Summary and Analysis

VOP began its broadcasts with Islamic programming, offering its first news bulletin at 8 am, leading with the latest deaths and funerals of martyrs.

Shortly before the main Friday prayer service, VOP broadcast several items in its 10 a.m. news summary to the effect that Israel had begun using police dogs to attack Palestinians. VOP said Muslim guards at the Al Aqsa Mosque had repelled Israeli attempts to install police dogs today at the mosque. (Note: muslims consider dogs to be unclean animals, and any attempt to put dogs on sacred soil would be even a worse affront than any “pollution” committed by Ariel Sharon by his visit to the area on September 28.)

Despite Israeli press reports about encouraging signs of a meeting soon between Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak, VOP broadcast an Arafat denial about any such meeting. VOP also quoted Arafat to the effect that he would refuse any meeting with Israel until it withdraws its tanks, and he further said the PA would not discuss any partial or gradual Israeli withdrawal plans. Instead, the PA would insist on a total Israeli pullback.

Friday a.m. headlines

  • “Continuation of Israeli aggression against our people: three more martyrs yesterday and tens of wounded, some in dangerous condition;
  • The martyrs are Ismail Abu-Rous, 20 years old…kileld in the Mintaar transit point in Gaza….the young lady, Warid Ahmad Badan, 17 years old from the village of Teqoah in the Bethlehem prefecture who was buried yesterday, and the child Shadi Ahmad Zughul, 14, from the village of Husan in Bethlehem prefecture who was run over by a hateful settler as he was trying to run away, and who was brought to rest yesterday;
  • Security officials refuted Israeli claims of withdrawals from the City Inn and other locations along roads throughout the (West) Bank;
  • Dr. Saeb Erikat, Minister for Local Rule, said that the steps announced by Israel for executing for the purpose of building confidence were just public relations stunts;
  • Occupation forces continued their acts to cause destitution in Bani Naim village in the Hebron prefecture, by expanding the colony of Bani Sir (sic) on the lands of the (Palestinian) citizens. And the occupation forces occupied a house in Dir al-Balah, displacing four citizens, including one child;
  • Occupation authorities continued the closure of occupied Jerusalem to prevent citizens from aropund the West Bank reaching prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the blessed month of Ramadan;
  • Engineer Faiz Zaydan, the head of the aviation authority, announced the return of service at Gaza airport starting at nine o’clock today through three thirty in the afternoon every day in a partial lifting of the Israeli blockade that was started several weeks ago;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat denied readiness to hold a summit conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, stressing the need for Israel first to carry out its obligations under previous agreements, especially the Sharm al-Sheikh understandings, if it wants peace, tranquility and stability in the region;
  • And the Palestinian Authority refused the Israeli proposal of another 10-percent (ten percent) Israeli withdrawal in an elongated interim agreement;
  • Ahmad Qureia-Abu Ala-the head of the legislature said that the American administration’s continued support for Israeli positions will not buttress the peace process.
  • Colonel Jibril Rajoub, head of security apparatus in the West Bank, said that the agent Alan Bani Odeh who is responsible for murdering the martyr Ibrahim Bani Odeh admitted to him that when he killed Ibrahim Bani Odeh he was carrying out orders of the Israeli security service (i.e. the Shin Bet or Shabak known as the G.S.S.).”

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