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O 141259Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3704
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6883
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4590
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3236
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7731
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RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7474

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000603 
 
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, Lebanon, Syria/Israel, Iraq 
(6/14) 
 
¶1.  Summary:   Syrian papers on June 14 quoted an official Syrian 
source as saying on June 13 that the Syrian government and Syrian 
people are concerned about intra-Palestinian fighting and violence. 
"Fighting among the Palestinian brothers will only serve the 
interests of the enemies of the Palestinian cause and the enemies of 
the Arab nation," the source said.  "Syria appeals to the 
Palestinian brothers to stop the violence completely, calling upon 
them to be fully aware that Palestinian national unity alone will be 
their savior and is the only path to restoration of rights and 
achievement of national goals," the source added. 
 
On the assassination of Lebanese MP Walid Eido, pro-government 
newspapers featured a brief SANA report about the assassination 
without further comment.  Government-owned Tishreen featured the 
following statement by President Lahoud on June 13:  "This heinous 
crime, which has coincided with progress in the efforts and contacts 
to find a solution to the current political crisis, makes us again 
call persistently to unite ranks and deprive the enemies of Lebanon 
of any chance, because they target the security and stability of 
this country."  Papers also cited a statement by Parliament Speaker 
Birri calling on the Lebanese people to be alert and cautious of the 
"fingers of sedition that are weaving their conspiracy." 
Independent al-Watan accused the ruling majority in the Lebanese 
parliament of assassinating MP Eido.  Al-Watan's Chief Editor Waddah 
Abd-Rabbo, in his daily commentary, stated five reasons behind the 
Eido assassination (see editorial block quote below). 
 
Papers also reported two phone calls received by FM Mouallem on July 
¶13.  One was from Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller on the 
situation in the region, particularly in Palestine and Lebanon, and 
ways to revive the Middle East peace process based on the Madrid 
terms of reference and the land-for-peace principle to achieve 
security and stability in the region.  The second call came from 
Jordanian FM Abd-al-Ilah al-Khatib on bilateral relations and 
current developments in the Palestinian territories, reiterating the 
need to stop intra-Palestinian fighting. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"The ruling majority in Lebanon sacrifices Walid Eido" (Independent 
al-Watan, 6/14) 
 
"Assassination of MP Eido in Beirut.  Lahoud denounces the act. 
Lahoud:  The crime must unify Lebanese ranks.  Berri and Hizbollah 
warn against 'the fingers of sedition'" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 
6/14) 
 
"Syrian official source:  Syria follows with anxiety what is going 
on among Palestinians:  National unity is the savior" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 6/14) 
 
"FM Mouallem receives two phone calls, from Danish FM Muller and 
Jordanian FM Khatib, on developments in the region and revival of 
the peace process" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/14) 
 
"Arab foreign ministers will discuss developments in the Palestinian 
territories in Cairo on July 16" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/14) 
 
"Abbas warns against a collapse in the Palestinian situation. 
Scores of Palestinians killed and injured in clashes between Fateh 
and Hamas.  40 Palestinian security troops cross border from Gaza, 
seeking safety in Egypt" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 6/14) 
 
"A UN report:  Sanctions against Palestinians have destroyed 
Palestinian society.... The International Quartet Committee is 
complying fully with Washington's will" (Government-owned Al-a'th, 
6/14) 
 
"Italian FM Prodi calls for an effective European role in the Middle 
East peace process" (Government-owned Tishreen, 6/14) 
 
"Bombing of the Shrine of the two Imams in Sammurra.  Iraqi figures: 
 The occupation is held responsible... The occupation aims to create 
sedition" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 6/14) 
 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"Reasons for Assassinating Eido" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Waddah Abd Rabbo, chief editor of independent al-Watan, wrote 
(6/14):  "I personally accuse the ruling majority in Lebanon of 
victimizing Eido to proceed with its destructive scheme to 
internationalize Lebanon.  There are many reasons for this: 
 
"First the Terje Roed-Larsen report to the UN Security Council 
accusing Damascus of smuggling arms to Lebanon and violating 
resolution 1559 according to information Larsen received from his 
friend al-Saniora... 
 
"The second factor is the visit to Lebanon by French envoy Jean 
Claude Cosron and Paris' call on the Lebanese parties to sit at the 
negotiating table, which the al-Hariri Block rejects and Washington 
is disturbed about.... 
 
"To foil French envoy Cosron's mission and block any French move in 
Lebanon, it was necessary to victimize a Lebanese figure to 
reshuffle the cards.... 
 
"The third factor was news about a visit scheduled to Tehran by the 
Saudi Foreign Minister and talk about a reconciliation plan to form 
a national unity government in Lebanon with Saudi-Iranian support, 
which was neither unwelcome by the ruling Lebanese majority nor by 
the White House.... 
 
"With the endorsement of the International Tribunal the ruling 
majority felt greatly confused, as it has lost its excuses and 
accusations against the opposition.  It needed a new act of 
assassination to reinstate its criticisms of the opposition as being 
loyal to Syria and Iran so as to enflame the domestic crisis and 
block a national unity government. 
 
"The fifth reason was to divert attention from events in Nahr 
al-Bared, especially in the wake of the many reports incriminating 
Saed al-Hariri in the financing of Fath al-Islam to form a Sunni 
army to fight Hizbollah...." 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"The Magic Recipe for Peace" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Isam Dari, Chief Editor of government-owned Tishreen, wrote (6/14): 
"It is said that there is now a debate in Israel between two 
political trends, one calling for dialogue with Syria and the other 
standing exactly on the opposite side.... 
 
"It is as if they want to convince us of two things: The first is 
that there is a trend in favor of peace and another expressing 
reservations.  The second is that Israel is seriously inclined 
toward dialogue, negotiations, and peace. 
 
"But no matter how much we lie to ourselves, we are unable to accept 
that the Tel Aviv leaders are serious in their proposals or that 
they really know the true translation of the word 'peace.'  "Without 
going into detail, we point out that after 1973 Israel began to 
pursue a new deceptive policy based on accepting peace in form and 
theory and rejecting it in practice and action.  Relying on 
strategic allies, it used all its power and influence to thwart 
every international effort or initiative that could lead to peace or 
to a settlement, unless this settlement fulfilled its ambitions and 
was a fragile settlement incapable of withstanding any test.... 
 
"Let us recall Rabin's pledge [to withdraw from the Golan] and the 
evasion of the requirements of peace by Barak, Peres, Netanyahu, 
Sharon, Olmert, and all the leaders of the Israeli 
 
military-political establishment.  And let us ask:  Why did Israel 
torpedo the understandings that were reached on the Syrian track, 
when about 80 percent of the 'peace agreement' was accomplished? 
 
"If Israel is serious, the first thing it must do is abandon 
deception and acknowledge Rabin's pledge, which is a suitable 
foundation for the resumption of the peace proces 
s and the 
accomplishment of the remaining 20 percent of the 'peace agreement' 
in a way that returns land and rights to their owners and ends the 
state of war and aggression that has existed for six decades.  This 
does not need a divine miracle.... 
 
"This is the magic peace recipe for those who want peace.  Unless 
the contrary has been proven, what Israel is proposing is nothing 
but vague and meaningless talk, nothing more than trial balloons and 
a new attempt to portray Israel as a peace-loving country seeking 
peace...." 
 
------------------------- 
 
"Who Is the Beneficiary?" 
 
------------------------- 
 
Umar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(6/14):  "There is no doubt that nothing pleases Israel more than 
this futile intra-Palestinian fight, which is destroying everything 
Palestinians have built through the bitter struggle against the 
occupation and the various political activities that brought the 
Palestinian cause to international fora, especially the United 
Nations. 
 
"This fighting is very serious, as it crosses all the red lines that 
prevent the shedding of Palestinian blood at the hands of 
Palestinians themselves.  It is also serious in terms of its 
reflection on the international political position toward the 
Palestinian people, a position that has begun to sense the injustice 
done to Palestinians as a result of the occupation and Israeli 
practices.  This is shown through the demonstrations that were 
staged in Washington and London two days ago, where the 
demonstrators stressed their solidarity with the Palestinians and 
their condemnation of Israel's racism.... 
 
"It is really regrettable that brothers are killing each other while 
the Israeli enemy plans to kill those who survive the fighting from 
the two sides.  What is happening gives the enemy a chance to rest 
and enjoy this fighting, which helps it save effort and money and 
perhaps spares it human losses if all the Palestinians unite in the 
face of Israeli practices. 
 
It is really regrettable that things have reached this point. 
Everyone must be alert to the need for cohesion, consolidation of 
national solidarity, and unity behind the elected government so that 
it can address the important issues, primarily the occupation and 
siege." 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
"A Stage Ends, Another Is To Start" 
 
----------------------------------- 
 
Mahdi Dakhlallah, former Information Minister, commented in 
government-owned Tishreen, (6/14):  "The stage that began with the 
wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has ended and the signs of a new one 
have begun to appear.... 
 
"No one can predict where events will be heading in the near future. 
 All possibilities are open.  But there is a clear fact:  The 
arbitrary and arrogant policies that the region and the rest of the 
world have witnessed in the past few years have proven a failure, 
and the symbols of the past stage have started to collapse one after 
the other.... 
 
"The new leaders in London, Paris, and the US Congress are showing 
more objectivity and rationalism, not because of their love for 
 
justice, but because of the new reality in the region, which was 
created by the resistance in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine and by the 
challenge of countries that reject hegemony, such as Syria and 
Iran.... 
 
"The next stage will still be difficult, but the most difficult 
thing the region can witness is now behind us." 
Roebuck