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.

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