife to keep this country 
completely away from the Arab-Zionist conflict.... 
 
"Iraq is witnessing civil war while American and Israeli companies 
are looting Iraq's oil.... 
 
"Arabs must realize these dangers, which target them all...." 
Corbin