At a time when the tragedy of civilian casualties in the middle east is so widely discussed, and at a time when a good portion of world opinion and even Israeli public opinion has criticized the Israeli air raid in Gaza in which 14 Arab civilians were killed, you can imagine, if you would, what the reaction of the world would have been if the Israeli government had conducted an official awards ceremony to honor Israeli pilots for killing Arab civilians…

Well, on Thursday, July 18, 2002, The PA held an official ceremony to honor the families of suicide bombers, with checks in the amount and plaques that were was decorated with a picture of Saddam Hussein in the center of the plaque, buttressed with flags of the PA and Iraq in each corner.

The Palestinian Authority Minister of Communications, Imad Falluci (The Hamas leader who was brought into the PA cabinet as a result of the PA-Hamas coalition accord that was signed in Cairo on December 15, 1995) invited the press to a ceremony in which the families of suicide bombers were each awarded with checks from Saddam Hussein.

The PA spokesman at the ceremony, Mr. Abu Rammi, told the media present that the suicide bombers were the PA’s answer to the “balance of power”.

A film of the ceremony was shown on Palestinian Authority TV, Israel TV and Sky News.

BETA master copies of the Israel TV and Sky News coverage are available from Israel Resource News Agency.

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