VZCZCXRO7077
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #3402/01 3651237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301237Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4051
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, IIP/GNEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION TO SITUATION IN GAZA 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Since the weekend, Jordanian media outlets have focused 
all but exclusively on events in Gaza involving Israeli air strikes 
on militant positions.  Coverage has been accompanied by gruesome 
photos taken of casualties in Gaza.  Events dominate editorial 
commentary as well as front and inside-page coverage.  U.S. 
statements have been accurately and prominently reported.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. Beginning December 28, Jordanian news outlets and other media 
have published extensive and sensational coverage of events in Gaza 
involving Israeli air strikes on militant positions, almost to the 
exclusion of all other news. 
 
¶3.  On December 28, the day after the first day of widespread air 
strikes, all major newspapers carried graphic photos on the front 
pages depicting multiple bodies lying on streets in Gaza.  Reuters' 
photo of the bodies of Hamas policemen at a Gaza police station was 
the choice of three of the four biggest Amman-based Arabic dailies. 
Al-Ghad's front page was also printed solely in black and white to 
express sorrow.  All dailies carried banner headlines with the terms 
"Israeli Massacre" and "Butchery" as the most prominent.  News 
content centered on international and public reaction, including 
public demonstrations reportedly in the "thousands" in all major 
cities.  Demonstrators' conduct was described as peaceful, with 
isolated acts of burning the Israeli flag.  Demonstrations were 
reportedly led by members of Jordan's labor unions and Islamist 
community.  Major themes of the demonstrations included accusations 
that Palestinian President Abbas and Prime Minster Fayyad were 
"conspiring against the Palestinian people," and that Egyptian 
President Mubarak was "an Israeli agent."  Other photos showed some 
demonstrators waving Hamas flags.  Reports also indicated that more 
demonstrations and activities are expected in the coming days to be 
held across the Kingdom.  Reports accurately quoted initial U.S. 
statements on the situation in Gaza. 
 
¶4.  On December 29 and 30, all major newspapers continued to publish 
extensive accounts of developments in Gaza covering front and the 
majority of inside pages.  Photos and headlines tended to focus on 
King Abdullah's actions, including his donation of blood as part of 
a nationwide campaign in support of civilian casualties in Gaza, and 
his decision to dispatch field hospitals for the same purpose. 
There was also significant ink on the now daily public 
demonstrations in Amman, Zarqa, Mafraq, Kerak, Ajloun, Tafileh, and 
Madaba.  Demonstrators' conduct continued to be peaceful and 
well-organized, though flag-burning continued, including that of the 
American flag.  Themes of demonstrations were similar to those of 
December 28.  Reports gave prominent mention to King Abdullah's 
telephone conversation with President Bush and to December 29 
statements by the White House spokesman in Crawford. 
 
¶5.  Print outlets and Jordan state television limited their sourcing 
on events in Gaza to Jordan's official news agency or international 
wire service accounts. 
 
¶6. Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "When Words Are Disabled and Silence Cries" 
 
Queen Rania issued a special commentary which appeared on the front 
pages of the December 30 editions of both government-aligned Arabic 
dailies, Al-Rai and Ad-Dustour, and on the inside pages of the two 
independent dailies, Al-Ghad and Al-Arab Al-Yawm.  She wrote, "There 
is nothing to say...  and words cannot help us here....  This has 
been my feeling in the past few days."  The Queen urged Jordanians 
to raise their voices and make charitable contributions, commenting, 
"We have to prove to Gaza and its people that we are their brothers 
and that we are with them. And that our heart's pain is exceeding 
our actions....  Limiting our reaction to sorrow is shameful, 
because tragedy in Gaza does not need sympathy, a person runs to 
help his/her brother when he is under injustice." 
 
-- "Abnormal Arabic Response to the Massacre" 
 
Chief editor Taher Odwan in the December 28 edition of the 
independent, opposition Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm comments that 
any official Arab response "will be worthless as long as it does not 
include recalling immediately all Arab ambassadors from Israel, and 
expelling its ambassadors from Amman and Cairo."  He adds that 
because Arab governments have not shown Israel and the international 
community "the red eye," Arab citizens "will not forgive them and 
will not keep silent toward the occupation's crimes that kill 
everything in ourselves including humanity and feeling of dignity 
and that Palestinians have the right to live and determine their 
destiny like others." 
 
-- "Expel Israel's Ambassador Immediately" 
 
Islamist watcher and conservative commentator Mohammed Abu Rumman in 
the December 28 edition of the independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad 
criticizes Egypt's reaction, calling it "a historic shameful 
position."  He also criticizes the Palestinian Authority.  Abu 
 
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Rumman commends the Jordanian government response as "advanced at 
the Arab level" both in its official and public dimensions.  He 
elaborates, "The strict position required from the Jordanian 
government is to expel the Israeli ambassador, close down the 
[Israeli] embassy in Amman, recall Jordan's ambassador from Israel, 
suspend ties with Israel under the current political 
circumstances,.. denounce the Israeli aggressions as war crimes 
against civilians and innocents,.. and demand the international 
community to hold Israel accountable for these actions based on the 
international legal rules."  Abu Rumman concludes, "Relations with 
Israel have become a political burden with high security cost on 
Jordan, and it is impossible to imagine any sort of political ties 
with Israel amid this bloody show in Gaza's streets." 
 
-- "The Surviving Political Sect" 
 
Member of Parliament Bassam Haddadin in the December 30 edition of 
Al-Ghad criticizes the leaders of Jordan's Islamist community "for 
losing their political balance," saying "the leaders of the Islamist 
movement behave as if they are leaders of Hamas."  He expressed his 
hope that the behavior of Jordan's Islamists is temporary and due to 
their outrage at the situation in Gaza, "as it is not in anybody's 
interest to go back to the language of isolation that accuses others 
of being traitors." 
 
BEECROFT