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Summary and Analysis
VOP moved into its Ramadan schedule with a marked heightening of the Islamic content of its programming, while escalating the rhetorical side of its news reports. Israeli fire at Palestinian targets in Jenin and Beit Jallah was characterized as “cold-blooded murder” “continuation of crimes” in news reports and headlines.
The main morning news show was pushed back from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., with the broadcasting itself beginning at 7 a.m. (instead of 6 a.m.) with Quaranic passages extolling the need for fasting.
VOP’s detailed listing of martyrs and wounded (who were deemed “stars of the blessed Intifada” or “stars of the martyred”) led the news bulletins, but these were sandwiched between special religious programming with a marked militant political tone.
For example, the “Special Ramadan Show” written by Radwan Abu-Ayyash (the director of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) spoke of the need to “purify the Holy Land” from the “Zionist presence”.
Morning Headlines
“Today is the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan, 1421 to the Hejira (Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina); Occupation forces spray their fire to all fronts in cold -blooded and tyrannical and fatal crimes,leading to the matryring of four youths; General Abdel-Razik al Mujaidah says Israel’s failure to meet its obligations means the failure of previous understandings; A fifth martyr in Gaza who died of wounds suffered earlier; the continuation of Israel’s aggression while we Palestinians continue our struggle on a variety of levls as the Intifada settles down (literally: pitches its tent) in Ramadan as Ramadan settles down with the Intifada.”
Tone
The start of Ramadan lends a background of protracted struggle and suffering to Intifada as VOP commentators and PA officials reinforce the message that struggle will continue until all Palestinian goals are met.
Local Report From Qalqilya — Mustafa Malkiy reporting
“It was cold-blooded murder as the occupation forces opened fire on one of the youths and then prevented cars from taking them from the area. We tried via the Red Cross to transfer the wounded. They refused that also, but after around five hours of crimes with great forces from the Israeli army, armored cars and two helicopters, they informed us we had four martyrs from the youths of Qalqilya. But there may be a fifth martyr, whose identity is unknown, who fell in their hands. From Qalqilya we wish you a blessed Ramadan and we will continue our struggle until we have realized our independence.”
