Summary and Analysis

VOP began its broadcasts Thursday with news of a new martyr in Rafah in Gaza and new confrontations with Israeli forces in northern parts of the West Bank, but it also gave great prominence to a phone call between Yasser Arafat and Colin Powell-touted as the first official contact between the Palestinian Authority and the new Bush Administration.

At the same time, VOP reported talks with Israel would resume this afternoon. VOP quoted PA officials Thursday morning as saying that if Israel had not responded by last night with a decision for resumption of talks, then the PA would have left the talks.

VOP reported this morning that PA health officials had sent 14 people injured in recent fighting to university hospitals in Teheran Iran for treatment, and it also reported that Iraq anti-aircraft gunners claimed to have struck a British or American plane over-flying northern Iraq.

VOP once again featured the commentary of Saeb Erikat on the talks: Israel is retrenching and demanding things that it had already conceded, i.e. Jordan Valley and joint control of Temple Mount. Erikat’s comments-first offered in a lengthy afternoon interview yesterday– were recycled as news stories today through the 2PM and 4PM afternoon news round-ups.

Thursday Morning Round-up Headlines

  • A Martyr in Rafah, and violent confrontations in Tulkarm and Ramallah;
  • President Yasser Arafat in his first contact with the new American administration;
  • Israel return to Taba today following the suspension of the talks for two days;
  • Barak apologizes twice for the killing of 13 Palestinians inside the Green Line about two months ago (Note: this is a mistake-the deaths were almost four months ago);
  • Palestine participates in the gathering of the interior ministers of Arab states in Tunis.”

Thursday Morning Headlines — 7am/8am/9am News Bulletin Headlines

  • “His Excellency President Yasser Rafat receives a telephone call from the new Secretary of State of the United States Colin Powell, and Nabil Abu-Irdeineh, the president’s advisor, said that the conversation, the first with the new Administration, dealt with developments in the peace process and the review by the American administration of the continuation of the process;
  • Minister of Information Yasser Abd-Rabbo asserted his estimation that the negotiations would continue today, indicating that the Palestinian delegation would withdraw and depart Taba if the Israeli delegation does not arrive to continue the talks;
  • Dr. Saeb Erikat reveals the Israeli side’s regression (also reversal or pullback or retrenchment) of its demands for the continuation of its occupation of the Ghur Valley (Jordan Valley), the Jordan River and parts of Hebron (see yesterday’s interview text);
  • Israeli Occupation forces concentrated in the colony of Kfar Yam opened rifle fire on residents’ houses in Rafah, wounding two citizens seriously;
  • Violent confrontations between citizens and occupation forces near Ramallah and el-Bireh last night.and occupation forces shell El-Bireh with heavy artillery;
  • Settlers are pursuing building operations in Tel Rumeida in Hebron;
  • Israeli Occupation forces close Rafah terminal on Palestinian-Egyptian border in surprise move only two weeks after terminal was re-opened;
  • Israeli Occupation authorities prevent director of Palestinian broadcasting and director of radio and director of television from returning to Ramallah after participating in media meeting in Gaza;
  • The lawyer Osama Sad, who is representing the family of the child martyr Hilmi Shusha Husan who was killed in Bethlehem four years ago demands the cancellation of the pleas bargain agreement set for the terrorist killer Nahum Korman;
  • Iraq announces that its missile forces struck an American or British plane that was flying over northern Iraq.”

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