June 11, 2005

Voice of Palestine radio reported late Saturday that Israel had reached agreement with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to allow the “Badr Division” of Palestinian forces to enter the West Bank after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. V.O.P. cited Israeli sources, saying Israel refused to allow the forces into Gaza.

PA Interior Minister General Nasser Youssef announced the appointment of Colonel Jamal Abu-Zeid as a security coordinator, and a spokesman for Youssef [Tawfiq Abu-Khousa] warned about internal “strife” [Arabic: fitna] that would benefit Israel. His remarks came after several shooting incidents near headquarters in Gaza.

PLO Political Department Director Farouk Qaddoumi said Ariel Sharon was pushing a Gaza withdrawal in order to seize 95percent of the West Bank.

“Four armed men from the Iraqi resistance were killed in an American air raid near the Syrian border,” V.O.P. announced, adding that Syria had repudiated American insinuations that it had left secret police in Lebanon.

PBC Television

Reports similar to V.O.P. along with airing of shots showing first auto race in years near Ramallah. Cartoon on subject also appeared in Al-Ayyam [see http://www.al-ayyam.com/znews/site/template/caricature.aspx?Date=6/11/2005 ]

From Palestinian Newspapers:

Al-Quds (lead item)DAHLAN AND MOFAZ DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL AND SAFE PASSAGE ROUTES. Second Item: Abbas Cancels Tour of Gulf Countries Due to Schedule Pressure; Third Item: Former Israeli ‘Shabak” Director Avi Dichter Says No Choice But Palestinian and Israeli States. Other Item: Hamas and Hizballah Leader Nasser-allah Held Meeting in Beirut to Coordinate e Policy Top of page picture: Israeli forces blocking large crowds outside Jerusalem’s Old City during Friday prayers, which had been blocked off for those under 40 years old.

Al-Ayyam: Similar top of page picture in this newspaper, with major headline:ABU MAZEN INITIATES ELECTORAL AMENDAMENT FOR PRESDIENT AND LEGISLATURE, AND WILL ASK LEGISLATURE TO APPOINT HIM A DEPUTY [VICE PRESIDENT] NOW Side Report-2Islamists Killed in Fighting near Damascus with Syrian Police

Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda: (lead item) THE HEROIC MARTYRING OF THE COMMANDER OF THE AL-AQSA BRIGADES IN GAZA

Report compiled by Michael Widlanski Associates.
Commissioned by the Center for Near East Policy Research.
[Permission to quote or reprint from article conditional on citing Michael Widlanski or Michael Widlanski Associates.]
Dr. Michael Widlanski is a specialist in Arab politics and communication whose doctorate dealt with the Palestinian broadcast media. He is a former reporter, correspondent and editor, respectively, at The New York Times, The Cox Newspapers-Atlanta Constitution, and The Jerusalem Post.

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