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Official PA radio news — 12th February, 2001

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

V.O.P. justified the murder of the Israeli driver Tzahi Sasson last night near the Jerusalem-Bethlehem by-pass tunnel, when it announced at the opening of its 8 a.m. morning news that the dead man was “a settler from Rosh Tzurim which was built on land (taken) from Hebron.” The broadcast also used the term “met his fate” for the death of the man who took a road whose use is specifically protected by several of Palestinian-Israeli agreements commonly known as “the Oslo Accords.”

The Voice of Palestine and other state-run Palestinian media also did not condemn the murder or broadcast any calls for restraint-though this is also required by the Oslo Accords.

Similarly, neither V.O.P. nor the Palestinian Authority in any of its other manifestations found it necessary to report-let alone to condemn or to try to restrain-the actions of the gunmen who re-opened fire on the Israeli neighborhood of Giloh last night.

At the same time, Yasser Arafat’s spokesman Nabil Abu Irdeineh “condemned” (that was the term used in Arabic-“yudeenu”) the way Israeli politicians have been speaking about Mr. Arafat. Abu-Irdeineh condemned particularly the comment by Meir Dagan (a retired general and counter-terrorism expect who advises Sharon) that Arafat should be arrested by Israel if it obtained concrete proof of his direct involvement in attacks on Israelis.

Abu-Irdeineh and PA Minister of Information Yasser Abd-Rabbo reaffirmed that the PA would not negotiate with Israel except from the point at which talks left off with the defeated Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

Abd-Rabbo likened the American and Israeli statements that the Taba and Clinton ideas were not biding to “game-playing” by children. The minister accompanying Yasser Arafat to talks in Egypt basically called Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon as well as George Bush and Bill Clinton “immature” or “un-serious” while extolling the virtues of the Palestinian Leadership which always sticks to its agreements and understandings (See interview below).

American Note

For the second day in a row, V.O.P. has been sprinkling its news programs with items of Iraqi casualties due to American and British actions. Yesterday, V.O.P. reported that two Iraqi children were killed when an old bomb left over from the 1991 Gulf War exploded.

Commentary

Several Israeli reports this morning and last night repeat the view that the escalating acts of violence-particularly the first fatal tunnel sniping and the Giloh shelling-are “rogue operations,” which Arafat opposes. But the escalating rhetoric at V.O.P.-including undisguised support for the Fatah Tanzeem gunmen and calls for judging Israel for “war crimes”-seems to dovetail with (if not actually to encourage) the escalating violence.

What is the reason for the violence and the rhetoric?

Some believe it is a way to “stir up the pot” and to insure increased pan-Arab and European involvement, but it may also be connected with the current visits of investigating commissions from the UN.–MW

Monday Morning Round-up Headlines

  • “Israeli forces continue their reinforced military and economic siege on Palestinian lands, extending their repressive actions against citizens;
  • In Bethlehem, shelling on residences and one person wounded after one Israeli meets his fate;
  • At this moment there is a shelling of the neighborhood in Ramallah that includes the Palestinian Broadcasting and radio;
  • The international commission on human rights investigate the Israeli violations and crimes against the rights of our Palestinian people, and members of the commission heard from Palestinian officials about the savage attacks, violations and crimes;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat is in Cairo as part of the framework of the cooperative Arab effort to attain peace in the region based on the resolutions of international legitimacy and the realization (lit: making real) of Palestinian national rights including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty and with Jerusalem as its capital;
  • The deliberations and dynamics of the Arab conference in Amman show their results, among them deep analysis and understandings on positions.;
  • Lifting of the closure of Palestinian airspace following meetings with the Israeli side yesterday, to be implemented (fully) tomorrow in connection with the Haj (the pilgrimage to Mecca);
  • Israel announces its opposition to a boycott of its products and its Finance Minister demands the National Authority lift warnings against trading with Israel, but the Authority (i.e. the Palestinian Authority) says the boycott is a decision of the masses;
  • In Israeli matters we will look at the new balance after the loss of Labor in the prime ministerial election, and at Sharon’s efforts to form a unity government with the Laborites.”

Usage Note

In the last three weeks, particularly in the last 10 days, official Palestinian media have begun to use the term “Kamil al-siyada” that means “completeness of sovereignty” or “fullness of sovereignty” when expressing Palestinian demands for statehood and control over Jerusalem. It appears that the usage is a direct attempt to respond to trial balloons floated by Ehud Barak and other Israeli officials for partial sovereignty or partial control or demilitarization.

Monday Morning 7 a.m. News Bulletin Headlines

  • “There are artillery shellings at this moment in the neighborhoods around the Palestinian Broadcasting and Television in El-Bireh;
  • Many of the residential neighborhoods in Bethlehem, El-Bireh, and Ramallah were subjected to fire last night, especially Bethlehem were 10 people were injured and one house was totally destroyed;
  • Israeli journalistic sources say the settler who was killed last night was from the settlement of Rosh Tzurim, one of the settlements of Gush Etzion built on land of citizens from the Hebron prefecture; (NOTE: the Gush Etzion settlements were built before the 1948 war on land that was purchased, and they were overrun during the war, with many of the settlers then slaughtered by local Arabs, while some settlers were taken prisoner and later traded back to Israel by the Arab Legion under Abdel-Qader al-Husseini)
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat is holding talks in Egypt with President Husni Mubarak;
  • The National Authority warns the Israeli army against pursuing additional racist attacks against the inhabitants of the Muasy neighborhood of Khan Yunis;
  • The International commission of Human Rights (of the United Nations) begins its investigation of Occupation violations of human rights.;
  • The opening of Gaza International Airport from tomorrow between eight in the morning until five in the evening as part of the transfer of pilgrims to the sacred shrine;
  • Sultan Qabus of Oman transfers a sum of millions of dollars to help workers of our people;
  • Seven Iraqi civilians injured and several buildings damaged in attacks by American and British planes on southern Iraq;
  • The regional development minister in the Barak Government, Shimon Peres, says that the chances of forming a national unity government are about 50 percent.”

Quote of the Day

“The member of the commission heard from Palestinian officials a detailed report on the attacks, crimes and violations. Dr. Ali Sha’ath, an official of the Ministry of International Development, announced that the economic losses since September 28 last year amounted to more three billion dollars.He said Israeli forces used various military means against the Palestinian people in an attempt to increase to kill the greatest number of innocent children and youths as possible as well as assassinating officials-a direct violation of the fourth Geneva Convention protecting civilians.”
From morning report read by Khalid Dabas, discussing Palestinian testimony to the international commission investigating human rights violations — 7:15 a.m.

Quotes from Interview with Yasser Abd-Rabbo, Minister of Information

“This is visit (to Egypt for talks with Mubarak) follows the Israeli election to review the results and to have consultations during this period. We and Egypt from the first day after the elections, we decided that we would not interfere in the choice made by the Israeli people although there are negative indications. Our position is clear. We are obligated to the agreements, ready to continue the peace process, but absolutely only from where the process reached, beginning at Camp David and ending at Taba, based on the source authority of the peace process-resolutions 242, 338 and resolution 194. We will not enter, and we do not accept and we never accepted partial or stop-gap agreements.We expect to carry out the (Taba) agreements, and we expect the same thing from the other side.

A final agreement requires a comprehensive agreement.that means first Jerusalem and the refugees and of course land and settlements which is the central matter. And all other things on which the final agreement is based.”

Question: “What do you say about what Barak said about Taba and the Clinton proposals?”

Answer: “Barak knows, Sharon knows and everyone knows that the process is not a game. When a government goes back on what it says, that is NOT SERIOUS

Important Note: “not serious” both in the common usage of Arabic and Hebrew in this context has a strongly pejorative connotation meaning “immature” or “inappropriate”.

We are returning to the point at which we arrived, and all this talk does not impress us or affect us.This is a campaign designed before the American Secretary of State Mr. Colin Powell is set to come to the region, at the gates of the forming of a new Israeli government. They all want – Mr. Barak and all of them-they want to form a national unity government with Sharon on the basis of Sharon’s program, and therefore they have to retreat from their past obligations and past positions. That’s their problem.

We believe that everything we discussed with Israeli governments is an important matter. It is something we have to work out together with responsibility. One cannot say something today and then return tomorrow and pull it back and retreat. That’s a shame.”

Official PA radio news – P.B.C. V.O.P. (Voice of Palestine) Radio, February 9-10

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

Throughout its newscasts on Friday and Saturday, the Voice Of Palestine-unlike the Voice of Israel-made no mention whatsoever of any contacts between Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon. It certainly did not report any friendly conversations-as was reported on the Voice of Israel radio news between Israeli and Palestinian leaders

On the contrary, V.O.P. published calls from the “national and Islamic forces” to launch major demonstrations and parades in support of an unfettered right of return by refugees to their homes.

Friday Afternoon Round-up Headlines February 9-4 p.m.

  • Three citizens wounded seriously in Gaza by Occupation bullets;
  • Tens of citizens wounded in El-Bireh;
  • The (Palestinian) National Authority says that any ideas to move forward the peace process must be based on international legitimacy;
  • The Human Rights investigating commission begins its investigation into Israeli violations in Palestinian lands, tomorrow, Saturday;
  • Ariel Sharon says he wants to achieve a non-belligerency pact with the (Palestinian) National Authority;
  • Demonstrations in Iran calling for freedom lead to 20 casualties;
  • Demonstrations in Indonesia calling for resignation of Wahid.”

Saturday Morning February 10- 8 a.m. Headlines

  • “Presidential advisor Nabil Abu-Irdeineh says Israel must accept principle of land for peace in order to get security and in order for talks to proceed from point where they left off. Without this, he said, there would be no progress in the peace process;
  • The oversight commission of the Arab summit continues its deliberations in Amman today on the foreign minister level;
  • The United Nations commission of inquiry begins its investigation today-first in Ramallah, then in Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah and Beit Jallah;
  • Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon has invited the Labor Party to participate in a unity government. He met with defeated prime minister Ehud Barak and they reviewed political and security subjects.;
  • The Security Council is discussing continuation of sanctions against Libya in the wake of the Lockerbie verdict;
  • A spokesman for the American Navy admitted that it had sunk a Japanese ship yesterday near Honolulu, with 10 people missing.”

Toward the end of the news cycle on Friday afternoon’s news programs, V.O.P. began to make note of the American and Israeli announcements that the Clinton proposals were a dead letter.

From Friday mid-day through Saturday night, V.O.P. concentrated on what it called severe Israeli shelling in Khan Yunis and Hebron Thursday night (Note: exactly why it took more than 10 hours to report the overnight shelling is unclear). There was no V.O.P. mention of a PA artillery shell having been fired at an Israeli settlement in Gaza (Israeli reports said Netzarim), although there was a V.O.P. report of “a big explosion” in the settlement of Kfar Darom.

Official PA radio news – P.B.C. V.O.P. (Voice of Palestine) Radio, February 11th

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

Voice of Palestine opened its Sunday noon news program with news that a special military court had sentenced a Palestinian to death by firing squad for working with Israel. An execution date was not announced, apparently because the condemned man, Muhammad Hassan Musalem, still has the right of appeal to President Yasser Arafat.

In addition, in one of its Sunday interviews, V.O.P. featured PLO Executive member Assad Abdul-Rahman who spoke of attaining refugee rights not only for Palestinians but also for Israeli Arabs displaced in 1948. This little-known feature of Palestinian ideology has not really intruded on the public debate, but the V.O.P. interview was a signal that the Palestinian Authority is not only not pulling back on its refugee demands, it is actually escalating them to include Israeli citizens, which IT (the PA) intends to represent in talks with Israel.

Instead of contacts between Arafat and Sharon (such as Yediot Aharonot and Kol Yisrael talking about Arafat’s greetings to Sharon’s new grandchildren), V.O.P. emphasized the contacts between Sharon and Ehud Barak to form a national unity government which Palestinian commentators said would not help Palestinian interests.

Rather than friendly contacts with Israel, V.O.P. is telling the Palestinian audience that the Palestinian leadership is doing everything it can to put pressure on Israel:

  • Making efforts to keep the Intifada going and even to escalate with the help of increased Arab aid;
  • Working hard to get the Mitchell Commission and the UN Human Rights Commission to condemn Israel and to cal for an international force to be placed in defense of Palestinians;
  • Pressing for a renewed Arab boycott of Israel.

Sunday Morning Round-up Headlines, February 11

  • The continuing confrontations and the attacks by the occupation forces go on, wounding a number of our citizens by the bullets of the occupation soldiers;
  • In Amman the meeting continues of the Oversight Committee (foreign ministers) of the Arab League summit in Cairo, discussing executing the decisions of the summit concerning the Intifada and the changes in the region and the changes in the American Administration as well as Sharon’s rise to power;
  • And in this news period we will take an in-depth look at the formation of the new government led by Ariel Sharon.”

Morning Headlines 7 a.m. / 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.

  • A large explosion in Kfar Darom, which was built on lands taken from Dir al-Balah, followed by a major exchange of fire and the occupation forces close the roads between north and south Gaza;
  • Occupation forces continue their aggression against our people in most of the prefectures;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat received the United Nations investigating commission in his headquarters in Gaza last night asking it to proceed quickly to stop the continuing aggression against our people and our lands.
  • Occupation forces extended their aggression against our people as Occupation special forces arrested the two brothers Rami and Jihad Awad al-Dik from Hawara near Nablus after opening fire on them and wounding them;
  • A farmer was wounded when he entered his lands and was fired upon by an Israeli settler in Turmos Aya in the Ramallah prefecture, along with confrontations in Kufr Malik in the prefecture under live fire and the use of gas canisters designed to cause tears (i.e. tear gas grenades);
  • In Hebron, two citizens were wounded in the Qarantina area, and in Gaza three citizens were injured near the Mintar crossing point and were taken to Shefaa Hospital for treatment;
  • Israeli forces endangered people in 22 residences in Khan Yunis in preparation of their demolition today, and the occupation authorities threatened to demolish the homes.;
  • The residents of Al-Khader in the Bethlehem district were subjected to severe Israeli shelling last night resulting in injuries;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat discusses with Terry Larsen, the special representative of the United Nations Secretary General, the latest political developments in the region and the difficult events enveloping our people;
  • His Excellency called on the UN’s investigating commission visiting Palestine to redouble its efforts into investigating the Israeli violations of the rights of our citizens. The head of the commission criticized Israel for lack of cooperation with the commission;
  • The Oversight Commission of the Arab League summit began its deliberations in Amman last night;
  • Farouk al-Qaddoumi, the head of the political department of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, said the commission would discuss ways for continuing support for the Intifada of our people;
  • Dr. Nabil Sha’ath, Minister of International Economic Development said the Palestinian Leadership would ask the summit meeting to develop an effective economic boycott of Sharon should he continue with his extreme policy against the Palestinian people;
  • The Jordanian monarch King Abdullah II called on the Israeli prime minister-elect Sharon to continue negotiations with the (Palestinian) National Authority from the point it left off with the Barak Government.
  • Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa calls on the Arabs for solidarity and for boycotting Israel in response the stern (also hard-line or unrelenting or severe) position held by Israeli prime minister Sharon (Note: they left out ‘elect’) to the peace process;
  • The Israeli Labor Party says it will respond today to the Likud proposals for a unity government headed by Ariel Sharon, and sources in the Likud say Sharon aims to achieve a unity government in two weeks.

Quotes from Interview with Dr. Assad Abdul-Rahman, member of PLO Executive, participating in Human Rights forum in Rabat Morocco, 7:20 a.m.

“The Palestinian refugees got special attention (at the forum) inasmuch as they constitute 70-percent of the Palestinian people, and therefore we cannot discuss what may happen to the Palestinian people without addressing this broad political question… and the rights of the refugees cannot be discussed except through a position of principle and in the context of human rights, and this follows also from resolution 194 (the resolution referring to refugees’ rights to return home)… There is also discussion that resolution 194 is not enough. for example, we found that many of the groups (in the conference) did not know about situation of the displaced persons inside the ’48 areas (Note: “’48 areas” is a reference to Israel, referring to “internal refugees,” i.e. Arabs who were displaced from one Israeli-ruled area to another Israeli-ruled area) and that’s a third of a million or two hundred fifty thousand…“

Official Palestinian Radio News: The Voice of Palestine (V.O.P.) February 8th

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Thursday Midnight News Round-up, February 8/9

  • “His Excellency President Yasser Arafat receives two telephone calls-one from President George Bush and one from his Secretary of State Colin Powell dealing with the peace process;
  • Mr. Nabil Abu-Irdeineh, the president’s advisor, underscores the necessity of the Israeli side adhering to the source authority of the Peace process and implementing the resolutions of international legitimacy;
  • Israeli aggression continues against our people and their possessions and several are wounded in attacks by occupation forces;
  • Egypt calls on the Israeli prime minister-elect to embark upon a policy of negotiation based on what was reached with the previous government.”

Morning Headlines, 7 a.m. / 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.

  • “His Excellency President Yasser Arafat receives two telephone calls-one from President George Bush and one from his Secretary of State Colin Powell concentrating on the peace process;
  • The President’s advisor, Nabil Abu-Irdeineh said the two presidents-Arafat and Bush-exchanged ideas on the peace process especially after the change in the Israeli government, agreeing to keep up contacts between them (Arafat and Bush);
  • From their points of view, both Minister of Information and Culture Yasser Abd Rabbo and Home Rule Minister Dr. Saeb Erikat said both of them that negotiations with the Israeli side would not resume except from the point at which they left off in Taba;
  • Heavy Israeli shelling from the settlement of Psagot last night fell on residents of Jabal Tawil in El-Bireh, wounding two citizens.;
  • In Hebron and Qalqilya, seven citizens were wounded, two seriously, in confrontations with occupation forces using gas;
  • Occupation forces arrested five citizens in Jericho and the Ghor Valley last night;
  • Two residents of Khan Yunis were arrested according to military sources when they tried to enter the settlement of Jedid south of the city;
  • Israeli sources say that the explosion in west Jerusalem Thursday night led to the wounding of one person, and the White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer said the explosion was reminder of the need to reach permanent and just peace in the Middle East;
  • Both the new prime minister Ariel Sharon and the outgoing prime minister Ehud Barak rushed to place responsibility for the incident on the (Palestinian) National Authority;
  • The American State Department announced that Washington no longer sees the proposal of the former American president Bill Clinton as a source authority for the peace process between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, and the Clinton thoughts will not return to play a major role in American proposals;
  • Likud candidate Ariel Sharon wins with 62.3 percent over resigning prime minister Ehud Barak, and by a margin of 24.7 according to final results announced last night by the Israeli Central Election Commission;
  • Egypt calls on the Israeli prime minister-elect Ariel Sharon to embark upon a policy of negotiation based on what was reached with the previous government;
  • From his point of view, Egyptian Defense Minister Mushir Tantawi said the Egyptian army was able and ready to respond to any foreign aggression and to respond to anyone foolish enough to attack Egypt;
  • First meeting since the election today between Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak;
  • Syrian President Bashar Assad said he believed it was possible to start a new political style in Syria, sharing power with the Ba’ath Party.”

Quote of the Day “Any negotiations with the Sharon Government have to proceed from the point left off at Taba..This is the way to security and stability in the region.” (Arafat advisor and spokesman, Nabil Abu Irdeineh in statement to Voice of Palestine-aired constantly on February 8 and February 9)

Official Palestinian Radio News: The Voice of Palestine (V.O.P.) February 9th

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Summary and Analysis

The Voice of Palestine is hammering home the view that there will be no talks with Ariel Sharon unless he picks up where Ehud Barak left off in Taba.

“From their two points of view both Minister of Information and Culture Yasser Abd Rabbo and Home Rule Minister Dr. Saeb Erikat said both of them that negotiations with the Israeli side would not resume except from the point at which they left off in Taba,” declared the V.O.P. announcer in the midnight news round-up, 12:03 a.m. Friday, February 9.

V.O.P. reported in a very low-key way (Thursday/Friday Midnight round-up) that the Administration of President George Bush asserted that the Clinton proposals were source authority for the peace process. But the report did not mention that Clinton himself and Ehud Barak seconded this view. In addition, V.O.P. and the PA continue to assert that unsigned Taba “understandings” with Barak ARE BINDING on the as-yet-unconfirmed Sharon Government.

Regarding last night’s car bombing in Jerusalem, V.O.P. continued in its policy of not condemning the act, adding that no one had taken credit for it. V.O.P. noted that the White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer had said the act showed the need to renew the peace process, without mentioning any American condemnation of the bombing.

Assessment; The Attitiude of the Palestinian Authority Towards the Israeli elections

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Over the past few days, V.O.P. has been adopting a two-tier information policy regarding the election of Ariel Sharon both before and after the election.

Before the Election

On the one hand, the PA took no official position on the contest between Sharon and Ehud Barak.

On the other hand, Senior PA officials such as Yasser Abd-Rabbo and Saeb Erikat focused on the dangers of Sharon’s potential election, and the Voice of Palestine ran detailed profiles calling Sharon a mass murderer whose intent was prosecuting endless war against the Arabs.

On the one hand, the PA took no stand against the planned boycott or organized blank-ballot led by the Israeli Islamic movement and various Israeli Arab political parties, respectively.

On the other hand, the PA and the Voice of Palestine missed few opportunities to suggest strongly that the election-especially of Sharon-would have a pivotal impact on the “peace process” and on the “struggle to achieve our national goals.”

Why did the PA adopt a two-tier policy before the election?

Perhaps for three reasons:

  • It did not want to be accused of interfering in Israeli affairs, especially when trying to help Barak would only have backfired anyway;
  • It did not try to make a frontal effort to overcome Israeli Arab boycott and blank ballot plans because it was likely to fail, and there is almost nothing Yasser Arafat hates more than to be shown to be suffering temporary political impotence among his own people;
  • The poll figures in Israel (which once again showed a pro-Left bias beyond the purported statistical error-the 18-point poll edge will become a 26 or 27-point official margin of victory after soldiers’ ballots are counted) made it unrealistic for Arafat to risk any more of his political capital by supporting a sure loser (Barak) and unnecessarily angering a sure winner (Sharon).

After the Election

On the one hand, PA President Yasser Arafat is taking a “we-respect the-choice-of-the-Israeli-people” tone.
On the other hand, Arafat’s top minister and advisors are saying that the Israeli election means nothing and that Sharon must implement even unsigned Barak-Arafat understandings.

On the one hand, Arafat and his advisor Nabil Abu-Irdeineh insist that they want peace.
On the other hand, Arafat’s top ministers and field officials-Saeb Erikat, Nabil Sha’ath, Yasser Abd-Rabbo and Marwan Barghouti-say the “Independence Intifada” will not only not stop but actually escalate until the Palestinians achieve total Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 frontiers, including first and foremost Jerusalem, dismantling of all settlements, and “the return of the refugees to their homes.”

On the one hand, Arafat says he wants comprehensive peace-“salaam kamil wa-shamil.”
On the other hand, Arafat and his top officials make it clear that they will not accept any interim settlements or staged withdrawals or phased agreements, and they will be ready to increase violence that will endanger regional stability. They hint broadly at effects on oil prices and a regional war.

On the one hand, they insist that they never accepted the Clinton proposals for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.
On the other hand, they insist on the Clinton proposals as the starting point for further Israeli concessions. On the one hand, they call for an increased American role to push Israel into compliance.

On the other hand, they insist and invite the European community, Russia and the United Nations (especially Kofi Anan and Mary Robinson) to impose a settlement on Israel and to investigate, try, convict and punish (NOTE: Arafat and his Justice Minister Freih Abu-Medein are willing to skip straight to the punishment phase) Israeli war criminals.

Conclusions

Does this mean that war or even unending Palestinian-Israeli confrontations are inevitable?

Not necessarily.

Despite the fact that Arafat’s popularity actually rose with the rise in violence, the Palestinian-Israeli War of Attrition has caused severe internal crisis in the Palestinian camp.

There is a possibility that a new balance of power, a new balance of deterrence/aspirations may be struck between Arafat and Sharon, especially if Sharon is able to consolidate his government.

But this will require Sharon overcoming tremendous obstacles, and it will also require Arafat to lessen the expectations of his people, while re-educating them to the idea that “cooperation with Israel” is not something for which one will face a firing squad.

In preparation for his PhD at Bar Ilan University, Michael Widlanski has been following the official media of the nascent Palestinian Authority for the past five years.

Official PA radio news – ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE the P.B.C. V.O.P. (Voice of Palestine) Radio: February 6

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Special Bulletin, 9 p.m., Israel Election Night

Summary and Analysis

Already at 9 p.m. V.O.P. quoted Danish reports that Ariel Sharon had won the Israeli elections, but it noted that a final result would come with the 10 p.m. Israeli television exit polls. V.O.P. said most recent polls showed a gap of 20-percent for Sharon over Barak.

V.O.P. noted that there was a strong boycott of the elections by Arab voters, with most Arab communities showing less than one percent turn-out by six thirty p.m., while overall voting at that time had reached 58 percent.

V.O.P. broadcast warnings by West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti that the Intifada would continue and even intensify.

“Sharon is the last bullet in the Israeli ammunition clip,” asserted Barghouti. He said that israelis would discover that Sharon could not bring them security and that he would be the biggest failure in their history. The only way to work with Sharon, Fatah Secretary Barghouti said, was to continue and escalate the Intifada.

V.O.P. repeated Yasser Abd-Rabbo’s comments that a Sharon victory represented a victory for the Fascist and extremist Right in Israel.

Radio Analysis and Excerpts

Summary and Analysis

V.O.P. escalated its verbal pummeling of Ariel Sharon Tuesday, but stopped just short of a direct endorsement of Ehud Barak. V.O.P. basically said “Sharon is an evil monster”, pronouncing him a racist and Fascist as well as a mass murderer, even as it largely ignored the call by many Israeli Arab politicians and Islamic leaders for a boycott or a blank ballot.

During V.O.P.’s morning news shows, it portrayed Sharon as someone who continued to flout the law in Israel and Arab sensibilities, asserting that Sharon was planning to make an illegal campaign appearance in the “colony of Gilo” in Jerusalem (i.e. the Jerusalem neighborhood that had been targeted by Palestinian snipers for several weeks).

The Palestinian Authority Minister of Information, Yasser Abd-Rabbo, was the featured 8:05 a.m. Tuesday morning interview, and he said that Sharon represented the “extremist right wing” in Israel and its “fascist” approach to the use of power.

In its news summaries, V.O.P. said “Israeli voters are choosing between the head of the Labor party, Ehud Barak, and the extremist, right-winger, the leader of the Likud party, Ariel Sharon.” Barak was pictured as indecisive and a sure loser, while Sharon was depicted as a fascistic mass murderer. There was no mention in the headlines of the option of boycotting the elections or casting a blank ballot.

The tone of programming is reflected by anchorman Samir Interr’s Monday morning political profile summation of Sharon:

“Ariel Sharon has a history spattered with blood and massacres.”

At the same time, V.O.P. did not hide its disappointment with Barak, calling him inconsistent and indecisive, and V.O.P. gave a lot of air time to coverage of what it called continuing Israeli aggression.

Elsewhere V.O.P. gave unusually great prominence to the demands of Libyan leader Muamar Qadhafi that sanctions be lifted against his country and that international figures such as Nelson Mandela review the Lockerbie verdict.

At the same time, V.O.P. continues to champion the cause of Saddam Hussein’s emergence from isolation and his forging of new economic and political ties.

Second Special Bulletin, 11 p.m.

Summary and Analysis

In its 11 p.m. broadcast, The Voice of Palestine referred to the election victory by “the extremist Likud leader Ariel Sharon.” However, V.O.P. featured comments by PA President Yasser Arafat that he would respect the election results in Israel.

V.O.P. also removed the caustic anti-Sharon comments of Yasser Abd-Rabbo (Sharon as fascist) and Marwan Barghouti (escalating intifada).

Arafat’s spokesman Nabil Abu-Irdeineh said that the Palestinian Authority would be willing to work with the new government provided it worked on the peace process linked to “international legitimacy” (i.e. UN resolutions) and the principle of “land for peace.”

Still, the tone of the broadcast was markedly anti-Sharon.

“Israeli television predicts a 19-point advantage for the extremist Likud candidate Ariel Sharon over his rival Barak,” the program began.

“We respect the choice of the Israeli people and will work for the continuation of the peace process,” V.O.P. quoted Arafat.

“We will work with any Israeli prime minister, but what interests us is the commitment to the peace process,” said Abu-Irdenieh in a prepared statement.

Abu-Irdeineh hinted strongly that the PA expects Sharon to abide by understandings reached with Barak and other Israeli leaders. Abu-Irdeineh said the agreements were between the PLO and the Israeli government. He further said that peace, security and regional stability were conditional on the Palestinians getting an independent state with complete sovereignty and independence including holy Jerusalem.

V.O.P. noted that Sharon had invited Barak to join a unity government.

V.O.P. also reported that President George Bush was set to call and congratulate Sharon, but that Denmark had announced its disappointment with the victory of “the extremist Sharon” and what effect this might have on the peace process.

Official PA radio news – February 7th & 8th

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

The Palestinian toughened its tone Thursday morning following a cabinet meeting Wednesday night, signaling its demands that Israel-under a Sharon Government– hold fast to all understandings reached with the Barak government as well as the Palestinian versions of UN resolutions. The Voice of Palestine also featured speakers who unabashedly spoke about extending and escalating the “Intifada” for the sake of pressuring Israel.

Summary and Analysis, February 7

On the ‘morning after,’ V.O.P. gave full coverage to the Israeli election victory of Ariel Sharon, emphasizing international concern for a continuing peace process. At the same time, V.O.P.’s second item-carrying over from Tuesday night-was Yasser Arafat’s statement saying the Palestinian Authority respected any choice by the Israeli electorate.

V.O.P. reiterated its late Tuesday night messages as expressed by Arafat and his spokesman, Nabil Abu-Irdeineh who insisted that the Palestinians “would cling to red lines” (i.e. no concessions on most important issues).

Abu-Irdeineh hinted strongly that the PA expects Sharon to abide by understandings reached with Barak and other Israeli leaders, especially, but not only, the principle of territory for peace. Abu-Irdeineh said the agreements were between the PLO and the Israeli government. He further said that peace, security and regional stability were conditional on the Palestinians getting an independent state with complete sovereignty and independence including holy Jerusalem.

V.O.P. noted that Sharon had invited Barak to join a unity government, but Barak had now announced his intention to resign the Labor Party leadership and even to leave political life (Note: This second element is overstated).

The morning round-up also featured Sports and Culture Minister Matan Vilnai’s complaint that the lack of voting by the Arabs had cost Barak the election, and it also headlined leftist party Meretz member Ran Cohen” saying that Meretz would oppose any national unity government.

{NOTE: as is the custom on V.O.P., there were no Hebrew speakers featured-even as short inserts with Arab talk-overs. The only Israeli politicians interviewed in recent days (and in general) were Arab Knesset members of leaders of the Islamic Movement all of whom favored boycotting the elections.}

PA Parliamentary Minister Nabil Amr, in a relatively short interview, admitted that the Palestinians were surprised by the magnitude of the Sharon victory, but Amr stressed “this great percentage gap (i.e. big advantage for Sharon) does not mean confidence in Sharon but speaks of the circumstances of the failure of Ehud Barak.”

V.O.P. also reported that President George Bush called to congratulate Sharon, but V.O.P. stressed that the congratulations from Bush and others were linked to Sharon pursuing the peace process.

In short, the Voice of Palestine and the Palestinian Authority have three prime messages in the day following Sharon’s victory:

  1. Barak lost big because he failed to deliver peace;
  2. the Palestinians will deal with sharon as long as he accepts Palestinians interpretations of international resolutions and Palestinian-Israeli agreements and understandings;
  3. The palestinians will continue their struggle for immediate implementation of their rights (this message was somewhat muted on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning but was strengthened through the day Wednesday and Thursday morning February 8.

(The Voice of Palestine was similar to the Voice of Israel-and most Israeli television commentaries– in stressing the personal failure of Barak, and in ignoring analysis-done on January 30, 2001– by the Tami Steinmetz Center at Tel Aviv University, for example, which showed that more than 70 percent felt Barak’s approach to the Palestinians was “too conciliatory.”)

Morning Round-up Headlines, Wednesday February 7

  • “Ariel Sharon, the leader of the rightist Likud realizes his triumph, clearly and convincingly, over Ehud Barak, the resigning prime minister, and exceeding the opinion polls with an advantage of 25 percent;
  • Near-total boycott of the elections by Palestinians inside the Green Line and ‘day-off’ for Israelis;
  • Resigning Prime Minister Ehud Barak acknowledges the overwhelming defeat and announces departure from head of Labor Party and political life;
  • Ariel Sharon calls for unity government with Labor Party and other parties;
  • Israel and the region enter a new stage, waiting and watching to see fate of the peace process, and actions of Sharon and his government towards peace;
  • And the stance Sharon had announced during the election campaign consists of an absolute fixture that the Oslo Agreement is dead, (preferring) long-term staged agreement while refusing to withdraw the army from additional (literally: new) territories, and continuing the occupation on all of Jerusalem, refusing to dismantle existing settlements and refusing the return of the Palestinian refugees;
  • The reactions from the (Palestinian) National Authority speak of working together with the prime minister of any elected Israeli government, in that the Palestinian side and the Israeli government are obligated to the peace process and respecting the agreements;
  • The American president George Bush telephones to congratulate Sharon, expressing readiness to work with Sharon.for the sake of peace;
  • The European Union congratulates Sharon expecting him to progress in the direction of peace.”

Morning Headlines, February 7 7 a.m. / 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.

  • “The triumph of the extremist Likud candidate in the Israeli election by about 25 percent over his labor party rival, resigning Prime Minister Ehud Barak. According to Central Election Commission figures, after 99-percent of the vote, Sharon has 62.5-percent and Barak with 37.4-percent;
  • And from the perspective of reactions, His Excellency President Yasser Arafat says we will respect the choice of the Israeli people;
  • The president’s advisor, Nabil Abu-Irdeineh, says the National Authority will work with any prime minister elected by the Israeli people and what interests us is the obligation to the peace process.;
  • Sharon invited Barak to join a national unity government.but Barak resigned the Labor Party leadership and his membership in the Knesset.;
  • Regarding Sharon’s victory, Economic Development Minister Shimon Peres said he would have beaten Sharon had he (Peres) been the candidate;
  • More than 130 citizens were injured in attacks by Israeli forces parades of rage that took place throughout the homeland, especially in attacks by Occupation soldiers in the northern approaches to El Bireh, Bir al-Nidam, Nabi Saleh, the prefecture of Hebron and Qalqilya.;
  • A Palestinian delegation led by Feisal al-Husseini went to Amman yesterday for talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel-Hilal al-Khatib;
  • Egyptian President Husni Mubarak and Tunisian President Zaid Abdeen Ben Ali asserted the need for an international protection force for our Palestinian people in the light of continuing Israeli aggression;
  • Ethiopia and Eritrea agree on zone of justice and Ethipian withdrawal next Monday;
  • American Secretary of State Colin Powell gives a special commentary to diplomats in Washington, calling for continued peace talks in the Middle East, referring to ‘steps for the sake of peace’ instead of ‘peace process.'”

Quote of the Day

“In his election campaign Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon set a clear platform. First of all, the Oslo Agreements from 1993 was dead and would not return.

Second, there would not be a withdrawal from new (i.e. additional) lands. But Sharon declared his intent for peace and said ‘we will not return to Nablus and Jericho.

Third, the continuation of Israeli occupation on all of Jerusalem and the refusal to accept any partition.

Fourth, there will NOT be any removal of any settlement because settlements exist in security zones, according to his view,.and this includes the Jordan Valley.

Fifth, the Palestinian state has to be demilitarized.” (From the first morning-after election report by Nizar al Ghul, 7:15 a.m., Wednesday)

Official PA radio news – P.B.C. V.O.P. (Voice of Palestine) Radio: Saunday Afternoon February 4th Until Tuesday Morning February 6th

By
​Center for Near East Policy Research
-

Israel Election Preview on V.O.P.

On Monday night and Tuesday morning, V.O.P. ushered in the Israeli elections-with a sharp escalation of anti-Sharon rhetoric and emphasis on a military escalation in the Gaza Strip alongside the Egyptian border.

V.O.P. led its Monday night Midnight news round-up and its Tuesday morning news shows with lead item about the closing of Palestinian air-space by Israel as well as intensification of the Israeli siege on Palestinian towns and cities.

“Not even one worker is being allowed into the Green Line,” V.O.P. intoned Tuesday morning.”

V.O.P. acknowledged that the Israeli actions followed the killing an an Israeli soldier along the Egyptian border in Rafah, but they made no mention of Israeli reports that a Palestinian fighter killed while infiltrating from Egypt who was carrying over 30 pounds of explosives on his body, nor that the Israelis are claiming that the Palestinian Arab refugee community of Rafah (half of which is in Egyptian territory and half on the pre-67 Palestinian/Israeli side) has become a nexus for smuggling anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority is making no bones of its distaste for and foreboding of Ariel Sharon, though stopping short of a formal call to vote for Ehud Barak.

The Palestinian Authority Minister of Information, Yasser Abd-Rabbo, was the featured 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning interview, and said that Sharon represented the “extremist right wing” in Israel and its “fascist” approach to the use of power.

In its news summaries, V.O.P. said “Israeli voters are choosing between the head of the Labor party, Ehud Barak, and the extremist right-winger, the leader of the Likud party, Ariel Sharon.”

V.O.P. portrayed Barak as indecisive and a sure loser, while the V.O.P. depicted Sharon as a fascistic mass murderer.

There was no mention in the headlines of the option of boycotting the elections or casting a blank ballot.

The tone of programming is reflected by anchorman Samir Interr’s Monday morning political profile summation of Sharon:

“Ariel Sharon has a history spattered with blood and massacres…”

Sunday Afternoon Round-up Headlines, February 4

  • “The funeral of Ahmad Abu-Kirsh in Gaza;
  • Another martyr whose identity is still unknown awaits burial
    [Note: In the bulletin detail section, V.O.P. explained that the unidentified “youth” was trying to infiltrate from Egypt, and later, Israeli Radio reported that the “youth” was carrying over thirty pounds of explosives on his body, and in the evening, the Islamic Jihad said the “youth” was one of its members who would be avenged];
  • Occupation authorities continue their animalistic earth-moving operations in east Gaza, damaging houses and residences;
  • The Fatah Central Committee continues its meetings headed by President Yasser Arafat today;
  • We will hear from Parliamentary Minister Nabil ‘Amr and Meretz Knesset Husni Jbara on the expected results of the Israeli elections;
  • Legal authorities warn about kidnappings of children and their imprisonment with Jewish kindergartens (meaning: nursery school or kindergarten teachers who are Jewish);
  • A meeting of the Palestinian-Israeli water committee took place last Thursday in the presence of American representatives aimed at putting an end to Israeli attacks.”

Additional Bulletin Headlines

  • “Five Arab countries and Iraq have concluded new free-trade agreements similar to the agreements signed by Baghdad with Egypt and Syria. Inside the Iraqi Parliament it was announced that Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Lebanon and Jordan had signed free-trade agreements with Iraq;
  • Russia again announced its refusal to the American missile plan.”

Quotes from Interview with Sahir Habash
, member Fatah Central Committee Sunday Afternoon February 4, 2:15 p.m.
Interview on Panorama News Magazine Show

Asked off-mike why the Fatah Central Committee was meeting:
“In the name of God, the compassionate and the merciful, it’s been about five months since we had a session (of the Central Committee) and there have been a series of events that had to be discussed and that made it unavoidable-most importantly the negotiations, the speech of Brother Abu Amar (i.e. Arafat) recently in Davos, and the difficult situation of our people, the Intifada and the internal situation, other matters in the Palestinian house and the expectations which we will have to confront-that is Sharon in Israel and other matters in the American side and the Israeli side. That is the basis for the timetable, to get ready for the future.”

Question: “How does the Fatah movement see the Intifada in the shadow of the Israeli election?”

Answer: “There is no doubt that the Israeli elections…that there is a direct and an indirect connection to the future….In general, the Fatah movement has a great responsibility to confront the eventualities with the importance of unity between all the National and Islamic forces to express the Intifada which continued in the shadow of the negotiations. And this situation with the Intifada has to continue. The Intifada was choice for struggle and for resistance for as long as occupation continues on the ground…This Intifada has to continue its pressure on Israeli public opinion until we push the Israelis into a decision based on international legitimacy for the sake of the Palestinian people.”

Summary and Analysis, Monday February 5

V.O.P. presented did a serious profile/hatchet job on Likud candidate Ariel Sharon (describing him as a mass murderer) at the start of its Monday morning news round-up, even as it continued to stress in its analysis that he was the hands-down winner according to the opinion polls.

Between the lines, V.O.P. is also signaling that the Fatah movement is getting prepared both politically AND MILITARILY for the eventuality of a Sharon electoral victory (see Fatah member Habash quotations below).

Beginning Sunday afternoon, V.O.P. went into unusually intense Israeli election coverage (compared to 1999 and 1996). It reported that both Western and Eastern rabbis (Ashkenazi and Sephardi) had given their complete support to Sharon, and it noted that Israeli soldiers had begun voting early Sunday and would continue voting through the Tuesday night civilian election deadline of 10 PM.

Morning Round-up Headlines, Tuesday February 6th

  • “Masses of our people in Gaza will accompany the exalted martyr Abdel-Rahim Kahlud who fell in the Israeli escalation of aggression against the rights of our people (NOTE: this is a reference to the Islamic Jihad man shot while carrying explosives across the Egyptian border, although V.O.P. did not identify his political affiliation);
  • Tens of our citizens wounded in attacks on their houses in the Shuhada crossing in Gaza;
  • Israeli voters head to the ballot boxes tomorrow to choose a new prime minister for them, and the polls show a big advantage to Ariel Sharon, the extremist right-winger;
  • Palestinian voters inside the Green Line are (caught) between two options-one worse than the other:
  • Ariel Sharon has a history spattered with blood and massacres…;
  • And Barak indecisive on the threshold of peace at a time of war against the Palestinian people who until this final minute is giving orders to occupation troops to kill and destroy houses;
  • Ladies and Gentlemen we will review the history of Ariel Sharon by examining testimonies of some of the massacres he carried out and at the same time look at the impressions in government left by Barak and arbitrary actions he took against the rights of the Palestinian people;
  • We will look at the elections and what follows them;
  • We will look at the meeting of the Fatah movement which decided to remain in permanent session.”

Quote of the Day

“The Intifada represented a choice for the struggle and for resistance for as long as occupation continues on the ground.”

Fatah Central Committee Member, Sahir Habash, describing the strategic choices facing the Fatah movement after the expected assumed Sharon election victory

Is It of Any Concern to the Donor Nations to the Palestinian Authority?

By
David Bedein
-

Peace Education Now?

While the world media descended on Israel to cover the hard fought Israel prime ministerial election campaign between dovish Labor incumbent Ehud Barak and hawkish Likud challenger Ariel Sharon, the international press has downplayed the issue that united both Barak and Sharon, both of whom have stressed throughout the campaign that neither one of them will sign any peace agreement unless and until the PLO’s Palestinian Authority engages in peace education, as required by all agreements signed between Israel and the PA.

Those agreements between Israel and the PA mandate both parties to prepare their respective populations of children for a new era of reconciliation and mutual recognition.

While the Israeli school curriculum has been drastically adjusted over the past seven years to pioneer a peace education curriculum, the Palestinian Authority has rejected any parallel peace curriculum for the school system under its control.

Ironically, neither Barak nor Sharon do not exclusively blame the PLO for its curriculum of incitement against the Jews.

That is because Israel’s leaders point a finger at the nations who fund the curriculum that explicitly encourages a new generation of Palestinian children to make war on the state and people of Israel.

Palestinian education has been funded since 1994, by a consortium of nations led by Italy, Holland, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Canada, all of whom also participate in the funding provided for humanitarian concerns of UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency which provides health, education and welfare services for the refugee population who make up half of the population now under the civil control of the PA.

Our news agency interviewed an official of the UNRWA curriculum department, under the condition that we not use his name. I asked him if UNRWA would accept any changes suggested by Israel. Until 1993, Israel had overseen the publication of UNRWA textbooks and removed passages that encouraged Arab children to hatred and war against Zionism and the state of Israel. Yet in the words of that same UNRWA official, “Since 1994, Israel has not been allowed to ‘interfere’ in the publication of any school book or any aspect of the Palestinian school curriculum since the inception of the Palestinian Authority in 1994”.

Meanwhile, UNWRA schools use precisely the same school books as the P.A., the nascent Palestinian Authority.

These texts graphically encourage martyrdom. For example, “Martyred Jihad fighters are the most honored people after the prophets”… (for 10th Grade); “I shall take my soul into my hand and hurl it into the abyss of death,… I see my death and am marching speedily towards it” (for 5th Grade); and the poem “My Homeland” to be “learned by heart” by 5 and 6 year olds, which includes the following “… We draw our water from death,… Our symbol is the ‘sword’ and the ‘pen’, but not ‘words'”. For 8th Grade, “Oh, Palestine, the youth will redeem your land, Oh, Palestine, with our bare breasts we will defend you. Therefore either life or death!” In these contexts repetitive questions to the students in the texts ask “What is the way to liberate Jerusalem?”

The content of these school books, has been known to the donor nations of the PA for the past few years, thanks to exhaustive reports published by The Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace ( whose website is located at: www.edume.org), yet there has not yet been any reaction from the donor nations

In March, 2000, I asked the representative for Canada to the Palestinian Authority about changes in PA education. He indicated that he “hoped” that the new set of textbooks that would be published in the Fall of 2000 for the UNRWA camps and the PA schools would be different.

These much heralded new textbooks created by the Palestinian Authority which were supposed to disclaim any such incitement were launched for the 1st and 6th Grades in September, 2000.

The consuls from Italy, Belgium, Holland, Ireland and Canada, all confirmed to our news agency, on the record, that these new textbooks from the PA were supposed to be vetted by these donor nations.

However, in August, 2000, the PA department of education informed us that they would not share the new books with the donor nations.

And the donor nations to the PA filed no protest whatsoever.

At the Dutch Representative Office located in El Bireh in the Palestinian Authority, now the scene of many recent gun-battles, we met with a recently appointed Palestinian education official. He presented himself as a resident of the UNRWA Dehaisha refugee camp, who had been working for the past ten years with the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education and now was employed by the Netherlands government to handle matters of education for the Dutch government. He made it clear that it was Dutch policy not allow any “interference” in the educational curriculum development of a nation that receives aid from the Dutch government. He therefore explained that the Dutch would not welcome any Israeli involvement in the new PA curriculum.

In light of the PA curriculum issue, our news agency sent a query to the Commissioner for External Relations of the European Union, Mr. Christopher Patten, to inquire about the position of the EU regarding the new textbooks of the PA,

We specificially asked if Patten would favor a change in the PA curriculum, since the EU itself was also providing grants to the PA educational system.

Patten’s office responded swiftly, in the negative.

The reason given from Patten’s office: The EU is “not in itself competent” to monitor the Palestinian curricula, “nor is it responsible for development programs of E.U. Member States”.

Yet according to contracts between the donor nations and the PA, a monitoring committee of the PA schools was supposed to meet at least twice a year. These meetings did take place, yet they dealt only with logistical matters and not with what was being taught in the PA classroom.

The new PA curriculum, introduced in September, 2000, was supposed to introduce a new era.

With the written permission of the PA minister of education, we purchased these new school books at the beginning of the school year.

We handed these books over to the Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace for evaluation.

The CMIP provided a review of these books, in early January, 2001 at a conference sponsored by the Truman Center for the Advancement of Peace and on its website, www.edume.org.

The CMIP showed that the new books of the PA gave no evidence whatsoever that any education for peace and reconciliation existed anywhere in any of the new texts of the Palestinian Authority.

Instead, the message of the new PA textbooks negates the existence of Israel, teaching Palestinian Arab children that a ” State of Palestine” is to replace Israel, while Azzadin-al-Khassam, the martyr and hero of the violent “Hamas” movement appears together with his photograph as a great and honored figure of Palestinian history in the new PA civics book for the sixth grade.

In January, 2001, representatives from the donor nations to the PA approved further aid to the PA school system, rejecting any condition that incitement be dropped from the official curriculum of the Palestinian Authority school system.

While it would seem logical that aid to the Palestinian Authority in the context of a peace process should be contingent on dropping all incitement, it would seem that logic and foreign aid policies do not always coincide.

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