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OO RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHAD #1949/01 3331224
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291224Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0130
RHMFIUU/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1233
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 001949 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; 
RRU-NEA 
IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR SREEBNY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ANNAPOLIS (2) 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  A Lebanese columnist in "Al-Khaleej" believes that 
Annapolis will do nothing but buy time and calm for Arab leaders at 
the expense of Palestinians and suggests that the situation will not 
truly improve until the Arab people revolt to reclaim their 
confiscated rights.  A UAE writer in "Al-Khaleej" opines that the 
Middle East has been ruined by popular obeisance to peace imposed 
from without through occupation.  "Al-Bayan" editorialized that 
President Bush's statement that "America cannot impose its will" is 
not about "cannot", but more a revelation that he simply does not 
want to.  The editorial in "Al-Khaleej" considers Annapolis a 
belated public relations party.  A columnist in "Al-Khaleej" regards 
the statement of agreement from Annapolis as unworthy of an 
international conference, especially one that includes Arabs, 
because it gives no regard to Arab interests and demands.  A 
columnist in "Al-Khaleej" bemoans the frustrating habit of American 
Presidents of suddenly leaping to pursue peace between Palestinians 
and Israelis only in their last year in office.  "Al-Bayan" says 
that the party in Annapolis is now over and the real test is what 
lies ahead.  End Summary. 
 
 
¶2. Under the headline "Who will surrender Annapolis", a Lebanese 
columnist, Saad Mehio, wrote 11/28 op-ed in "Al-Khaleej" 
(circulation 90,000): 
 
"Why are we hearing fewer Arab voices opposing normalization and 
peace imported/imposed from outside?  Perhaps because Arab and 
Palestinian leaders are fed up with the Palestinian issue and are 
now driven towards submitting to Annapolis' will.  This conference 
is not a peace conference but rather a carnival, aiming towards an 
imposed surrender that creates a new 'fait accompli'.  If you think 
the leaders are tired, the people are more so.  We have learned from 
history that when leaders surrender, their [authority] comes to an 
end and surrender becomes only a temporary truce until people revolt 
to restore their confiscated rights.  That is what Annapolis will 
bring." 
 
 
¶3. Under the headline "Annapolis' premature baby", UAE writer, Ahmed 
Ibrahim, wrote 11/28 op-ed in "Al-Khaleej" 
 
"Israelis and Arabs are like the patient who took an entire kidney 
from his neighbor, and after recuperating and leaving the hospital, 
he asks his neighbor for his second kidney because he is not 
satisfied with one!" 
 
"When the American President George Bush sent the invitations to the 
Annapolis meeting aiming to realize peace between the Palestinians 
and Israel, a question quickly came to our minds: how does one who 
has always been beating the drums of war call for peace? How can we 
believe this kind of talk?" 
 
"People in the region love peace because people by their nature do 
not like wars.  The Middle East region has always been a place of 
coexistence.  The tools of peace, art, and science were 
(historically) more available than tools of war that are imported 
from abroad.  This all changed when something called Israel was 
transplanted in the heart of the region as an expansionist 
oppressive entity that increased the tools of war and aggression 
including tanks, planes and bombs." 
 
"What has spoiled the Middle East is our dependence on imported 
peace imposed by occupation, and our agreement to give the occupier 
both of our kidneys instead of just one.  We can restore this 
old-time peace which we have missed when we rely on the brave Arab 
horse, and not on horses borrowed from Washington or elsewhere." 
 
 
¶4.  Under the headline "A non-exchangeable currency", the 11/28 
editorial in Dubai-based Arabic daily "Al-Bayan" (circulation 
85,000) read: 
 
"Among all the statements made by the Bush Administration on the 
Annapolis conference, its prospects, and the goodwill behind it, one 
needs to pause at six words spoken by Mr. Bush.  These words 
[foreshadow] a modest outcome from this Forum, assuming that it 
produces anything at all.  He said, 'America is unable to impose its 
will'." 
 
ABU DHABI 00001949  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
[This is an inherent contradiction with the words of] "Secretary 
Rice, who led the effort to convene this forum, [and who] said that 
many American circles are determined that Annapolis lead to 
meaningful and productive negotiations.  She indicated more than 
once that she enjoys the support of President Bush and that he 
agreed to move the peace process in that direction." 
 
"Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser to Jimmy Carter, was 
frank and honest when he said that based on his concrete experience, 
without American pressure imposed on Israel to accept an American 
plan, Tel Aviv will not waver, and the settlement will not be 
realized.  If President Bush had said during his speech that he does 
not intend to impose his vision, he might have seemed credible.  But 
to say that he is not capable of doing so is currency that we just 
can't buy". 
 
¶5. Under the headline "Annapolis mirage", the editorial in 
Sharjah-based Arabic daily "Al-Khaleej" read: 
 
"The meeting was not a negotiating framework for the Palestinians 
and the Israelis, but rather a public relations party at which the 
Palestinians did not read the papers of previous conferences, and 
did contemplate the changes that have occurred during the past a 
decade and a half - [a time] when time, territories and nerves were 
wasted and so much blood was shed.  The negotiations ultimately 
turned into a long nightmare." 
 
 
¶6. Under the headline "Agreement of No Agreement", a columnist, 
Hussam Kanafani, wrote 11/29 op-ed in "Al-Khaleej": 
 
"The statement of agreement in Annapolis is not an achievement 
worthy of an international conference, especially not an Arab one, 
because Arab demands were not taken into account.  The statement 
avoided any reference to the Arab peace initiative and touched 
nothing but the "roadmap", particularly its first stage, which means 
security considerations that will be difficult, if not impossible, 
to overcome..." 
 
 
¶7. Under the headline "From Carter to Bush: Peace Follies", a 
Lebanese columnist, Saad Mehio, wrote 11/29 op-ed in "Al-Khaleej": 
 
"Why do American Presidents insist on trying to solve the Middle 
East crisis during the last year of their term?" 
 
"It seems that the illusion of working for peace is more important 
than peace itself...  This certainly applies to President Bush, who 
[hopes to] transform himself from a lame duck in the last year of 
his Presidency into a heavenly bird carrying peace (or, rather, his 
illusion of peace) to the land of peace." 
 
"It is an entertaining game that every American President likes to 
play whenever he reaches the end of his term.  It is frankly 
becoming boring and nauseous for us to see this repetition!" 
 
 
¶8.  Under the headline "The Party is over and now is the test", the 
11/29 editorial in Dubai-based Arabic daily "Al-Bayan" read: 
 
"Negotiators entered the examination room [Annapolis] where 
attention is all set....  The moment, as described by the 
Palestinian President, is unrepeatable; so the cost of failure this 
time is beyond endurance, given the drastic conditions in the 
region." 
 
SISON