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### Viewing cable 06RIYADH6103, RIYADH RECORD: JULY 21-29 2006

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06RIYADH6103 | 2006-08-01 15:03 | 2011-03-15 18:06 | SECRET | Embassy Riyadh
Appears in these articles: not yet set

`

    VZCZCXYZ0023
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHRH #6103/01 2131534
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    P 011534Z AUG 06
    FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0186
    INFO RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH 7530

` `

    S E C R E T RIYADH 006103

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SA
    SUBJECT: RIYADH RECORD: JULY 21-29 2006

    REF: A. A) RIYADH 5876

    ¶B. B) RIYADH 6038
    ¶C. C) RIYADH 5952
    ¶D. D) RIYADH 5907.

    Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller for reasons 1.4
    (b) and (d).

    ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Saudi mood, as reflected in critical
    statements issued by clerics and appearing on internet chat
    sites, is becoming increasingly anti-U.S. Debate abounds
    among religious scholars who continue to raise the issue of
    Shi'a versus Sunni and the question of whether Saudis should
    support Hizballah. King Abdullah met with President Abbas
    and President Mubarak and telephoned a Lebanese
    Parliamentarian and French President Chirac on the crisis in
    Palestine and Lebanon. The Foreign Minister engaged in
    shuttle diplomacy, traveling to Washington, London and Moscow
    to push for a cease fire in Lebanon. The Majlis al-Shoura
    issued a statement denouncing Israeli actions in the region;
    in media interviews, members of the council spoke about the
    role of women consultants in the council. Crown Prince
    Sultan signed two military cooperation agreements in France,
    but no new deals were finalized. END SUMMARY.

    --------------
    LEBANON CRISIS
    --------------

    ¶2. (S) The Saudi public mood is increasingly negative
    towards the United States because of the crisis in Lebanon.
    There are daily op-ed pieces condemning U.S. support for
    Israel and "unwillingness" to call for an immediate
    cease-fire. Many Saudi clerics, academics, and intellectuals
    have issued statements to this effect on both conservative
    and moderate websites. There was a massive outpouring of
    public statements of anger and sadness regarding the
    situation in Lebanon (Ref A and septel).

    ¶3. (C) Recently, three revered Wahhabi sheikhs issued
    advisory opinions on their own authority on the question of
    support for Hizballah. On July 17, prominent Wahhabi Sheikh
    Abdullah bin Jabreen issued an advisory opinion, reported as
    a fatwa declaring it impermissible for Muslims to support
    Hizballah in any manner, including through prayers. In
    contrast, another prominent conservative religious scholar,
    Salman al-Oudah, issued an advisory opinion July 22, also
    reported as a fatwa, that emphasized the need for Shi'a and
    Sunnis to unite against Israeli aggression. This sentiment
    was echoed on July 25 by Sheikh Nasir al-Omar, a conservative
    cleric known for his stance against Hizballah, who issued a
    long commentary on a conservative website discussing the need
    to unite against Zionist aggression. He also criticized the
    role of the U.S. government in Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq
    (Ref B).

    ¶4. (C) On July 26, state-owned Saudi television channel 1
    aired a telethon to raise cash to support the Lebanese
    people. The campaign was successful, with approximately $29
    million raised. Additionally, the SAG pledged $1.5 billion
    to support Lebanon's reconstruction efforts and stabilize its
    economy. Several extremist websites, along with some
    mainstream media, criticized the government's humanitarian
    assistance, arguing that the SAG did not have public consent
    to donate these funds, and that there was no public
    accountability. One posting on the al-Sahat website posed
    the following questions: "Imagine that such decisions cannot
    be passed before being approved by a free and elected Shoura
    Council. Could such decision be passed? Is it reasonable
    that the public funds are the private property of the King
    who can spend it as he likes?"

    ------------------
    PALESTINIAN CRISIS
    ------------------

    ¶5. (U) King Abdullah met with President Abbas in Jeddah on
    July 29 to discuss the Palestinian situation, in a bid to
    increase support as well as distinguish the Palestinian
    crisis from the Lebanese crisis. President Abbas thanked
    King Abdullah for his financial assistance to the Palestinian
    people and praised the Saudi position regarding the
    Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state
    with Jerusalem as its capital. President Abbas and King
    Abdullah also dealt with current events in the Palestinian
    territories and blamed the "Israeli war machine" for the
    humanitarian crisis, increased bloodshed, and the continuing
    destruction of Palestinian infrastructure.

    -----------------
    DEMOCRATIC REFORM
    -----------------
    ¶6. (C) The Majlis al-Shoura (Council) continued issuing
    advisory opinions, including a statement condemning Israel's
    acts against the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples. In a July
    23 statement, the Council denounced the targeting of
    civilians and infrastructure in Lebanon as a "flagrant
    violation" of international treaties and laws, and called on
    the world community to condemn Israeli aggression, in
    addition to urging accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative
    approved during the 14th Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. This
    statement illustrates the Shoura Council's increasing
    presence in the political forum, albeit by taking a popular
    stance that neither condemns nor praises Hizballah and is in
    line with the SAG's pronouncements.

    ¶7. (U) The Vice President of the Council, along with one of
    the recently-appointed women consultants, Dr. Bahija Ezze,
    appeared in the media commending the new role of women in the
    quasi-legislature. Dr. Ezze explained the role of women
    consultants as providing opinions on issues pertaining to
    women through the Social and Family Affairs Committee.
    Although critics condemned the limitations placed on the
    women consultants, Dr. Ezze is confident that this gradual
    approach towards increasing women's rights is the right one.
    She stated that, "The final goal is processing and
    preparation for the positive participation of women. I
    expect that there would be permanent participation of women
    in the council soon. We trust in the vision and caution of
    our wise government that puts women in the right place at the
    right time."

    ----------
    VIP VISITS
    ----------

    ¶8. (C) King Abdullah and Egyptian President Mubarak met
    July 25 to consult on the Lebanon crisis. Stating that Saudi
    Arabia and Egypt hold identical views on the situation, both
    leaders called for an immediate cease-fire, warning that
    continued Israeli aggression could engulf the entire region
    in war. Additionally, King Abdullah issued a royal statement
    warning that continued Israeli aggression could produce
    "dangerous results," and cautioned that "patience cannot go
    on forever and if the Israeli military savagery continues to
    kill and destroy, no one can predict what would happen, and
    if the forbidden takes place, regret would be useless." (Ref
    C).

    ¶9. (C) Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal traveled to
    Washington, London, and Moscow to meet with leaders to lobby
    for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. Following his
    July 23 trip to Washington, the Foreign Minister met with
    Iraqi Premier al-Maleki in London on July 25 to discuss the
    situations in both Iraq and Lebanon. Also on July 25, the
    Foreign Minister met with Russian President Putin in Moscow.
    Additionally, King Abdullah had telephone conversations with
    Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry and French President
    Chirac to discuss the situation in Lebanon. This level of
    diplomatic activity is unusual for the SAG and demonstrates
    their commitment to this issue.

    --------------------
    US DEFENSE CONTRACTS
    --------------------

    ¶10. (S) Crown Prince Sultan, who is also the Saudi Minister
    of Defense and Aviation, signed two defense
    cooperation agreements with France during his July 20 visit
    to Paris. Media reports have suggested that these agreements
    could lead to Saudi contracts for the purchase of French
    tanker aircraft, helicopters, and other equipment. However,
    Embassy contacts report that, while there may well be some
    eventual purchases of French technology, no new deals were
    finalized during the Crown Prince's visit, and Saudi purchase
    of French military hardware remains uncertain. A July 24
    article in Paris La Tribune notes "the disappointment felt by
    certain industrialists who were expecting a great deal more
    from the visit." One of the agreements signed was reportedly
    a technical addendum to a 1982 KSA-France defense cooperation
    agreement (Ref D).
    OBERWETTER

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