VZCZCXRO5258
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHKU #0024 0120826
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120826Z JAN 09 ZFG
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2596
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000024 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, 
B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA, EEB 
LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER 
PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINO EPET OPRC KMDR KPAO XF KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - JANUARY 11 UPDATE ON KUWAITI MEDIA 
COVERAGE OF VIOLENCE IN GAZA 
 
REF:  11 Kuwait 09, 1253 KUWAIT 08 
 
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SUMMARY 
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Sunday, January 11, 2009 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary and Comment.  As of Sunday, January 11, all Kuwaiti 
Arabic and English language print dailies continued to publish 
headlines and pictures related to the ongoing situation in Gaza.  In 
addition to the continued front page news updates, a number of 
columnists criticized the Bush Administration for recently posting a 
story about the death of the White House cat on the White House 
website while the violence in Gaza continued.  End Summary and 
Comment. 
 
¶2.  (U) Block quotes: 
 
--The moderate Arabic language daily Al-Qabas published a letter by 
Mohammed Al-Saleh written on behalf of the children of Gaza and 
addressed to President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.  In the 
letter, Mr. Al-Saleh criticized their decision to mourn a cat when 
people in Gaza are dying from the Israeli aggression.  He 
sarcastically (01/11): "offered to bury the deceased cat in Tel Aviv 
to remain a symbol of Bush's loyalty to Israel." 
 
--The Editorial Section of the conservative Al-Watan Arabic daily 
included an Op-Ed by Mr. Nabeel Al-Awadhi, an Islamic preacher and 
known critic of U.S. policy, where he commented on the White House 
statement about the death of the Bush family cat (01/08):  "At times 
when people are mourning the death of innocent children and 
civilians in Gaza, the White House issues a statement mourning the 
death of a cat.  This is because they have no respect for the 
dignity of Muslims.  God damn them, their allies, and anyone who 
supports them." 
 
--Conservative Salafi writer Dr. Wael Hassawi, said in his regular 
column in the moderate Al-Rai (01/08):  "The Israeli secret service 
website issued a report on Arab writers who supported Israel in its 
current aggression on Gaza.  Amongst those were four famous Kuwaiti 
writers.  We ask the government, and the Kuwaiti Journalists' 
Association take a decisive position on those who have ruined 
Kuwait's image, and Islam by cooperating with the Jews, and by 
back-stabbing their fellow Palestinians in critical times." 
 
--Regular columnist in the conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan Dr. 
Abdullah Al-Hadlaq criticized Hamas as well as the Arab silence 
towards Israeli operations in Gaza.  Dr. Hadlaq said (01/08):  "You 
can fool some people all the time, you can fool all people 
sometimes, but you cannot fool all people all the time.  This is 
what Hamas is trying to do.  Hamas has adopted the slogan Fighting 
the Israeli Enemy.  I wonder if this is what Palestinians want? 
Hamas has lost its supporters, because no Arab country agrees with 
its policies and stances." 
 
--On the last page of the moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai, Salafi 
columnist Wael Al-Hassawi examined the reasons behind Israel's power 
as compared to Arab states.  Headlined 'The reasons behind Israel's 
power,' it states (01/11):  "Israel has taken advantage of all 
possible means of power since its establishment.  They have excelled 
in manufacturing and had reached the level of the top producers and 
exporters in the world, they have developed their agriculture 
sector, have stolen water sources, and have not ignored their 
military armaments." 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
 
JONES