Summary and Analysis

VOP concentrated on what it has labeled as Israel’s assassination policy, but it also highlighted what it says was the heroic repulsion of an Israeli invasion of Khan Yunis.

VOP continued to push denials of current negotiations with Israel, but it is now quoting PA officials who are leaving the door open a bit-saying that there are “no serious talks” but acknowledging that talks could be revived under certain circumstances. One gets the impression that PA resistance to negotiations is lessening.

Bulletin-(as of 9:30 pm Thursday Evening)

VOP has not mentioned any resumption of negotiations with Israel, including meetings with Ben-Ami or Sher-despite israeli reports to the contrary. Also, there has been no report of Israel allowing thousands of Palestinian workers inside Israel-also contrary to Israeli reports.

VOP also escalated the war crimes charges against Israel by focusing on charges that Israel was using American-made radioactive ammunition against Palestinians. PA Environment Minister Dr. Youssef Abu Safia, who made the charges, was first quoted at length in several newspapers and was then the featured morning interview guest. ((No proof of the charges was presented.))

The wild charges against Israel and the intermittent anti-American tone may seem inconsistent with trying to get American support and Israeli concessions, but from VOP broadcasts it appears that the PA is pursuing seemingly different strategies on different fronts: encouraging anti-Israel and anti-settler violence while moving to isolate Israel (and to a certain extent, the United States) diplomatically, claiming little or no interest in talks, while keeping an active interest in talks.

VOP gave prominent coverage throughout the day to Israeli Arab MK Azmi Bishara being interrogated by the Israeli police on charges of having praised the activities of Hizballah.

“I said Hizballah was a heroic resistance group, and I do not take those words back,” said Bishara in a morning interview.

Quotes from Interview with Environment Minister Dr. Youssef Abu Safia:

“First of all, from the beginning of the Intifada, Israel has used every kind of shell and bullet against our people, but after the 27th of November there was a report in the global press and in America that Israel had used shells with enriched uranium….

There were also reports that America had used such weapons in the Gulf War in its aggression against Iraq.

Therefore when the brother, the president, Abu Amar (Arafat’s nickname) saw the formation of the commission, he thought it appropriate to bring the reports on this subject… to its attention.”

Rhetorical Elements

  1. “His excellency president Yasser Arafat relayed to the international investigating commission (the findings of ) Abu Safia that Israel was using shells with enriched uranium to repress the Intifada. (From Al Hayyat al-Jadida newspaper headlines read at 7:50 am on morning news round-up) (Note: Palestinian newspapers have been intermittently accusing Israel of using chemical weapons (so has VOP), radioactive means and biological agents against Palestinians, but this was first reading of such charges involving radioactive materials during prime-time radio broadcast—and put in the mouth of Arafat and other PA officials from the official PA newspaper)
  2. “Israel unleashes vicious dogs to attack farmers and students in Khan Yunis.” (headline from al-Ayyam read at 7:52 am)

Thursday Morning Headlines (7:30 am-9:00 am)

  • “Three attempts to invade Khan Yunis repelled, with forty injured, five of them seriously and damage to an Israeli tank;
  • The martyring of four members of security forces and a prominent Hamas member is assassinated in Hebron;
  • Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen-denies the existence of any serious talks with Israel;
  • (Miguel) Moratinos and Hubert Vedrine in Gaza today;
  • The latest developments in the American election: Gore announces concession, Bush is president;
  • Al-Mujaida warns Israel against trying to invade portions of Palestinian National Authority territory.”

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