Radio Analysis and Excerpts: The Voice of Palestine-Dec 12 > SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS

The death of Islamic Jihad agent Anwar Ahmad Humran was treated as a top item by VOP during its evening broadcasts Dec 11 and throughout the day on Tuesday Dec. 12, but in a strange way: Humran was repeatedly described as “a student” without mentioning at all that he was a senior agent in Islamic Jihad who had been released from Palestinian Authority jails.

“The youth Anwar Ahmad Hamran was a student at the Jerusalem Open University and he was shot by Israeli fire from Mount Grezim near Nablus without there having been any confrontation,” announced VOP. VOP said that the 28-year-old Hamran was “assassinated on his way home from school” when “he was struck by more than 15 bullets in his stomach.”

VOP intensely covered Monday night the funerals of four men during the day, and continued its heavily detailed coverage of the same funerals and other deaths and injuries during Tuesday’s broadcasts. In this vein, VOP interviewed Tuesday Dr. Riyadh al-Za’anun, PA Health Minister, who said there were 272 Palestinian martyrs, in addition to 50 who were buried by Israel-bringing the number of martyrs to 322.

During Monday’s broadcasts, VOP made a point of saying that Israeli fire had been concentrated at Palestinian “national security forces” in Gaza.

There was no mention of any Palestinian fire at the Gilo neighborhood in Jerusalem, where an Israeli civilian women was shot in the neck. Similarly, there was no mention of Palestinian fire at any other Israeli targets, nor the placement and explosion of road-side bombs at several locations.

VOP placed strong emphasis on the beginning of activities of the Mitchell Commission-both Monday and Tuesday, but at the same time its anchor man Samir Interr (and several VOP interviewees) stressed “the American role in the continuing Israeli aggression against our people.”

Nevertheless, VOP mentioned (not in any leading headlines) that during his trip to Morocco, Yasser Arafat would meet American mediator Dennis Ross.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“During this period-67 days (of intifada), 10,450 people have been hospitalized.” (Dr Riyadh Za’anun, PA Health Minister)

NIGHTTIME HEADLINES-Dec 11/12 midnight:

*–“The youth Ahmad Hamran was martyred by occupation soliders;

*–Israeli shelling with missiles and heavy artillery on Khan Yunis as well as shooting on Beit Jallah and ‘Aida (refugee) Camp;

*–His Excellency President Yasser Arafat strongly urges the international investigating commission to begin its investigation of Israeli crimes…”

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TUESDAY MORNING HEADLINES-DEC 12 (7:30 am-9:00am)

*–“The martyring of 28-year-old student Anwar Ahmad Hamran, who was assassinated by Israeli Occupation soldiers;

*–Israel shells citizens’ homes in Khan Yunis, Beit Jalla and Aida;

*–His Excellency President Yasser Arafat heads off today for a visit to Morocco for a meeting with Moroccan monarch and leading officials there…;

*–His Excellency President Arafat meets the international investigation commission headed by former American senator George Mitchell;

*–A ministerial committee linked to the Arab summit finished its deliberations in the Syrian capital of Damascus today…;

*–Mr Farouk al-Qaddoumi will discuss the recent political developments.” (The names, ages and addresses of four martyrs were also read at the top of the news.)

Quotes from Interview with Information Minister Yasser Abd-Rabbo, on Arafat’s meeting with Mitchell Commission:

“For over two hours, President Abu-Amar (i.e. Arafat) explained in detail the events that preceded the eruption of the intifada and Israel’s continuing violations-on the political level-of the agreements, symbolized by the settlements, taking the land and leaving thousands of prisoners in jail – and other violations….They will not only deal with security causes, the direct causes of the eruption of the intifada, but also the deeper political reasons which disrupted the peace process

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