VZCZCXRO0743
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #0328 1201319
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291319Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9542
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0529
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0421

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, AND INR/R/MR 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU
SUBJECT: OMAN MEDIA REACTION: THE SYRIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM, REJECTION 
OF THE HAMAS DEAL, AND PALESTINIAN SUFFERING. 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Private Arabic daily "Al-Watan" writes that America is 
falling into another Israeli trap over the allegations of Syria's 
nuclear program, warning against blind support for Israel. State 
Arabic daily "Oman" criticized Israel for rejecting the Hamas peace 
proposal.  "Al-Watan" also called on the international community to 
give equal weight to Palestinian suffering as to suffering caused by 
poverty or food scarcity.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------- 
"DESPERATE EFFORTS" AGAINST SYRIA 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. On April 26, the privately owned Arabic "Al-Watan" (circulation 
42,000) suggested that America is being led astray by Israel, seeing 
"Signs of a New Chapter of Pressure on Syria": 
 
"The American addiction to support of Israel is drawing the U.S. 
into another scandal. It is strange to see the desperate efforts 
from Washington to prove that there is nuclear cooperation between 
Syria and North Korea, only one day after Israel's statement that it 
is ready to return the Golan Heights to Syria.  It is also 
surprising that the allegations against Syria explain all of 
America's and Israel's problems in Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine. It 
is unfortunate to find many writers (some Arab) that support these 
lies.  They isolate Syria from its Arab neighbors and will link it 
to global terror. However, what is even more surprising is Israel's 
cynicism and bitterness, given its own nuclear programs, weapons and 
warheads ready for use against the Arabs since the October 1973 war. 
No one, though, has denounced Israel; not even the International 
Atomic Energy Agency has questioned the facts of Israel's Demona 
reactors." 
 
----------------------------- 
ISRAEL PREEMPTS PEACE IN GAZA 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. Government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) accused 
the Israelis of denying peace overtures in order to escalate 
violence in Gaza.  On April 28, "The Israeli Rejection for Calming 
Harms the Region" said: 
 
"At a time of ongoing suffering in the region, a glimmer of hope 
emerged as a proposal to calm the situation in the Gaza Strip, with 
plans to later include the West Bank. However, the Olmert government 
rejected the proposal immediately, without consideration.  It is 
clear that the Olmert government decided not only to preempt moves 
to bring peace to Gaza, but also to continue escalating its 
operations, which will further push the situation towards an 
explosion. It is clear that Israel intended to maneuver and to 
procrastinate because it simply does not want to calm the situation 
in Gaza.  Israel does not want a peace based on international 
legitimacy, the Arab peace initiative, the Road Map, or United 
Nations resolutions." 
 
------------------------------- 
A DOUBLE STANDARD ON SUFFERING? 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  On April 28, "Al-Watan" compared the attention of international 
organizations to the Palestinians to that accorded to victims of 
food shortages.  "When Will the World's Conscience Notice the 
Tragedy of the Palestinians?" asked: 
 
"As regional and international organizations show their concern on 
issues of poverty and food scarcity, they claim to care about all 
suffering of all the poor around the world. But, we wonder: Why do 
these organizations and international groups not consider the 
Palestinian crisis?  As a result of the Israeli blockade and the 
efforts by Israel to increase the suffering of an entire people, 
Palestine is suffering economic stagnation.  Many countries and 
nations have promised to support the Palestinians through a program 
developed in Paris in December 2007, but implementation is 
impossible...  What is the point of this ongoing propaganda alleging 
that there is an international commitment to assist the Palestinian 
people?  Would shame show itself on the faces of those who claim to 
be morally committed to Palestinian issues?" 
 
GRAPPO