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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000006 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, 
PALESTINE; NEW DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
------------------------ 
INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. "SOFTENING OR ACTING?" editorial in January 1 
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "Pakistan's 
National Security Advisor Durrani's not ruling out that 
captured Mumbai militant Kasab is a Pakistani national 
indicates a softening in Pakistan's attitude. But, that's 
not without reason. Besides many irrefutable evidences 
and India's firmness, American and British intelligence 
agencies have also accepted he is Pakistani. Durrani is 
still not accepting it clearly, just saying Pakistan is 
also a victim of terror and suggesting a joint fight 
against terrorism. This doesn't help. Pakistan has to 
accept that the Mumbai attackers were Pakistanis and the 
attack was entirely planned from its soil. Pakistan's 
stance is softening under the tremendous international 
pressure, but it is not ready to act according to India's 
justified demands. It is indeed a complicated situation, 
which India has to handle carefully." 
 
¶2. "PAKISTAN'S DILLYDALLLYING" editorial in the January 
2, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily 
NAVASHAKTI.  "Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Zarar Shah has 
confessed the terrorist group's involvement in terror 
attacks in Mumbai. His admission had broadly confirmed 
the confession made by the sole captured terrorist Ajmal 
Kasab to Indian investigators. It is by now clear that 
the ten assailants trained in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 
wreaked havoc in Mumbai. Despite these shocking 
revelations, Pakistan has not shown the right kind of 
readiness for prompt action against Pakistan-based 
terrorist outfits. Fortunately, the international 
pressure, particularly from the U.S., is building up on 
Pakistan. India can deal with the situation only by 
thinking of newer ways to rein in Pakistan. War is no 
solution, but Indian leadership has to think of something 
more ingenious to straighten out Pakistan. It could be 
something on the lines of a proposed international 
boycott of Pakistan - a boycott that even Pakistan will 
dread..." 
 
¶3. "WAR OR NO WAR", editorial in December 31, 2008 right- 
of-center Urdu daily "HINDUSTAN EXPRESS", New Delhi: 
"Last time, the South Asia kept experiencing a 
troublesome dilemma of war or no war, for at least two 
months. It seems, as the dilemma will last longer. No 
need to comment on the affects of nervous breaking 
tension on the political, economic and social life in 
both the countries. If political pressure on Pakistan was 
the objective, why the forces were ordered to come out 
from their barracks? However, war frenzy is decreasing on 
both the sides but withdrawal of forces may take time. 
Same strategy was adopted by Vajpayee government. What it 
could achieve? Why we are utilizing the same old 
 
NEW DELHI 00000006  002 OF 004 
 
 
worthless modus operandi? Whom we are trying to befool 
with such deeds? Is it not a fraud against our own 
selves?" 
 
¶4. "AVOIDANCE OF WAR: A WISE DECISION", editorial in 
December 31, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA 
SAHARA", New Delhi: "Despite a number of appeals for a 
cease - fire, media as well as some military and 
political leaders of both the countries were making all 
out efforts to create a war frenzy, which was making the 
people on both the sides worrisome, restless and 
terrified. All of them were thinking about the horrible 
effects of ensuing war. The world pressure compelled both 
the leaderships particularly the civilian and military 
leadership of Pakistan to take sagacious initiatives. 
That is why political and military leaderships of India 
and Pakistan are compelled to talk against any war. 
However, Pakistan should take some concrete steps against 
terrorists instead of creating war frenzy." 
 
¶5. "ARMS RACE", editorial in January  2, 2009 right- of- 
center Urdu daily "HINDUSTAN EXPRESS", New Delhi: "In the 
backdrop of recent changes in the Indo-U.S. relations, 
America ants at any cost, to sell its F 16 and F 18 Super 
Hornet planes to India. For this purpose, America is 
pressuring India on one pretext or the other. In it 
endeavors, high level lobbyists of White House are also 
participating. It is also in the news that America has 
also acquired the services of some Indian politicians, 
because they ere helpful in getting the Indo-U.S. 
civilian energy accord finalized. White House thinks them 
effective in this transaction too. In other word, it can 
be said that there are two wars in operation - one is 
between India and Pakistan, while the other is between 
arms traders. No need to explain the effects of these 
arms races on South Asia and who are the beneficiaries?" 
 
--------- 
PALESTINE 
--------- 
 
¶6. "EMBATTLED WEST ASIA," op-ed analysis in January 1 
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The situation 
in West Asia has reached a flashpoint, with Israel and 
Hamas rebuffing efforts to organise a ceasefire. The 
world is viewing Israel as the aggressor, a perpetrator 
of terror against the Palestinians. But it is pertinent 
to note that Israel is only reacting to the relentless 
rocket attacks by Hamas over the past few months. The 
current situation further dampens the atmosphere at a 
time when President Bush is about to demit office. The 
situation is not an easy one - with the Palestinians 
divided into factions. The Hamas and Fatah factions are 
more responsible than anyone else for the suffering and 
misery that has engulfed West Asia.... Is there anyone out 
there who will bring a rapprochement?  The whole world is 
willing to condemn Israel at the drop of a hat, but there 
seems to be no one who is willing to make the Hamas see 
reason." 
 
¶7. "ROLE OF UNO" editorial in December 31, 2008 right-of- 
 
NEW DELHI 00000006  003 OF 004 
 
 
center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "Amidst the recent 
Israeli aggression and butchery in Gaza, do the world 
powers still have any doubt as to who is the real and 
supreme terrorist of the world? Israel's barbarism for 
the last four days has proved that Zionist terrorism has 
tacit support of western anti Islam forces particularly 
the United States of America. Without American pats on 
Israel's back, the latter cannot dare making such havoc. 
The whole Islam Dom is full of anger, anguish and agony. 
Apart from the Middle East, a great number of people are 
demonstrating against the western aggression in almost 
all the major cities of the world. The UNO is hand in 
gloves with Zionist and Jewish forces in order to conceal 
the criminal deeds of Israel. On the pious occasion of 
Christmas, America, Britain and Europe supported Israel 
to envisage a deadly strategy to start its aggressive 
actions in Gaza. However, if Israel's aggression is not 
stopped immediately, its nefarious designs may expand to 
other parts of the Middle East. Israel, in fact, is 
playing with fire, a fire that can engulf not only the 
Middle East, but also the entire world. And the winds of 
hatred against Israel may turn into a threat to the world 
peace." 
 
¶8. "SALUTE TO THE COURAGE OF PALESTINIANS", editorial in 
December 31, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "HAMARA 
SAMAJ", New Delhi: "Question arises why the world leaders 
and heads of states, contrary to their people, are mute 
spectators of the present Israel's terrorism? Why they do 
not utter a single word against Israel and its barbarism? 
Does this mean that conscience of champions of humanity 
and nobility is dead now? Or the hidden wild nature 
dominated over their humanity? Salute to those unarmed 
Palestinians who are still hoping against hopes, and who 
have given a message to Israel that your oppressions and 
tyrannies cannot discourage them. The world community 
wants to stop Israel by soft words, but those who are 
habitual of kicks do not understand the language of 
nobility." 
 
¶9. "WESTERN DEMOCRATIC TERRORISM", editorial in January 
1, 2009 right-of-centre Urdu daily "URDU TIMES", Mumbai: 
"What is happening in Gaza is nothing but terrorism and 
terrorism only. It is terrorism of Israel against 1.5 
million Palestinians. This terrorism is supported by 
'State Actors' like America, Britain, Europe, Australia 
and all other allies of Zionism. We are unable to 
understand why West, the champion of democracy, liberty, 
fundamental  rights, civil rights, rights of river, flora 
and fauna, children, prisoners, animals and birds, dogs 
and cats, gays and lesbians and the preacher of culture, 
civilization, manners, tolerance and freedom of 
expression has Janus faced policies. It is the same West 
which gave a present of Zionist, imperialist American 
democracy to Afghanistan and Iraq on the form of one 
million dead bodies, three million disabled, three 
million widows, five million orphans, thousands of 
prisoners, genocides, unparallel violence, ruined 
buildings, thousand tons of Napalm, Cluster and bunker 
buster bombs, robotic weapons, arrest of children, sexual 
abuse of children, desecration of religious places, 
 
NEW DELHI 00000006  004 OF 004 
 
 
burning of ripe crops, blind justice of  military 
tribunal, loot of country's treasure troves, illegal 
control of oil reserves, depleted Uranium etc. And nobody 
raises his voice against this naked terrorism." 
 
 
¶10. "ROWDINESS OF ISRAEL", editorial in January 2, 2009 
right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: 
"In West Asia, Israeli terrorism is massacring the 
Muslims and the entire world is a mute spectator. In 
fact, so called civilized countries of the world consider 
only those acts of violence as terrorism in which the 
Muslims are allegedly involved. Rest is considered as a 
part of a lawful war. That is why, at the nod of America, 
rulers of Israel are continuously perpetrating violence 
in Gaza. There is none to stop the tyrant Israel. How sad 
it is that Israel is on the worst sort of prowl but so 
called leader of the civilized world, the USA is looking 
at the scenario of deaths and destruction like an action 
film with happy hurrah." 
 
¶11. "ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT" editorial in January 2 
Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN:"... The 
situation in Middle East has become tense again...and 
Israel alone should not be blamed for this ... Unprovoked 
attacks against Israel and its citizens triggered the 
retaliation ... There can be no plausible reason to 
challenge the existence of the Jewish state of Israel 
since it has accepted the fact that an independent 
Palestine is the only solution to the problem ... The 
international community should immediately interfere to 
bring both the parties to negotiation before the 
situation becomes more complex ... Although the Hamas's 
only target is to destroy Israel, the conflict will never 
end until the Palestinians accept Israel's existence..." 
 
¶12. "A NEW YEAR AND DESTINY" editorial in January 1 
Kolkata Bengali independent ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA:"... When 
self-defense is used as a shield to justify aggressive 
stand it becomes more dangerous...and that danger is very 
much present in Israel and Palestinian extremists' 
disposition ... Despite four decades of militancy 
demonstrated by both sides, there is no reason to believe 
that the things can not change ... All which is needed to 
break the vicious cycle (of violence) is pure common 
sense ... One party must show restraint and start 
negotiating with the other, if necessary, with a third 
party mediation ... U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has 
repeatedly said that his one of the major foreign policy 
goals is to resolve the West Asia crisis .  There is a 
ray of hope if the United States can really take an 
impartial stand.  Being a more powerful party Israel 
should also behave in responsible manner.  It does not 
suit her if she answers brick with a brickbat." 
MULFORD