NOTE TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL JUL - 3 2014 (through Ms. Malcorra) I Lt-ocs:-81-~ EXECtrrTVE OFFTCB DPI Weekly Press Review OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

This week the press review focuses on the tensions in the in the aftermath of the conflffi1ed abduction and killing of Israeli and Palestinian teenagers. Tt also examines coverage of the political and humanitarian consequences of the ongoing conflict in Iraq.

The deaths in the Middle East, on both sides, drew global attention. The media was quick to highlight your statements - as well as those of the Security Council - condemning the murders.

Turning to Iraq, the civilian death toll figures provided by the United Nations this week were widely reported. Journalists continue to convey a sense of widespread chaos within the country and an apparent lack of strategy within the international community on how to combat the Islamic State ofTraq and the Levant (TSTL).

Looking ahead, the Department of Public Information is working with partners across the UN to roll out a global, multilingual communications effort in support of Monday' s launch ofthe Millennium Development Goals Report 2014.

Drawing in part on our global network of UN Information Centres, there will be at least 15 separate launch events around the world. Interest has been particularly strong in . DPI is disseminating infographics and original social media content about the MDGs in all six official UN languages, and additional materials in other languages as well.

Meanwhile, the first video from your interview with Linkedin at the Empire State Building last month was aired on Tuesday and has already been viewed more than 80,000 times. A post announcing the launch has received the most re-Tweets of any message by Linkedln. A second video from the interview will be published next week.

Thank you.

Peter Launsky-Tie enthal 3 July2014

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JUL - 9 201 4 con/ os-1 oo2- EOSG/CENTRAL PRESS RE.VIEW.

Thursday, 3 July 2014

Produced by News and Media Division, Department of Public Infor mation

MIDDLE EAST The news of the deaths of the m1ssmg Israeli teenagers and the apparent retaliatory killing of a Palestinian boy spread like wildfire in the media, with the United Nations and its public reactions close to the centre ofthe story. The statements of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, other UN officials and the Security Council were widely covered, as were the rising tensions on the ground between Palestinians and Israelis. Many commentaries and analytical columns discussed what might happen next.

An outpouring ofcondemnation, condolences and calls for calm The Secretary-General's response to the murders drew immediate headlines, including "United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon slams killings of Israeli teens" (Voice of Russia) and "UN Chief Condemns Murders, Calls to Find Terrorists" ( National News). According to AFP, in his statement Ban condemned the killings of the Israelis as a "heinous act by enemies of peace" that "must not be allowed to succeed." The BBC reported that the Secretary-General had urged both sides to "refrain from any actions that could further escalate this highly tense situation." Beirut's Daily Star noted Ban's hope that the perpetrators would be brought swiftly to justice. After the killing of the Palestinian, his statement was exemplified by the Xinhua headline: "UN chief slams murder of Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem." The Irish Independent observed that Ban issued similar condemnations for both incidents, but had also called on all sides to "refrain from any actions that could further escalate this highly tense situation": The Jordanian-based Middle East North Financial Network reported that Ban condemned the killing of the Palestinian as "despicable," while Spanish news agency Europa Press reiterated Ban's call "to ensure that tensions do not rise and lead to further loss of life." KUNA (Kuwait) reported that Security Council members expressed their outrage. UN envoy Robert Serry' s statements denouncing both murders were carried by Bloomberg, France's La Nouvelle Republique, India Blooms News Service and Xinhua, among numerous others. Reuters flagged that the UN human rights office had urged Israelis and Palestinians to exercise "maximum restraint."

The Secretary-General's meeting last weekend with Israeli President Shimon Peres also drew headlines, with most stories focusing on the kidnapping issue. The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel emphasized that Peres pressed Ban "to lead a global outcry against terror." The settler-run Israeli National News covered the story as "Ban to Peres: We Take Kidnapping Very Seriously." Meanwhile, the Jewish Press (US) pointed out that Peres praised the UN as "an imp01tant organization which represents the world." 's Cihan news agency reported that Ban said he remained inspired by Peres' vision and leadership, which was "much needed to bridge the gap and differences in the world."

Deaths channel public rage in Israel The news of the Israeli boys' fate sparked an avalanche of stories about Israelis' furious reaction and demands for reprisals. Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet reported that Israeli Prime Minister said that he would avenge the teens' death. CNN stated that Israel stepped up air strikes on aza, vowmg amas WI pay. e a ree ourna an e as mg on ost ran s1m1 ar stories on the theme oflsrael vowing revenge against Hamas. reported that as the news spread, Israeli TV channels halted World Cup broadcasts and cancelled prime-time shows, for hours of discussions on the discovery of the bodies, while radio stations played sad songs. Deutsche

··········1····-·· ...... Welle .and.Theindependent{London)...carriedHamas'- statemenLthatJsrael.would ... ~'open the .gatesof.... . r- hell" if it tried to conduct reprisal attacks. I Netanyahu's response was the subject of much discussion. Oslo's Dagbladet reported that "with the abduction and killing of the three Israeli teens, Netanyahu has received a gift basket, which will strengthen his position further." In Yedioth Ahronoth, Alex Fishman opined that the Prime Minister's "handling of the next few days will determine whether we are heading for another bloody round of conflict or not." The Irish Independent said he was in a difficult position, caught between public rage over the deaths and international calls for restraint. Yet an Irish Times editorial deduced that Netanyahu was eager to twist the screw, suggesting he had little interest in dialogue.

Within Israel, the press focused largely on what actions the Government might take next. According to Yedioth Ahronoth and the settler-run news service Arutz Sheva, an argument between the hawkish ministers and their more dovish counterparts during a Cabinet session prevented a final decision from being taken. Ha'aretz highlighted that there were several reported incidents of immediate Jewish reprisal attacks against Arabs. In Israel Hayom, Yoav Limor maintained that Israel's response would be harsh and focus on Hamas and its operatives in both Gaza and the West Banl(. In Makor Rishon, Ariel Kahane reckoned that violence and bloodshed were an integral part of modern Arab society and that "the Jews must build a solid and impenetrable wall" for self-protection. An editorial in Ha'aretz reasoned that "the very tragedy of the murdered teens ought to make the Government realize that bolstering [Mahmoud] Abbas is not just a Palestinian interest, but first and foremost a supreme Israeli interest." Jerusalem Post columnist Gershon Baskin argued that "we need to help the people of Gaza replace Hamas by providing them with hope and a better future, something Hamas has never provided."

According to Sky News Arabia, cited by Maariv (Tel Aviv), Abbas had been conducting "feverish" communications with the US and other countries to pressure Israel not to launch a large-scale operation. Israel Radio reported that Abbas would convene a meeting in Ramallah to discuss possible Israeli responses, anticipating a demand that the Palestinian Authority end its unity pact with Hamas. In the Jordanian daily al-Ghad, Ahmad J amil 'Azm pondered the circumstances of the killing and concluded that "the only real answer to the security problem on the West Bank is to end the Israeli occupation."

Paul Whitefield opined in the Los Angeles Times that, in addition to Iraq and Syria, a new Israeli­ Palestinian confrontation should be added "to your worry list." An editorial in the Palestinian daily ai­ Quds noted that Abbas publicly denounced the kidnapping, adding that the failure to achieve peace based on international norms, laws and treaties would only lead to further instability and violence. Alan Johnson asserted in a commentary in The Daily Telegraph that the Palestinians had a choice between supporting Hamas' terror and destruction versus Abbas' negotiations and efforts towards statehood. In his commentary in (London), Ha'aretz journalist Anshel Pfeffer contended that polls revealed Israeli support for the settlers had declined, with more asking why the Government is not trying to end a dangerous situation ... "and they won't be blaming only the Palestinians."

An eruption ofviolence Later in the week, tensions rose further after Palestinian teenager was fmmd burned to death in Jerusalem, with most outlets describing it as a reprisal attack. The Reuters headline, "Suspected Israeli revenge killing of Palestinian triggers clashes," captured a common theme found in numerous outlets - including USA Today, Australia's ABC TV and radio network and the Los Angeles Times. According . . . er police found the body. Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported that Israeli forces demolished the Hebron home of a suspect linked to the April murder of a police officer, provoking still more clashes. US media site AI-Monitor explained that as Israel continued to accuse Hamas for the abduction of the ··-- ______...... Israelis, .Palestinian_seGmity.JorGes attribuled_iUoJhe_Qa:wasmeh _clan.ofHe_bron ::::::with a ''well::earned .

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reputation as trouble-makers." Deutsche Welle noted that while Israeli settlers mourned, Palestinians worried about further retaliation.

The media's treatment of the deaths of the Israelis and the Palestinian drew its own coverage, with many making comparisons. An editorial in The Washington Post postulated that Ban was right "there can be no justification for the deliberate killing of civilians" - but that must apply to both sides of this horrendous injustice. In The Hindu (Chennai), Susan Abulhawa noted that "although hundreds of Palestinian children are kidnapped, brutalized or killed by Israel, including several in the past two weeks, there is rarely, if ever, such a reaction from the world." In The Independent and the Belfast Telegraph, Robert Fisk asserted that, rightly, reactions to Israeli teenagers murdered by Palestinians were "vicious, cruel, unforgivable," but when Lebanese children had been killed in the past by Israel, the reactions were "regrettable, unfortunate, but the ultimate fault of 'terrorists'." The Los Angeles Times stressed that the latest deaths must not become a justification for yet another downward spiral in the depressing and destabilizing war. Ahmad Samih Khalidi commented in The Guardian that the entire region entered a new phase of profound uncertainty, with the hopes for a negotiated two-State settlement fading fast. On the website of AI Jazeera, Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab reckoned that "even though the United Nations has declared 2014 as the year of solidarity with the Palestinian people," indications on the ground showed that there will not be peace any time soon.

IRAQ A United Nations headcount of the number of recent Iraqi fatalities thrust the Organization firmly in the news this week as fresh clashes between the Islamic State oflraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Government forces in Tikrit. An emerging thread of media coverage revolved around remarks by UN officials pinpointing the acute vulnerability of women and children to sexual violence. Meanwhile, the reporting around Iraq's new Parliament yielded much conjecture about the repercussions of the failure to elect a speal<:er, and the failure of a political way forward.

A staggering number of casualties The United Nations report that more than 2,400 Iraqis, mostly civilians, were killed in June as ISIL militants swept across half the country triggered a spate of stories. "Iraq violence claimed more than 2,400 lives in June, UN reports," ran an AP headline. From Fox News and Russia Today to Malaysia's The Star and Turkey's Daily Sabah, a plethora of outlets carried UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov's statement that "the staggering number of civilian casualties in one month points to the urgent need for all to ensure that civilians are protected." Cairo's AI-Ahram underscored the remarks of UN envoy Leila Zerrougui that the ISIL onslaught created "an extremely volatile and dangerous situation for children." Similar coverage was carried by AFP, India's Deccan Chronicle and Turkey's Cihan news agency, among others. Al-Ahram also ran a report noting the warning of UN Women's Phurnzile Mlambo-Ngcuka about the backlash against women in particular. Saudi Arabia's donation of $500 million for humanitarian needs in Iraq also made news, with the New York Times casting it as: "Answering criticism with cash, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday swooped in to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the Sunni insurgency in Iraq,"

A game-changing power shift As the leader ofiSILdcclarcd himself the caliph of a new and large Islamic comrtry, a swirl of articles, analyses and commentary ensued. AI Jazeera said that as a "new 'caliphate' was declared in Diyala, UN voices concern over rights violations such as beheadings and abductions." Pakistani broadsheet The

News ran a story that Ban was "deeply troubled by persistent reports of violations of human rights and 1 .. . . __41-!~1:1!~:t!!2P.:~ _ h1.11:11~:t!l..it.~i.~.J~~- _t~~}!!g PJ?:~_~j_g !ra.q ~ ': 1.T~ _.9!!li!!~ '.Y~r~- -~~IT.!s;~ BTT _

NMD /DPI Press Review, :'> July 2 014 covering the period from 2 8 ... 3 July Page 3 of 4 have won the support of two major Al-Qaida groups in "a game-changing power shift for global jihad," and Japan's NHK News echoed that story.

The British press was particularly vocal. While The Times editorialized that "declaring the existence of a caliphate doesn't make it real," Patrick Cockburn asserted in The Independent that while not all Islamic radicals would follow the new caliph, his message would attract many would-be "jihadis." In The Guardian, Ian Black highlighted that the "old-new political-religious entity" had been given its own hashtag, "#CaliphateRestored, a potent weapon in a digital propaganda war." Signalling what some saw as a worrying development, CBS News (US) flagged the announcement by nine Syrian groups rejecting the caliphate: "In a statement posted on Islamic websites, they said the declaration was 'void' and pledged to continue the fight."

Iiraugural parliamentary session ends in disarray The continued scramble of Iraqi lawmakers to agree on a candidate for speaker drew attention. Beneath the headline "Iraq Parliament session collapses amid calls for Maliki exit," the online Middle East Eye reported that the Parliament broke up in chaos, with lawmakers threatening each other. The BBC elaborated that Kurdish and Sunni Arab MPs did not return after a break, depriving the chamber of a quorum. The Guardian noted that Iraq' s apparently irreconcilable politicians left the country lurching ever closer to partition - defying "desperate" calls for unity from regional and global powers. Reuters flagged that the UN, United States, Iran and Iraq's own Shi'ite clergy had all pushed hard for an inclusive government to hold the country together. The Iraq-based Kurdish news agency Rudaw emphasized that the withdrawal of the Kurdish and Sunni MPs jeopardized efforts to put together a unity government. The Washington Post said the formation of a unity government was urgent as Iraq was confronting the biggest threat to its existence since its independence in 1932. AI Jazeera chimed in with N uri al-Maliki' s statement that any attempt to override his authority would be treated as a coup bid.

The road ahead In the media there were plenty of critics of al-Maliki. In Nigeria's Vanguard, Uche Onyebadi asserted that most observers of "the dastardly events in Iraqi" agree that Maliki single-handedly invoked the present phase of instability. The Financial Times (UK) charged that Maliki, "the sectarian bully at the centre of this crisis, must quit power forthwith" so that Iraq can retain its territorial unity with a government inclusive of all communities. In The New York Times, Leslie H. Gelb opined that the US knows that Iraqis will not trust Maliki to share power and are manoeuvring to find alternatives, warning: "Even the Kurds seem inclined to go their own way."

Many commentators were despairing. In the Khaleej Times of Dubai, Mahir Ali noted that Iraq was currently a focus of broadly mutual interests between the US, Russia, Iran and Syria, but the situation "too convoluted to draw any hopeful conclusions from this unlikely alliance." The Globe and Mail pointed out that while the US, Russia and Iran were willing to commit military personnel, munitions or both to the fight, the three countries have different and sometimes opposing obj ectives. In The Washington Times, retired US Navy admiral Jan1es A. Lyons was not surprised that modern-day Iraq was a fractured State, and supported "a viable, economically stable, sovereign Kurdish nation" instead. In The Statesman (India), Salman Haidar opined that even a tripartite division would not solve the current crisis. Gyasuddin. . A. Chowdhury commented in The Daily Star (Dhaka) that .the flaring war dire prognosis was delivered by Moscow's Nezavisimaya Gazeta, which said "pundits argue that Iraq can only be preserved as a single state at the cost of mass blood-spilling."

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