Today, Faisal Al-Husseini, the Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem affairs attacked Israel’s municipal elections in Jerusalem, calling Israel’s rule anywhere in Jerusalem as “illegal.” In addition the PLO’s Fatah branch announced that they would be holding their own elections in Jerusalem next week.

A Palestinian Minister, Nebil Amru, called for the continued talks with the Hamas saying that they must reach an agreement on a division of political roles that can help them reach their common goal.

A conference was held yesterday with many Palestinian dignitaries to honor the “martyrs” who have fallen fighting Israel.

The PA as in the past expressed its solidarity with Iraq in its conflict with the US.

The nearly daily call to unilaterally announce the creation of a Palestinian state in May was in today’s papers as well.

The PA expects 4 million refugees to be brought to Palestine as part of the final settlement.

PA television continues to refer to the Israeli government as the “Government of Tel Aviv”, a term intended to deny recognition, as it was used by Arab States for many years.

Finally, the PA again stated that they don’t recognize Israel’s demand that they cancel the PLO covenant.

The Sources:

Faisal Al-Huseini [Minister for Jerusalem Affairs of the Palestinian Authority] said that “regarding we Palestinian Jerusalemites, these elections do not pertain to us at all. Everyone must know that the Arab municipality of Jerusalem is the legal representative of the sons of Jerusalem, despite its being stopped by the Israeli government. He added that the Municipality of Jerusalem is a representative of the occupation, while the Jerusalemites are not part of these elections, due to the fact that the occupying Israeli entity in Jerusalem is an illegal entity, and we do not recognize her”.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

Headline: ‘Fatah’ will hold its regional convention in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday. A public conference for the regional elections within the Movement for the Palestine National Liberation, Fatah, will be held this coming Sunday at the Alhakwati Theatre in occupied Jerusalem. During the three days of elections for the Fatah movement, 1200 members will elect 15 members for the region and 16 members for the West Bank Convention. Consuls and diplomatic representatives will be present at the convention. Yasser Kra’in, in charge of the Fatah movement in his village of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem, stressed that holding the convention in a public forum in this fashion will accelerate the [establishment of] Palestinian State and that it prepares for the upcoming May 4th festival, when she is to be announced.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

Nabil Amro, Minister for Parliamentarian Affairs, said that the option of peace dictates that we go with it in the framework of the distribution of political appointments. He emphasized that the dialogue with the Hamas exists and is going in a positive direction, and that participating in it are members of the Legislative Council and leaders from the Palestinian forces. He expressed his hope that a national agreement would be reached that would facilitate our achieving our national goals.

Amro emphasized that the suicide actions such as the last Jerusalem action are not beneficial to our people but rather are damaging to it, and he said that the falling of these people as Shahids is not ‘legitimate under any circumstance’. Member of the Legislative Council, Kamal Al-Sharafi, Head of the Overseeing Committee of the Legislative Council, said that it is necessary that all options be open to our people, as long as our land and rights are taken away, and he emphasized that the right to oppose the occupation is anchored within all international norms and constitutions.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

Headline: Memorial Assembly in Jenin on the Ninth Anniversary of the Fall of the Leader Alouana as Shahid
The Governor Zahir Manazra participated in a memorial assembly as representative of the president Yasser Arafat, and spoke on behalf of him pointing out that it is necessary that the memory of the Martyrs be kept by means of guarding the commitment of struggle for [the fulfillment] of the goals for which they fell [in the assembly] many words were said emphasizing the merits of the Martyrs and reviewed the victim-ridden path of struggle. The speakers asked that the Martyrs serve as the sketchers of the path of struggle for the liberation of the homeland.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

A Caricature:
Netanyahu is seen grabbing by the neck the poor and helpless man who represents the ‘Israeli Organizations for Peace’ while Netanyahu himself sits in the palm of the hand of a wicked, Kippa-bearing ugly distorted giant, who represents the ‘Organizations of the Extreme Right Wing’.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

Headline: The Political Direction and its Tasks
Therefore it is necessary to clarify the situation to the forces and to the public and to continue the recruitment and the preparation in order to contest with all possibilities, especially due to the fact that all the possibilities are open to us, in light of the continuing policy of delay and evasion that is being adopted by the Netanyahu government, so there is no avoiding the fact that in difficult conditions such as these, the [management of the] Political Direction continue in her directives to the forces, in order that they not be overcome by frustration and in order that they keep a high morale, high motivation and ongoing preparation. These wars have not lessened the fierce desire and vigorousness to liberate our and homeland from the hands of the occupation, and our people struggle with the occupation with all the available means and battles its cruelty and arrogance all throughout the ages and does not give up or recoil from the oppression and terror and our people still adhere to their struggle to liberate the land and homeland and still serves victim after victim and martyr after martyr for the dear homeland, our people still live and do not disappear, and all forces of exploitation on earth will never be able to wipe it out or its identity which is connected to this holy and pure land.
[Alchayat Aljadeeda, 11/12/98]

Headline: Palestinian Delegation Visits Iraqi Children Receiving Treatment in Greece.
Abed Allah Abed Allan, the Palestine Ambassador to Greece, accompanied by the Head of the Palestinian Diaspora held a visit with the Iraqi children who are receiving treatment in one of the hospitals in charge of the Iraqi Activity received the Palestinian delegation, which took this initiative in its expression of solidarity with the Iraqi people who suffer a siege of exploitation…
[Al Kuds, 11/12/98]

Headline: The Declaration of the State and the Problem of Refugees.
Walid Zakot, Member of the Delegation of Refugees of ’48 and ’67, writes: In accordance with the Declaration of Principles of Oslo and all the agreements that came after that, the transfer stage will end on May 4, 1999. The Palestinian leadership is committed to taking a decisive step by declaring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with its capital Jerusalem.

Here comes the big question, what is the fate of the refugees according to these two options, especially because the subject of refugees is one of the most complex subjects of the final status talks. We are not talking here about the refugees of ’67 who have the right of return before the commencement of the final status talks, according to the Oslo agreements, but rather the discussion here is about the refugees of ’48 whose number reaches about 4 million, of which 3 million are outside of the Palestinian homeland.
[Alkuds, 11/12/98]

Official PBC Television

Midday News of the Palestinian Television:

Newscaster: “The Tel Aviv Government renewed its claims regarding the 3rd phase of the redeployment, in order that it not rise above 1%”.

From the Program “Flower of the Cities” – On the El Aksa Mosque “Remnants of the sermon podium [in El Aksa Mosque] that Israel burned in 1967, which is the sermon podium Nur Aldin Zanji that Salah-A-Din laid in El Aksa Mosque after he liberated it from the Crusaders.”

Nighttime PBC TV News:

Newscaster: “The Tel Aviv Government continues to build settlements in Har Homa, and in this way is violating all the agreements that have been signed. The Palestinian Authority has warned against the results of this decision, and emphasized that it will take all steps against this decision…

Newscaster: “Nabil Shaath said that this decision violates the Wye Plantation Agreement. The Palestinian Authority does not allow Israel to create new realities on Palestinian land. We oppose reopening the Agreement for discussion after it has already been signed.

Newscaster: “Nabil Abu Radina: warned about the damaging obstacles of the Tel Aviv Government, who began building housing units in Har Homa. The decision is a violation of the Agreement…

Regarding the [cancellation of the PLO] National Covenant, Arikat emphasized that the Palestinian Authority is committed to carrying out the Agreement and opposes any kind of additions to what has been signed.”

Prepared in conjunction with Palestinian Media Watch, under the direction of Itamar Marcus.

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