Summary and Analysis

Beginning Saturday Night, December 16, the Voice of Palestine has reported in detail on the appointment of Colin Powell as U.S. Secretary of State-Designate with a certain amount of concern.

VOP has underscored remarks by General Powell and by President-Elect George Bush that the security of Israel was the lynch-pin of a Middle East peace. VOP has also emphasized that Powell commanded U.S. forces during the Gulf War against Iraq.

Indeed, Iraq, and news about Iraq, is once more being stressed in VOP news broadcasts (see headlines below).

VOP continues to focus on the deaths of senior commanders in the Fatah, which it says are the results of an Israeli liquidation campaign.

But VOP opened a new campaign of its own, claiming that Israel was once again-according to VOP-actively digging under the Al-Aqsa Mosque. “Israeli violations continue against Jerusalem and its holy places, as Israel has not stopped digging under the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” declared the morning news anchorman, Nizar Abud, Sunday.

Saturday Night Headlines-Dec 16, 9pm

  • “Masses of residents in Jenin, Salfit and Gaza accompany the funerals of the three martyrs who fell before Israeli bullets yesterday;
  • Dr. Saeb Erikat characterizes current contacts with Israel as an preliminary exploratory efforts aimed at a summit in Washington, but Washington has sent no such invitations yet to such a summit, but administration signals readiness to continue with peace process;
  • President-elect George Bush in his first statement says the new administration will promote the peace process but said the security of Israel was the key to such a peace;
  • Bush, speaking at the appointment of Colin Powell to be Secretary of State, said the new administration would defend America’s interests in the Arab Gulf (note: Bush said Persian Gulf, but Arab news organizations customarily use the term “Arab Gulf”);
  • Powell, the first Black named Secretary of State, said America would remain a friend of all the parties in the region, and it is recalled that he was army commander during the Gulf War;
  • The former Roman Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem Hilarion Capucci, on a visit to Lebanon,…said he supported Palestinian children taking part in the Independence Intifada in the battle for the independence of Palestine. (Capucci was expelled from Palestine in 1977 after serving three years in Israeli jails for ateempting to smuggle an arms caches into Israel for the Fatah);
  • A senior source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said today that Moscow is working seriously to remove sanctions against Iraq at the earliest possible moment…and is ready to develop friendly bilateral relations as quickly as possible;
  • Deputy Iraqi Prime Minister Tariq Aziz visited Moscow last month and said again that Baghdad refused new United Nations inspections;
  • A Spanish plane landed today at Saddam International Airport in Baghdad in the first direct trip to Baghdad since 1990.”

Sunday Morning Headlines (7:30-9:00 a.m.)

  • “A new martyr today joins the martyrs of the Intifada, 28-year-old Samih Malahba, of Kalandia Camp near Jerusalem;
  • Occupation forces shell with heavy weapons populated neighborhoods in Dir al-Balah, and the wicked shelling does damage to residents’ houses;
  • Occupation soliders fire on Beit Shaur, damaging seven houses;
  • Occupation soliders searching houses in Nabi Salah near Ramallah;
  • His excellency President Arafat receives message from President Clinton on the peace process;
  • (Other headlines-Erikat, Capucci, Bush, Powell, Iraq-repeats from Saturday night)
  • Iraq says it does not expect any change in American policy against Iraq.”

Quote of the Day

“Things have been going on for four years (digging around Temple Mount), but we see new things now, especially on the southern front of Al-Aqsa….It is impossible for Israel to control the city of Jerusalem and the holy places” (Adnan Husseini, Engineer, Jerusalem Waqf-Islamic Council)

Rhetorical Elements

“Israel is talking about peace in English, but it speaks to its soldiers in Hebrew-to carry out more crimes.” (Dr. Saeb Erikat, PA Home Rule Minister, Saturday Night interview)

Morning Commentary (Youssef al-Kazaz, Senior Commentator)

“The official view of the Palestinian Authority was given yesterday on the Voice of Palestine: talks will continue, and the Intifada will continue – the Intifada of al Aqsa and Independence.”

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