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BBC: an Excercise in Tendentious Coverage?

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

We reviewed six days of BBC TV news coverage (October 3-9) from the Middle East, to test for tendentiousness in three categories:

  1. Was the reporter airing a personal opinion in the news report?
  2. Were views from both sides presented?
  3. Were key words used that could be termed pejorative, prejudicial or one-sided?

BBC News, October 3-9, 2000

Overview

Several clear patterns emerge from an analysis of BBC news coverage of the second week of anti-Israel violence.

1) There is a general lack of balance in almost every report from the region. Israeli representatives are rarely interviewed or quoted. Reporters are almost never seen on the Israeli side of the battle line. They are almost always filmed just behind the stone throwers, or in towns under PA control.

During the entire week, only one report is filed from an Israeli town or village under fire–in this case, Psagot.

2) The language used by reporters in the field, news anchors and on screen graphics is often inaccurate and inflammatory. Yasser Arafat is routinely referred to as President Arafat. The violent riots are almost always labeled “demonstrations”, while Israeli retaliation is described in the most inflammatory terms–as a “pogrom” and a “massacre”.

3) Reporters frequently voice their own opinions in segments which are presented as news coverage, not labeled as analysis. Paul Adams does this on several occasions.

4) Facts are reported which are not substantiated or checked. Instead of quoting these as Arab claims, they are reported as facts.

October 3

1 p.m. News: Reporter Paul Adams injects his own opinions as he speaks about the status of the violence. Adams labels the riots as an uneven contest between Israelis and Palestinians.

6 p.m. Adams editorializes again by stating that the conflict was started by a calculated provocation by Sharon.Adams also states that Israel’s assertion that the violence was started by an order from Arafat is ân exaggeration.

No Israeli opinion is cited in either of these broadcasts.

9 p.m. Ben Brown justifies the violence by citing years of pent-up frustrations of Palestinians. He uses the word “massacre” to describe the killing of Palestinian youth.

In the same broadcast Adams misstates the facts by stating Palestinians “didn’t start this”.

BBC 2 Newsnight

10:30 p.m.

Only Arab casualties are pictured. There is no sense that Israelis are being attacked, fired upon. Arafat is referred to as President Arafat.

7-9 a.m. Clive Myrie reporting. The violence is described as demonstrations,and hostilities, leaving the impression that the rioters are only demonstrating their feelings and that both sides are equally responsible for the situation.

Myrie cites Arik Sharon’s visit to the Al Aksa compound–an important holy site in Islam,omitting the fact that Al Aksa sits on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.

BBC 1

October 4, 2000

1 p.m. Paul Adams reports from Nablus. Standing just behind Arabs throwing rocks Adams speaks of the ongoing violence, but without the context of the Israeli side, it appears that the youths are defending themselves from the IDF. At the conclusion of his report, Adams points to Israeli snipers. Once again, because of the omission of any reporting from the Israeli side the impression is left that the Israelis are shooting indiscriminately at Arab youth.

6 p.m. Adams reports from Hebron. No mention of Israeli casualties.

9 p.m. Ben Brown reports from a Ramallah hospital. Again, no reports from Israel, no Israeli representative responding. Brown reports that “the uprising goes on”,and describes the rioters simply as “protesters”.

October 5, 2000

1 p.m. Paul Adams reports from Ramallah. Again, no Israeli perspective. Calls the rioters “protesters”.

9 p.m. Ben Brown says that in Netzarim children die. No context given — without being given the information that the PA encourages children to take to the streets, the viewer is led to believe that the IDF targets young children.

Brown does go to Psagot for a report of the community under siege. This is the only report from a Jewish community during the entire week.

BBC 1

October 6, 2000

A map depicting the region shows the Golan Heights but the caption reads occupied territory.The word Golan does not appear.

Paul Adams again describes the rioters as stone throwing protesters.

Describing Joseph’s Tomb Adams accepts disinformation that claims saying it was never a religious site claimed by Jews.

October 9, 2000

7 a.m. Jeremy Bowen editorializes in his news report. Bowen says Israel threatens appropriate measures, as they call it….

Hilary Anderson from the Galilee in conversation with Bowen in Jerusalem. Anderson alleges that Israelis are attacking Arabs in their homes, without providing specifics, attribution or footage. In the next sentence she uses inflammatory language again without citing any facts: they’re carrying out pogroms, Anderson says.

Bowen calls rioters young men on the streets, and claims that a 14 year old was killed by settlers. Unsubstantiated, no specifics, no Israeli response requested.

Judy Lash Balint,
Author, Special Media Investigations Report on behalf of Israel Resource News Agency

Official PA Radio News: The PBC Radio, November 11

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Evening Headlines 6 p.m., Saturday Evening

  • Five youths became new martyrs in the confrontations with the Israeli occupation army, and more than 120 citizens were wounded;
  • 25 citizens hit by live fire in Hebron;
  • 46 citizens wounded in Jenin;
  • Masses marked a variety of memorial gatherings to honor 13 martyrs killed inside the Green Line killed by the bullets of the occupation forces during mass demonstrations supporting our people and their intifada.

The Saturday evening broadcasts did not mention the deaths of Israeli soldiers Friday or Saturday or the injury to two others involved in a gunfight with Palestinian fighters in a car near Gush Katif in Gaza. The Palestinian fighters killed in the car were identified [Muhammad Yasseen al Madhoum, 22, from Shati Refugee Camp, and Mundhir Hamzi Yasseen, 23, from Gaza City] but VOP made no mention of their weapons or that they had opened fire.

Instead, the incident was reported as “Israeli occupation forces had killed two men driving in a civilian car”.

Elsewhere, on the diplomatic front, VOP has chosen to highlight the trip of Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson as well as the activities of Palestinian officials at the UN and in Europe demanding an international war crimes tribunal.

VOP opened up a new front on Saturday night with commentary that Israel was deliberately targeting reporters covering the conflict. Palestinian Broadcast chief Radwan Abu-Ayyash said in an interview that this was only a continuation of Israel’s attacks on VOP radio transmitters.

VOP continues to give first priority to the battle front: graphic descriptions of injuries and Israeli “tyranny”, stressing the number and identity of “martyrs”, anyone killed in fighting with Israeli forces.

Throughout the broadcasts, there is background music of martial quality-with highly patriotic and Islamic sub-themes, underscoring the need for martyrdom and for re-taking Jerusalem.

There is no attempt on VOP to resurrect the idea of negotiating with Israel. The terms “peace”, “cooperation” and “restraint” appear in very strict contexts.

“Peace” is only consistent with a total Israeli withdrawal from “Palestinian lands” including all settlements and Jerusalem.

“Cooperation” is never used in the Israeli context, but only with reference to other Arab parties-the Islamic Conference, Hamas, brother Arab states.

“Restraint” or “limits” are what has to be imposed on Israeli aggression, and not on any Palestinian action.

Official PA Radio News: The PBC Radio, November 10

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and analysis

The Voice of Palestine has given relatively little coverage to the Clinton-Arafat meeting Thursday afternoon beyond a recitation of Palestinian positions. There were no descriptions of the tone of conversations or of their content-beyond what Arafat said to Clinton.

The question remains: Is this a sign that the meeting, from the Palestinian standpoint, did not go well?

Morning Headlines, 8 a.m.

  • His excellency President Yasser Arafat discusses with Presient Bill Clinton in the White House a full range of subjects regarding the peace process and the continuing Israeli aggression against our people;
  • The great champion and martyr ‘Abayyat will be brought to rest in Bethlehem, the city of the Messiah, this afternoon;
  • The Palestinian Authority strongly condemns [yudeenoo] the loathsome assassination operation carried out by occupation helicopters against one of the commanders of the Fatah movement in Beit Sahur;
  • Jordan strongly condemns the Israeli escalation as unrighteous and dangerous to innocent Palestinian citizens;
  • The Minister of Cooperation estimates that the diplomatic moves of the Human Rights Commission in our country will lead to an international investigation of war crimes committed against our people;
  • Ministers from Islamic countries begin the second day of deliberation on the subject of Palestine.

11 a.m. Headlines (additional)

  • Israeli Broadcasting announced that two policemen from the occupying forces in the streets of the city were injured in an explosion in occupied Jerusalem;
  • The Qatari foreign minister announced that his country had closed its trade mission with Israel, and he criticized the United States for tilting in Israel’s favor.

1 p.m. News (includes live coverage from funerals)

Headlines

  • Worshipers at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque raise the Palestinian flag atop the holy shrine of the Dome of the Rock;
  • Bethlehem accompanies the martyr Hussein ‘Abbayat to final rest while Gaza pays homage to martyr Mahmoud Shuraab;
  • Confrontations renewed in Qalqilya, Jenin and Hebron;
  • President Yasser Arafat discusses with President Bill Clinton the stationing of an international force for protecting our people.

Quote of the Day

“The Cabinet Secretary of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Hassan Abdul-Rahman, in a statement issued yesterday, said this assassination was a dangerous escalation taken by the Israeli government and its military command and a new step in the direction of state terrorism practiced by the Israeli army against our people and its strugglers, and placing the responsibility for the consequences of these actions on Israel.”

Official PA Radio News

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

VOP continues to lead its news shows with details of martyrs’ deaths, funeral times and graphic descriptions of those wounded. The second area of concentration is the diplomatic front: efforts By Yasser Arafat, Saeb Erikat and Nabil Sha’ath to get approval for an international protection force and for a war crimes tribunal-in addition to an US-headed fact-finding mission.

The PA leadership is emphasizing that Yasser Arafat is not only demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the right of return of Palestinian refugees to homes from before 1948, under UN resolution 194.

The Israeli helicopter liquidation of a senior Fatah operative-Hussein Abbayat– was roundly condemned by VOP, quoting statements from the Palestinian Leadership. [cNote: The PA leadership had no trouble using the vehement term yudeenoo [harshly condemn] in this case, while it could not find anything similar when it “disapproved” of the car bombing in Mahane Yehuda last week-or scarcely mention the murder two days ago of an Israeli woman at the edge of the Gaza airport.] VOP also prominently broadcast Fatah threats for “revenge” against Israel and especially “war criminal” Shaul Mofaz, the Israeli army chief of staff.

VOP stressed that the Fatah operative’s vehicle was sayyara madaniyya [civilian vehicle] and that Israel’s actions were terrorist and against the rules of war. Until the Israeli attack there was still a confident tone to Palestinian statements (see Abdul-Rahman below) that the PA was controlling events and was making fulfillment of its complete demands (including right of return) a condition for peaceful relations and regional stability.

Interview with PA Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Abdul-Rahman

[Note: Elements of the interview were re-broadcast for 12 hours and used as headlines throughout the day.]

Question: Six more martyrs yesterday (a seventh died of wounds suffered earlier) an shelling on houses and hospitals as Israeli aggression continues. What does Israel want from this policy?

Answer: It is clear to everyone in the world that Israel has chosen the Military solution instead of continuing with diplomatic means to a peaceful solution. Israel is trying to overcome the Palestinian people with armed forces. This will have no positive benefit. The continuation of warlike aggression has opened up the eyes of the world to the reality that is Israel.

If Israel were really a peace-loving state then it would withdraw from Palestinian and Arab lands, and it would not interfere with Palestinian self-determination and would not build settlements and would not maintain forces. This is occupation. This is an evil war of aggression against the Palestinian people. That is why we need an international protection force.

Question: People are asking where is peace now? [This may be intended as a pun. In the Arabic i.e. Peace Now, the Israeli peace movement.]

Answer: This is a battle campaign which was forced on us, on our people. We were serious in our efforts for peace based on Israel withdrawing from our territory and on respecting all our rights over our land and over our holy places. This is a war forced on us, and in the final analysis, there will be peace, but there will not be peace unless it is based on the realization of a Palestinian state with Holy Jerusalem as its capital and the complete [emphasis in the original quote by Abdul-Rahman] withdrawal of Israeli forces and settlers who have formed gangs of killers preying on peaceful Palestinian citizens. This is a war forced on us, and there is no place for any Israeli force on even one meter of our Palestinian land. And there is no place for settlers on this land. We will continue to defend ourselves. We will remain steadfast against this aggression until every grain of our Palestinian land is returned-as well as all our holy places the first of them being Holy Jerusalem.

Question: Ehud Barak has told the world leaders that it is a question of Security for Israelis.

Answer: We have heard and grown accustomed to all these threats. Whether it Is 24 hours or 48 hours which Barak shoots off periodically from one day to the next. And the next day he goes to world leaders to try to place blame on the Palestinian leadership. The whole world sees all these tanks, these artillery and these missiles, the soldiers, the settlers and their crimes. Israel is exposed to the world, and all its words-which Barak throws at all the world leaders: that he recognizes a Palestinian state and that the Palestinians refuse a cease-fire and are using violence– are just empty talk.

The world knows the truth. The Barak Government is and Israel are the ones who refuse peace and wish to fill us up with their occupation and their settlements. And they hold responsibility for their criminality for which there is no alternative but for them to be judged for their responsibility before an international tribunal for war criminals.

Detail and Headlines

7 a.m. morning headlines

  • Seven martyrs today join the pious stars of the Intifada, and tens wounded as Israeli tanks and artillery shell buildings and hospitals;
  • President Arafat is in Washington today for talks with President Clinton;
  • UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson is holding a meeting with war criminal Ariel Sharon and Occupation Mayor Ehud Olmert in an investigation of Israeli crimes;
  • Finnish Parliament Speaker (name unclear) cancels trip to area in protest over continued Israeli closures;
  • Saudi Arabia will participate in Islamic summit…;
  • Israeli Occupation forces declare area of Mosque of Bilal Bin Rabah [Rachel’s Tomb] in Bethlehem a closed military zone;

4 p.m. afternoon

  • “Bethlehem prefecture is beset by a strong emergency after the assassination operation against the martyr Hussein ‘Abayat and three other martyrs;
  • Four year-old baby Mahmoud Shuraab is martyred in Khan Yunis;
  • Occupation forces today clamp military closure on area of Mosque of Bilal, preventing worshipers from approaching area;

Song of the Day: Jerusalem Operetta
(partial verses)

Our land, our land, our land
Is ours is ours is ours
Jerusalem is ours
Sabra Shatilla and the martyrs of Jerusalem
A thousand woes, a thousand woes

Coverage (from 4 p.m. news round-up)

Announcer: “In Jerusalem, the Mukassid Hospital announced the martyring of Aziza Danon who died of the aggressive missile attack in Beit Sahur, and a report from Muhammad Abd-Rabbo.

Good Afternoon.

Abd-Rabbo: Good afternoon.

Announcer: The martyr Aziza Danon reached hospital in what condition?

Abd-Rabbo: Well, yes. Her appearance terrified anyone who saw it. I was one of the few who saw her, her body, before her martyrdom (i.e. moments before death). More than sixty pieces of shrapnel penetrated the body of the martyred citizen Aziza Danon including most of her stomach and stretching also from her head to both of her legs.

According to relatives of the citizen who were with her in the hospital, she was struck while inside the house of her sister and was struck by missile fire which also struck other citizens’ houses.”

9 p.m. Evening News

  • The Palestinian Leadership strongly condemns (yudeenoo) the loathsome assassination operation carried out by an Israeli helicopter and causing the martyring of three in Beit Sahur;
  • Jordan condemns the assassination operation against Abayyat while Israel brags about it;
  • President Arafat continues talks in the White House with President Bill Clinton;
  • The Human Rights Commission begins it visit to Palestine tomorrow;

Quote of the Day

“The Palestinian Leadership today strongly condemns the loathsome assassination carried out by Israeli occupation helicopters against the commander, the struggler, the leader in the Fatah national movement, Hussein Abayyat who was martyred along with two citizens today. And cabinet secretary Ahmad Abdul-Rhman in a press statement deemed the action a dangerous step and an act of international terrorism practiced by the Israeli army against our people and its strugglers. And he said there Would be dangerous consequences to this escalation. He said the action would not dissuade our people form their steadfastness against the occupation. From its standpoint, Israel bragged about its operation that left three martyrs and four wounded. Deputy Israeli War Minister Ephraim Sneh in a CNN interview said Israel was the world’s champion at street fighting”.
(from 9 p.m. news round-up)

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 8

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

The Voice of Palestine downplayed the murder of an Israeli woman near the Gaza Airport this morning, first largely ignoring the event and then treating it only as an Israeli claim.

The item was “the Israelis claim a woman was killed near the Rafah terminal this morning,” said the VOP announcer at 11:05 a.m., tacking the “claim” of murder to a much longer item about the Israeli closure of the Gaza Airport -and without mentioning that the woman’s attackers had actually cut through the airport fence and attacked her on airport grounds. Later, the item about the woman (which only appeared at 11 a.m.) was dropped entirely from the newsline-up.

VOP instead emphasized that Israel had closed down the airport without justification, hurting the people of Gaza with this “act of aggression.” This item ran continuously at the top of the news throughout the day.

VOP continues to press hard for an international investigation (in addition to the commission setup by Bill Clinton) as well as an international war crimes tribunal. VOP commentators and reporters now regularly refer to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Army Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz as “war criminals.” Palestinian Authority Justic Minister Freih Abu-Medein even advocated yesterday having Israeli war criminals brought to justice in an Arab capital (suggesting perhaps the kind of Eichmann-like mission by which Israelis brought Adolf Eichmann to Israel for trial from Argentina. Excerpts of Abu-Medein’s comments yesterday appear at the bottom of this report.

As it did earlier this week, VOP continues to lead its news shows with list of martyrs who are often referred to as “stars of the Intifada.”

November 8 Morning Interview of Saeb Erikat by Reem Abu Ghazala: “And now we will look at the diplomatic efforts by the Palestinian Leadership to stop Israeli attacks and to put an end to the Israeli occupation forever. We asked Dr. Saeb Erikat about the trip to the United States of President Yasser Arafat to meet with President Bill Clinton and this is what he said:

Erikat: “President Yasser Arafat will demand an end to Israeli aggression, Israeli sieges, Israeli closures as well as (installing) an international protection force along with the formation of an international tribunal. The international force we are demanding will be not fixed to locations but mobile units along fixed locations and these are the June 4 1967 borders including Holy Jerusalem.”

Detail and Headlines

7 a.m. morning headlines

  • “The masses will accompany today the three martyrs of yesterday who fell before the bullets of the occupation and the terrorism of the settlers-and their names: the child Ahmad Amin Hufash, his age 7 years who was deliberately and criminally killed by a settler, the youth Abdullah Ghanam of Bethelem and Said Abu Hatlah of Rafah;
  • Occupation forces shell with heavy artillery the mosque of Ribah, Beit Jallah, Beit Sahur and the Aida Refugee Camp;
  • President Yasser Arafat heads to Cairo today before his trip to the American capital;
  • The Security Council to discuss Palestinian request for international protection force;
  • The approaching results of the contest for the White House between George Bush and Al Gore;
  • The United States last night officially announced the formation of the fact-finding commission in Palestinian lands since the beginning of the Israeli aggression.

2 p.m. Lead Headline

  • “A fourth martyr was laid to rest a short while ago today with the other stars of the Intifada-and his name Muhammad Nusbah Abu-Ghalib,19 year old, from the workers’ neighborhood in Khan Yunis, who was martyred when occupation bullets struck him straight in the heart”

(Note: This broadcast also highlighted the closure of Gaza airport but made no mention of the murder of the Israeli woman in the airport precincts.)

6 p.m. headlines

  • “Occupation forces escalated their aggression against our innocent people, turning six into and wounding tens more, some gravely;
  • At the same time, occupation forces closed off Palestinian air corridors, while tightening the siege on the entry to the cities, closing the Rafah terminal, and using artillery to shell Eastern Gaza;

(Note: There was no mention of the killing of the Israeli woman in Gaza — either in the headlines or in the news in detail.)

Song of the Day

“Hands, Hands, Hands
Hands, Hands, Hands
The Voice of the Rocks
Above the Voice of the Thieves.
The Eyes cry with yearning,
The small hands hold a stone
Daring the aggressors”

(Opening words of song broadcast as lead-in to morning news round-up, 7 a.m., November 8, 2000)

Bringing War Criminals to Justice

Remarks of Freih Abu-Medein, Palestinian Justice Minister, advocating that the Arab governments set up their own war crimes tribunal and bring Israeli officials to judgment (Voice of Palestine, November 7, 2:45 p.m.)

“We have to take measures, according to international law, against the war criminals. The meaning of that is that even if one of them cannot be judged in Israel, then they can be brought to judgment in an Arab capital as what happened with (name unclear) in Britain. They have to be brought to trial-as what happened in Bosnia and Kosovo.”

“We don’t expect everything to take place like a bolt of lightning, but we, in the situation of continuing aggression against us, we have to find an answer with our brother Arab (government) ministers for all our demands an answer for all the cases of all the generals: (Ariel) Sharon in Sabra and Chatilla and continuing with (current Israeli Chief of Staff Shaul) Mofaz in the current situation who gave instructions to fire at the heads and the eyes (of demonstrators).”

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 7

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

The Voice of Palestine continues to emphasize Palestinian deaths and casualties, focusing on graphic accounts of injuries (e.g. “Israeli bullets struck his heart” or “occupation bullets pierced his eye”-from November 6, 9 p.m. news) and detailed reports of the use of heavy weapons (the various calibers of bullets, the model of tanks and missiles in each attack) against peaceful Palestinian residences.

At the same time, VOP is anxious to convey to its audience in Arabic that diplomatic efforts to bring an international protection force are reaping fruit and that the Palestinians are not alone. VOP continues to focus on health missions from Arab countries who are sending blood and taking wounded for treatment.

VOP emphasized in its morning broadcasts that Gaza airport is once more open.

In both this morning’s and last evening’s reports, there is a tone of confidence (despite the apprehension at being isolated) that the Palestinian Leadership is in control of events and can negotiate from strength even with President Clinton (whose presidential title is sometimes dropped from references [see below]-and not by accident).

Quote of the Day

“Home Rule Minister Saeb Erikat announced that President Yasser Arafat will tell President Clinton in their meeting that there is no solution except an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. And Erikat affirmed, speaking before the Legislative Assembly in Ramallah, that President Arafat will make it clear to Clinton any proposal that does not include Holy Jerusalem as capital of our independent state will refused by our side.”

Responsibility for Events

VOP continues to broadcast prominently the statements and interviews of the Fatah Tanzeem organization and the Fatah Shabiba Organization along with lengthy and positive interviews with their leaders,such as Marwan Barghrouti. For example, last night VOP beamed a statement to its listeners from the Fatah Shabiba (Fatah Youth) organization lauding the 40-day-long intifada (note: beginning September 26/7, the day before Sharon visited Jerusalem holy sites) in line with the unity of purpose of the Palestinian Leadership.

The statement read in part: “Executing the intifada is an effort to achieve the goals of freedom and independence for our people, establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

The continuing appearance of Fatah Tanzeem and Fatah Shabiba statements and spokesmen on VOP is a strong sign that their statements and actions have the sanction of the Palestinian Authority which operates VOP.

Detail and Headlines

November 7 – Morning Headlines

  • “Three more martyrs yesterday and their names are Muhammad Nawaf al-Taaban, Muhammad Mustafa Najar and Wajdi Alam Khatab;
  • The Leadership meets to discuss the latest developments of continuing Israeli aggression, and the Leadership thanked Arab and international efforts at cooperation and aid;
  • His Excellency President Arafat met last night with the Qatari foreign Minister?
  • “Moving its tanks and artillery forward, occupation forces attacked in Dura, Jericho and Salfit;
  • UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson begins her mid-east trip tomorrow;

Addendum to Morning Edition

The Voice of Israel in Hebrew and the Jerusalem Post reported this morning that the Palestinian Authority had informed the B’tselem Movement (that monitors Israeli human rights abuses) that it would try to keep children under 16 years of age from participating in demonstrations thatmightturn violent.

Btselem told Voice of Israel that PA Information and Culture Minister Yasser Abed-Rabbo assured B’tselem that the PA had begun a campaign to prevent children from being drawn into violent confrontations.

However, on voice of palestine radio there was no sign whatsoever of this campaign.

VOP did not report even once the problem of children getting wounded and sometimes killed.

Indeed, minister Yasser Abed-Rabbo, who appeared in a live interview with VOP this morning at 7:40 a.m., did not make any comment at all about the children in violent demonstrations or rioting.

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio November 6 -AM

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Quotes of the Day

“There will be no peace, no security and no stability in the Middle East until the Israelis end their occupation.”
(Taib Abdel-Rahim, PA Presidential secretary [one of Arafat’s top advisors] 7:00 a.m. headline and Morning Spotlight.
Note: this quotation was given by VOP announcers, not in Abdel-Rahim’s voice. Spotlight quotes [see below] are in his voice.)

“We threw the Israelis out of Lebanon, and we will throw them out of Hebron.”
(Yousef al-Kazzaz,senior VOP commentator, during morning commentary, 8:35 a.m., Nov. 6)

Summary and Analysis — November 6, 2000

VOP’s news shows are concentrating on reports of heavy fighting (according to VOP) in Tulkarm, Beit Sahur, Hebron and Bethlehem, among other locations. The descriptions from field reporters are graphic, bordering on the hysterical (especially Salim Abu Salih in Hebron) including phrases such as “as dum-dum bullets pierced the six-year-old’s chest” and “using chemical weapons on women and children.”

VOP also featured claims by Fathi Arafat, head of the Palestinian Red Crescent (and Yasser Arafat’s brother) that Israel is trying to destroy the Red Crescent physically and organizationally.(Israel has charged that Red Crescent ambulances have been used to move Palestinian fighters and their ammunition.) VOP is also featuring prominently reports of Israeli forces entering hospitals, attacking ambulances and preventing health care to needy Palestinians.

VOP interviews and the daily commentary suggest that Yasser Arafat is going to Washington with a sense of confidence that he can make Bill Clinton (fearful of regional instability following another Palestinian-Israeli clash) force Israel to make far-reaching concessions [see below].

VOP Commentary with Analysis

“A Palestinian-American summit this Thursday in Washington between the two presidents-President Yasser Arafat and President Bill Clinton.

“Whatever the results of the American elections, His Excellency President Arafat is carrying with him among his papers a small portfolio with strong contents and mailing address: the Palestinian people through its elected leadership is committed to consummating the (current) emergency with complete freedom and Palestinian legitimacy for which it has resolved with the necessary political power from the sons of our Palestinian people-both as a stance and as a national decision-a Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its capital.

“The Israeli settlements will not remain on Palestinian soil because they are a minefield for peace process, killing Palestinian citizens and destroying Palestinian land.

“Therefore our Palestinian people have undertaken-both to the American side and to the Israeli side-that these two sides’ leaderships will be strong enough to choose a peace that is based on international legitimacy, resolutions 242 and 338.

“We recall that the American Republican Party, under the leadership of former president George Bush, reinforced the terrorist Shamir in toughening conditions for the Madrid Conference.

“But the American Democratic Party is too weak to force Israel to keep its obligations and conditions based on international legitimacy and the Madrid Conference.

“The Israelis themselves-specifically Uri Savir-say that Barak’s heart is with the Israeli Right, linked by love to Israeli settlement.

“And O Ye Israeli women and mothers, we have started-in the women’s movement — taking out the settlements. We have raised the slogan: We have taken our soldiers out of Lebanon and we will take them out of Hebron, ending the prohibited killing of Palestinian children.

“We say, we Palestinians, that if the Israelis want to live as a people, a tranquil life, then they must force their leadership to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian lands-first of all Holy Jerusalem occupied in ’67. And they must also force the settlements to pull out of Palestinian lands and into the Green Line or into any other place in this world.

“And we say to the Americans-no matter who their president is: Israel will not remain the guardian of American interests God Willing, if it continues its occupation of Palestinian soil, if it continues its settlement and its Judaization (of the land).

“Palestinian blood will defeat occupation, settlement and Judaization and siege and bullets and tanks and missiles.

“Let the Americans and Israelis remember that Iranian people defeated the largest army in the world at the time– the army of the Shah of Iran in 1979.”

Analysis

The comments of Taib Abdel-Rahim and Youssef al-Kazzaz underscore the confident-even threatening- and somewhat anti-American tone of Palestinian Authority officials on the eve of the Washington summit. VOP has compared Palestinian Intifadists over the last two days to fighers from Vietnam, Algeria and Iranian revolutionaries. There is a sense that whatever Yasser Arafat is telling his diplomatic interlocutors, he believes he is controlling events, not just on a local level, but a regional level.

Attitude to Reconciliation or Negotiation with Israel

There is no attempt whatsoever on VOP to offer reconciliation with Israel or restraint of Palestinian forces-unless all Palestinian demands are met.

Morning Headlines
(7 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m.)

  • “One woman martyred and ten injured in scores of incidents in the homeland;
  • Masses in the Shujaiyya Camp in Gaza will accompany the martyr Marwan al-Ghamri today;
  • Settlers continue their aggression against our citizens in several locations;
  • Occupation forces use artillery and heavy weapons to attack houses in Jericho, Jenin, Hebron,Tulkarm and Qalqilya;
  • Power shortages in Hebron due to Israeli shelling;
  • White House announces invitation to President Arafat Thursda and to Barak on Sunday;
  • Presidential Secretary Taib Abdel-Rahim,speaking for President Arafat says there will be no peace, no security and no stability in region until all Palestinian national goals are met.”

Morning Spotlight
Taib Abdel-Rahim,Presidential Secretary
(speaking in Gaza meeting, offered on VOP verbatim)

“The whole world is with us against the occupation and demanding international protection and demanding an international investigation to pursue those occupiers and war criminals who believe that power will overcome our people.

“They will not benefit from their machinations and from their previous lessons. For this people will not be denied except only by Allah.

“We cling to a peace of the brave, and not a peace for cowards-which is what they are trying to force on us. Any peace like that will be refused by us with blood.”

Morning Interview
Ahmad Qureia, Speaker of Parliament

Question: What is your view of the upcoming summit?

Answer: “I think the American president has many opportunities and enough time to deal with events based on international legitimacy-Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 as well as General Assembly Resolution 194-resolutions for which the U.S. voted. But in the recent period the U.S. has maintained positions not obligating the Israeli side and not demanding that the Israeli side carry out international decisions.

Question: The Israelis are demanding that there be no fire on Israeli neighborhoods?

Answer: “Well, the situation as to what the Israelis are initiating is that the Israelis want the Palestinians to evacuate (Arabic: tarhil) so that everything will be theirs. And I don’t see any progress in the Israeli position regarding the previous negotiations. They don’t want to change the situation. They want to attempt to systematize their occupation. The solution is the complete withdrawal from all Arab territories since ’67 and a just solution to the refugee problem. If the American administration wants such a solution (we say), ‘Welcome’ [Arabic: Ahlan wa-sahlan].”

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 1

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

VOP reports from the field emphasized with renewed vigor today Israel’s alleged use of internationally-banned weapons, underscoring Israel’s use of “chemical weapons” (as featured in simultaneous reports from Jenin and Tulkarm)

VOP continues to use a war footing in its broadcasting format-many feature shows have been cancelled, but some have been expanded such as “Ardina Linna” (Our Land Belongs to Us) which focuses on alleged violations committed by Israeli settlers. These alleged violations – including reports of attacks on Arab olive pickers-have become a regular staple of the news shows as well. (Last night, VOP also broadcast that Israel had attacked the Samarian/Jewish community near Nablus.)The morning news show’s interview guest was once again the Palestinian minister of health who provided a full hospital report concerning the Palestinian dead and wounded..

Headlines (7 a.m. / 8 a.m.)

  • “Continuation of the Intifada with five new martyrs yesterday;
  • Israel uses artillery and tanks in several locations;
  • The Leadership condemns Israel’s escalation and praises the posture of the united masses;

Headlines (4 p.m.)

  • “Occupation forces escalate their military aggression against the Palestinian people as Israeli rockets attack al-Khader while artillery attacks Tulkarm and tanks and armored personnel carriers attack Jenin;
  • Three new martyrs in violent confrontations today;
  • His excellency president Yasser Arafat presses Germany for the sake of the Palestinian cause, and Germany agrees to take patients to its hospitals;
  • Dr. Saeb Erikat goes to New York and Washington to demand an international protection force to safeguard our Palestinian people;
  • Israel continues worldwide campaign to blame Palestinian Authority for escalating the popular Intifada;

Attitude to Violence

Today and over the past three days, there has been a clear attempt by VOP to gloss over or even ignore Israeli civilian casualties.

The continuing shooting incidents at Gilo/Beit Jalla and at Ramallah-Al-Bireh/Psagot (among other locations) are reported as continuing premeditated and unprovoked “wicked” and “criminal” attacks on Palestinian civilians. There is no mention made whatsoever of the involvement of Palestinian military forces (Police Force 17) or the role of other armed units (Fatah Hawks,Tanzeem etc).

As through the first month of this “Al Aqsa Intifada,” there has been no official call (from the Palestinian Authority) for restraint on the part of the Palestinian people or even for parents to watch their children closely to make sure they do not get hurt.

Quote of the Day

“Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) says that the popular intifada in Palestinian lands is a clear political message to the world which says ‘our people and its leadership will not accept any political solution which does completely satisfy its rights, and it will not accept a decrease in its rights.’ And Mr. Abbas continued in an interview with our broadcast service station today that the intifada was a peaceful message that was not using violence, but violence was the Israeli message with tanks and artillery.

The Secretary of the Executive Committee stated that the pollution of the Jerualem Holy Shrine (Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif, i.e. the Muslim area atop the Temple Mount) by Ariel Sharon was the direct cause of the Intifada during this month and the Israeli procrastinations during negotiations was the indirect cause for this continuing popular Intifada.”

(October 31 evening news round-up on VOP)

(NOTE: THE original interview with Mahmoud Abbas, at 2PM was not re-broadcast. The original was not taped by our agency because of a radio frequency collapse on 103.4FM, but other analysts at the Voice of Israel (who apparently listened VOP’S other frequency at 91.5FM) say that the Abbas interview said something slightly different from what was reported by VOP: that the Sharon visit was NOT the main cause of the Intifada. Israeli officials have referred to the original interview.)

It would seem that the subsequent report on VOP was an attempt to put a different “spin” on the embarrassing quotation.

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 2, A.M.

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

In its prime-time news round-up at 7 a.m., the Voice of Palestine ignored the meeting between Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres last night.

Instead, VOP continued to emphasize military confrontation with Israel inits headlines and interview subjects. VOP continued to extol martyrdom and steadfastness in fighting “Israeli crimes.”

VOP chose to emphasize the fact that Israel had held up PA negotiator Saeb Erikat’s departure from Jericho to the United States where he is slated to push for an international “protection force.”

Erikat,who was the featured morning interview guest declared that he would be pressing for an international tribunal to judge Israeli war criminals.

In a second interview, the PA’s Gaza security chief, Muhammad Dahalan, asserted repeatedly that the last few days proved that “Israel failed” to impose its version of the recent Camp David understandings on the Palestinians.

Through the first three hours of programming today, there was no call for Palestinian restraint or for parents to watch their children.

Headlines and Details

During the 8am news summary, the Arafat-Peres meeting was mentioned in one terse sentence in a low item in the morning line-up (see below for details) explaining briefly that the meeting was held to stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

In the 9am bulletins in Hebrew, English and French, the Arafat-Peres meeting was the second item in the news line-up and was discussed more prominently, but again in the context of a cessation of Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

9 a.m. Headlines

  • “The masses of our people will give final honors to the six martyrs who fell before the bullets of the occupation forces(tne list of the martyrs);
  • In the confrontations yesterday about 170 citizens were wounded, eight of whom are considered in dangerous condition;
  • Israeli artillery shelling and fire continued through the late hours of the night, including populated areas in Al-Bireh, Beit Jallah, Beit Sahur, Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, al-Khader, the neighborhoods of AbuSneina and Tel Rumeida in Hebron, the Western approaches to Tulkarm.
  • President Yasser Arafat met last night with the Israeli Cooperation and Regional Development Minister Shimon Peres,and the meeting concentrated on stopping Israeli aggression against the sons of our people;
  • Fatah movement secretary Marwan Baghrouti clarified that the National and Islamic forces would NOT call today for a FULL strike in the West Bank and that the strike announced yesterday would encompass only Gaza;
  • Israeli tanks have withdrawn in the approaches of Gaza.
  • Settlers from Talmon which was built on Arab land near Ramallah and al-Bireh prevented citizens from picking olives.
  • Israeli authorities continuing closure of Gaza airport until tonight;
  • The 83rd anniversary of the dastardly Balfour Declaration under which Britain consented to the Zionist movement building a national home in Palestine for the Jews. And this accursed anniversary connects with the battle campaign of popular intifada by our people in defense of their land, their rights and their holy places and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its capital.”

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 2 – P.M.

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

The Palestinian Authority today broadcast its leadership’s tentative, halting and conditional acceptance of a ceasefire “understanding” with Israel under the terms of the Sharm al-Sheikh summit.

The communique, which called for Palestinians to use “peaceful means” to achieve national aims, was broadcast one hour after a car bomb exploded in a crowded Jerusalem market. But there was no mention of the bomb blast on VOP radio (for several hours), nor any clear condemnation of this attack or any earlier violence (except by Israeli forces) at any time during broadcasting today.

“The Palestinian National Authority and the government of Israel reached an understanding for the two sides to implement the understandings of Sharm al-Sheikh as set forth in the statement of President Clinton and the speech of President Mubarrak,” the statement began.

It was clear that the communique was both more and less than what many Israeli officials wanted. The PA statement did not speak directly about the need for Palestinian restraint, but it made many demands on Israel, thus leaving potential “escape clauses” for itself if Israel fails to meet all Palestinian conditions.

The communique stressed the Palestinian view that Palestinian compliance was contingent on a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Palestinian areas-especially Israeli tanks from approaches to Palestinian towns, and it also demanded Israel “restrain settler gangs who have continuously committed crimes against our people.”

The PA cabinet communique, which was read at 4pm on Voice of Palestine Radio, actually came more than two hours later than originally expected, and it followed PA President Yasser Arafat’s decision to pull back from his original agreement to read the communique himself on both Palestinian television and radio. (According to Israeli officials, Arafat first pulled back from the idea of a tv statement, and he subsequently refused to make any live statement on radio as well.)

Indeed, when the communique was released at 4pm, it followed several hours of halting hints to the communique’s content-as released by three close advisors of Arafat: spokesman NabilAbu-Irdeineh, Information Minister Yasser Abd-Rabbo and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nabil ‘Amr.

Palestinian execution of the agreement, ‘Amr asserted, “is subject to a complete cessation of the aggression against our people.”

The PA’s communique also included a demand for a restoration of the borders of June 4, 1967, “safeguarding” the Palestinian right of return and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, but its main subject comprised four key paragraphs:

“The Palestinian National Authority and the government of Israel reached an understanding for the two sides to implement the understandings of Sharm al-Sheikh as set forth in the statement of President Clinton and the speech of President Mubarrak…”

“The Palestinian leadership always conscious of its desire to abide by mutual obligations will closely observe what the Israeli side carries out, regarding its commitments to withdraw its occupation and its military units from populated areas occupied after September 28, as well as ceasing hostilities against the innocent sons of our people along with the removal of closures…”

“The Palestinian leadership sees the Israeli government’s ability to restrain settler gangs who have committed crimes against our people as a fundamental element in the cessation of violence and terrorism to which our people have been continuously exposed…”

“The Palestinian leadership which always stands by the popular and peaceful nature of the Intifada calls on the masses and the national forces to adhere to its stance, to continue mass demonstrations and expressions while clinging to peaceful means in all proceedings…”

After the 4pm news, VOP reverted to what has been its standard fare in the last few weeks: news programs opening with detailsf martyrs’ deaths and burials sandwiched between patriotic and Islamic songs with martial melodies. The 5pm news was introduced by a song in which a father sings about his son’s death as a martyr. The song, which has been very popular at VOP and on Palestinian state television, is about Muhammad Dura, the young boy shot while caught in the middle of a firefight between Israeli and Palestinian forces in Gaza.

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