VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDM #0606/01 1681315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171315Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3710
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN 6887
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 4594
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 3240
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 7735
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1821
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5151
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 1357
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA//
INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7478

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000606 
 
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 (6/15 
to 6/17) 
 
¶1.  Summary:   Syrian papers on June 15, 16 and 17 focused on the 
inter-Palestinian conflict in Gaza and the West Bank, the meeting of 
the Arab Foreign Minister in Cairo, and the Lebanese dispute between 
the majority and the opposition on holding by-elections to fill the 
seats of two assassinated anti-Syrian Members of Parliament. 
 
The papers reported the Syrian Fore 
ign Minister's denunciation of 
"the campaign of lies by some Lebanese used to accuse Syria after 
any crime and before an investigation even starts." Moallem 
underlined Syria's keenness on Lebanon's security and stability, and 
condemned practices of Fatah al-Islam and Jund al-Sham, considering 
them as a part of the al-Qaeda group in Iraq. 
 
The papers covered the inter-Palestinian war in Gaza and the West 
Bank and highlighted the meeting of the Arab FMs held in Cairo in 
which Arab ministers called for an immediate halt to the fighting 
between the Palestinian [factions] in the Occupied Territories. The 
papers also reported that the meeting decided to dispatch a fact 
finding committee to the Territories. 
 
The papers also covered the talks between Syrian Minister of Finance 
and Kuwaiti Minister of Finance who discussed means to enhance 
economic and financial relations between the two countries. 
 
Papers also quoted British Minister of State for Middle East 
Affairs, Kim Howells, as saying that Syria plays an important role 
in the Middle East, describing Syria as a pivotal country in the 
region. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"Arab FMs stress the unity of the Palestinian decision and call on 
the Lebanese to hold dialogue and avoid accusations and 
provocations" (Government-owned Tishreen, June 17, 2007) 
 
"After guns got quiet in Gaza, a political battle between Fatah and 
Hamas," (Independent al Watan, June 17, 2007) 
 
"The Lebanese opposition: the accusations against Syria lack 
credibility and serve the US-Israeli project," (Government-owned 
Al-Thawra, 6/17) 
 
"A British reiteration of the Syrian role; Howell: dialogue grows in 
an atmosphere of mutual confidence," (Government-owned Tishreen, 
6/17) 
 
"A cabinet meeting to follow up what has been accomplished in the 
framework of developing the Eastern Region," (Government-owned 
Al-Ba'th, 6/17) 
 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
"Fighting over Gaza" 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
Marwan Kabalan, a commentator in al-Watan, wrote (6/17):  "We are 
not naive enough to call on Hamas and Fatah to stop their internal 
fighting in the name of fraternity, partnership, or the good of the 
Palestinian people, since this logic has proven to be futile, after 
the collapse of all mediations and the toppling of all agreements 
which have tried in vain to stop fighting or at least postpone it. 
We call on them in the name of Reason and we tell them, "If you must 
fight, fine, provided that there is a state to fight in and a real 
authority to fight for." 
 
"What is this fighting for? The Palestinian President (from Fatah) 
cannot leave his office without a permission from the Israelis, and 
his PM (from Hamas) can be seen very rarely. What is this fighting 
for if half of the MPs are in the Israeli jails?" 
 
"This entire fighting is for the 360 square kilometers from which 
Israel was forced to withdraw. The question is what will happen if 
Israel withdrew from the entire West Bank of 5000 square 
kilometers?" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"A disappointment or a death announcement for the US project?" 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Mohyidin Mohamad, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(6/17):  "The US Defense Secretary expressed disappointment for not 
achieving any progress at the security level in Iraq... As the 
American officials choose their words very carefully, they avoid 
telling the bitter truth (...) that the American 'security plans' 
have failed, and the American occupation of Iraq has failed in 
achieving its goals. It also [has resulted] in expensive costs that 
the American people can no longer afford. 
 
"The American Defense Secretary as well as all the other 
Administration officials know that the 'security plans' (...) will 
only lead to more resistance, because any action will be met with an 
equal reaction. They also know that wagering on a sectarian war in 
Iraq may postpone the announcement of the ultimate defeat of the 
invading troops. That is why we see that the blowing up of the 
(Shiite) shrines and (Sunni) mosques is (...) nothing but an 
American attempt to convince international public opinion and 
American public opinion that what happens in Iraq is a mere 
sectarian war that Iraqis are waging against one another." 
 
(...) The US Administration, looking in pain at the death of its 
colonial project in the region, is trying to revive it, not via its 
troops and military forces, but rather via alternate schemes, though 
fighting among brothers in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine. And we are 
required now to properly resist this new scheme." 
 
Roebuck