Summary and Analysis

After the air-strikes in Iraq, both Israeli and American-Anglo “aggression” were feature items on V.O.P. Saturday. In the 7 p.m. news bulletin, reaction to the Iraqi air-strike-highlighting criticism of American-British aggression-was longer than all the other news items combined, and it left no doubt as to with which side of the conflict street the PA sided.

At 11 p.m., V.O.P. announced that the ‘national and Islamic forces” were dedicating two “days of rage” for massive demonstrations and parades not only against Israel (Tuesday and Friday) but also to condemn American attacks on Iraq. This is a “choosing-sides” moment, and the PA is signaling its choice of Saddam while it believe the United States has chosen Israel.

(The PA is also choosing Hizballah’s side in the current border war along the Lebanese-Israeli “ceasefire line.”)

The serious financial crisis inside the Palestinian Authority again reached the headlines today (see below), but for several days it has been showing up in other ways: frequent radio messages to the public to pay their income taxes. PA officials are calling for an immediate cash inflow-from Arab countries and Europe-to help the situation.

Salim Za’anoun, the head of the PNC (Palestine National Council of the PLO) returned to the headlines to defend refugee rights, only two weeks after he was rebuked publicly for leading a group attempting to force Yasser Arafat into a power-sharing scheme (at which time he also said that the PNC had not repealed the Palestinian Covenant). The sudden return of Za’anoun to Arafat’s airwaves means that either he bribed a few senior V.O.P. employees or else that he and Arafat have kissed and made up (probably because they need each other).

On the Israeli front, V.O.P. says that a national unity government is to be announced at the beginning of this week, with Ehud Barak as “Army Minister.” V.O.P. quoted at length from the most critical Israeli newspaper articles that condemned the cynical way Barak had broken his own promise to leave political life.

Friday Afternoon Round-up Headlines, February 16, 4 p.m.

  • “The martyring of a man in Tulkarm who was denied medical attention at a road block;
  • The martyring of Anwar Mustafa Mar’ii, 33, from Qarawat Bani Hassan who was assassinated in a crime committed by a gang of traitors; [Note: in the bulletin details, Mar’ii was described as a senior organizer of the PA intelligence services engaged in counter-espioniage]
  • A group of citizens wounded in confrontations in Ramallah and El-Bireh and Rafah;
  • The killing of one Occupation soldier and wounding two others in Hizballah attack on occupied Shab’a farm;
  • The National Authority says its task is to force the Israeli government to keep its obligations according the peace process and the agreements;
  • The Minister of Information and Culture (Yasser Abd Rabbo) dismisses the possibility of reaching agreements with the succeeding (i.e. successor to Barak) based on its announced programs;
  • Salim Za’anoun, the speaker of the Palestinian National Council, asserted the Palestinian Leadership’s strong devotion to the reight of the refugees to return to their homes. And Zaanoun in a speech in front of thousands of refugees in Ein Hilweh camp in Lebanon said the Palestinian delegation to Camp David had rejected territory worth 30-billion dollars in return for conceding the right of return. And the speaker of the Palestinian Council asserted that the right of return for the refugees was the first of the goals of the Intifada.”

Saturday Morning Bulletin Headlines 7 a.m.

  • [first headline is repeat of lead-in headline on Palestinian martyrs];
  • “The martyring of an Iraqi civilian and the wounding of eight others as the result of air raids by Britain and the United States on civilian and military targets in the Iraqi capital yesterday. And the American president George Bush said there would a be a continuation of such attacks if iraq continues manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. An American spokesman said more than 50 planes paticipated in the attacks. And in the homeland (Palestine) there were many protest demonstrations against the bombing of Iraq;
  • Minister of Information Yasser Abd Rabbo sees no opportunity for continuing negotiations with successor Israeli government, based on its programs”;
  • [Other headlines similar to those of lead-ins at 7 a.m.]

Saturday February 17 Morning Round-up Headlines

  • “Five martyrs in Hebron and Tulkarm and Qarawa Bani Hassan;
  • Israeli military aggression leads to more than 100 wounded by bullets, five of them critically;
  • Occupation bullets wound three foreign correspondents and Israeli tanks shell Ramallah, El-Bireh, Hebron, Zababdeh and Khan Yunis;
  • George Bush Junior orders an attack on the Iraqi capital, and Moscow condemns the aggression;
  • The President’s advisor, Mr. Nabil Abu-Irdeineh says that what concerns is holding the Israeli government to its obligations under the peace process, and Palestine demands an international force to protect our people;
  • National Unity government in Israel with Ehud Barak as Minister of the Army who had said that he was leaving political life.”

Saturday Evening Headlines, 7 p.m., February 17

  • “Residents of Hebron were subjected to artillery shelling this evening, injuring 25 citizens, most of them children…;
  • Organizations for defense of the homeland and confronting settlement announced the formation of a committee for oversight… of the Occupation practices and violations;
  • Norway called today for the continuation of Palestinian-Israeli talks based on the Oslo agreements of 1993…;
  • Dr. Muhammad Shteih, director-general of the Palstinian Fiscal Council said…there was a serious cash flow problem in the National Authority creating a fiscal crisis felt by citizens…and requiring a sum of 55-million dollars which could not be supplied by the Palestinian economy which was operating at less than 25-percent of its usual volume;
  • French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine warned of loss of hope among Palestinians to reach a just and lasting peace with Israel.
  • United Nations Council on Ecology called for Palestinian sovereignty on national resources in occupied Palestinian territory, including eastern Jerusalem. And it registered its concern… regarding Israeli violations of the Palestinian environment;
  • Iraqi President Saddam Hussein headed a meeting today to… oppose raids on Baghdad yesterday. And Iraq called on the nations of the world to oppose routine American killing of peoples who refuse American dictates, condemning the aggression yesterday and declaring the right to defend itself. And a spokesman of the Foreign Department of the ruling Ba’ath Party said the first goal of the American-Anglo aggression on Iraq was safeguarding American interests in the area….From its point of view, the Arab League condemned the American and British aggression on Baghdad, calling for respect of Iraqi sovereignty.”

Quote of the Day

“And the speaker of the Palestinian Council asserted that the right of return for the refugees was the first of the goals of the Intifada.”

V.O.P. report on speech by Salimn Za’anoun, speaker of PNC, who has apparently returned to good graces of Arafat, Friday February 16 4:07 p.m.

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