Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 18th

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December 18, 2000

Summary and Analysis

Perhaps because the Palestinian Authority has some internal divisions about contacts with Israel, VOP has been largely downplaying this subject. One point was stressed however: Yasser Arafat himself was quoted as denying that the Clinton Administration position paper (much talked about in Israel) DOES NOT include any trade-off of Palestinian sovereignty over the holy shrines in return for Palestinian willingness to delay the “right of return”

Instead of dwelling on the peace process, VOP has been going into great detail concerning the new appointments of George Bush (including broadcasting some Arab pronouncements that Colin Powell is “a war criminal” because of the Gulf War) and the nitty gritty of the Israeli electoral process, including the possibility that there may be an Arab candidate for Israeli prime minister.

During its mid-day Tuesday afternoon news shows, VOP gave significant air-time to reading a front-page article from the Iraqi newspaper al-Jumhouriyya (“The Republic”) to the effect that Powell was a war criminal and that his appointment showed that the new Bush Administration was still strongly anti-Iraqi. (NOTE: Reading a newspaper article in the main headlines is rare, especially when it’s an article from a non-Palestinian source.)

In addition, VOP continues to focus on the deaths-martyrs and funerals for them-and wounded on the Palestinian side, referring to Israeli actions as war crimes. There has been no noticeable pull-back on harsh anti-Israeli rhetoric, except on the personal front: Ehud Barak and Israeli Army commander Shaul Mofaz have not been called “war criminals” on major news shows in the last three days.

At the same time, PA officials sometimes cannot resist poking fun of their Israeli counterparts, as when Saeb Erikat was asked about Acting Israeli Foreign Minister (and Police Minister) Shlomo Ben-Ami’s comments about a trade-off deal regarding Jerusalem holy sites/Palestinian refugees: “I cannot be the watchman for the lips of Shlomo Ben-Ami or other Israeli officials.”

Quotes of the Day

“I call on the Israelis to keep the agreements they have agreed.and not to rely on violence, on artillery, on tanks and so forth against cities and other economic and military means.” (Yasser Arafat, morning news)
“We are heading to Washington this Tuesday.and the basis (of the discussions) is the ending of the Israeli occupation. We will make every effort possible based on 242 and 338 and a solution for the refugees based on 194 (i.e. UN resolution regarding right of return).There can be no peace except based on an Israeli withdrawal to the June 4 1967 lines including holy Jerusalem. ” (PA Minister and chief negotiator Saeb Erikat, morning news)

Morning Headlines (from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.)

“Four martyrs from Israeli attacks in the homeland, one of them from settlers’ bullets;
Strong clashes in Khan Yunis and Hebron, with occupation forces invading our sovereign territory;
His excellency President Yasser Arafat says two delegations-one Palestinian and one Israeli-will go to Washington to talk to the Administration about the peace process;
Call for greater cooperation between citizens and security forces;
Bush announces appointments of Rice, Gonzalez and Hughes;
Netanyahu Law goes from Knesset committee to Knesset today;
Works Ministry denies Israel has allowed workers into Green Line;
In the internal Israeli scene: will there be an Arab candidate for prime minister?”

Quotes from Interview with Saeb Erikat

“President Arafat told President Clinton yesterday. there is no avoiding putting an end to Israeli actions, Israeli closures, Israeli assassinations, the continuing Israeli blockade and lock-down. How can the Palestinian people say ‘let’s go ahead with consultations on the peace process’ while the assassination policy continues..

There can be no peace except based on an Israeli withdrawal to the June 4 1967 lines including holy Jerusalem. There are Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. There can be no compartmentalization of this matter. There has to be complete and undivided Palestinian sovereignty over Holy Jerusalem including the Old City, the holy sites and the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque.”

Intifada Versus Negotiations
Nabil ‘Amr, PA Parliamentary Affairs Minister

Q: “Can negotiations go on with the continuation of the Intifada?”

A: “We completely realize that the Palestinian negotiator has no serious leverage without the backing of a strong and popular movement struggling with blood for its basic rights for its basic goals on all levels. For this, everyone has to know that the Palestinian people has the right to carry out its national quest, to liberate itself from occupation and to build an independent state..These are our goals, and we cling to them. No national struggle can be prohibited or constrained from our people.”

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 16th

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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December 16, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP focused again on the relatively large numbers of martyrs and wounded following Friday prayers-demonstrations-riots, charging Israeli escalations.

VOP continues to pursue a low-key/skeptical line regarding talks with Israel.

“Nabil Abu-Irdeineh, the spokesman of President Yasser Arafat, affirmed that the contacts with Israel do not reach the level of negotiations,” VOP announced Friday afternoon, quoting Abu-Irdeineh as explaining that the contacts were meant to get Israel to stop its continuing aggression against the Palestinian people. It re-broadcast his statement on Saturday as well.

VOP featured both Yasser Abd-Rabbo and Local Rule Minister Saeb Erikat in Saturday morning interviews, also pooh-pooh-ing the idea of serious talks with Israel. Erikat emphasized that there would be no return to serious talks until and unless Israel agreed to return to the ’67 lines and to implement the right of return.

For the third time in a week, the hard-line “foreign minister” Farouk Qaddoumi was featured in the morning news, urging a continuing Intifada as well as a greater European role to counter the pro-Israeli line of the United States.

VOP said that contrary to Israeli announcements that 10,000 Palestinian workers would be allowed into Israel, the promise had not bee kept: only 50 workers were taken to a border crossing and then not allowed into Israel.

The Voice of Palestine noted former Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement that he would refute any peace deal negotiated by Prime Minister Barak, who has tendered his resignation. VOP also noted that Barak is trailing both “rightist” Netanyahu and “extremist” Ariel Sharon in the polls.

Friday 4 pm Afternoon Headlines-Dec 15

“Six new martyrs today;
Israeli occupation tanks attack al-Bireh;
The (Palestinian) National Authority affirms that contacts with Israel do not rise to the level of full negotiations;
Occupation authorities prevent workers from getting to jobs inside Green Line;
Binyamin Netanyahu announces refusal to accept any peace settlement.”

Saturday Morning Headlines-Dec 16

“Six martyred and tens wounded-some seriously-in clashes with occupation forces against our people;
Occupation forces shell populated areas in al-Bireh, Khan Yunis and Husan;
The Leadership in its weekly meeting led by his excellency President Yasser Arafat asserted that Israel was pursuing a mixed political-military strategy…aimed at continuing aggression and settlement…and aimed at going back on its previous agreements;
The American Foreign Ministry (i.e. State Department) is studying the possibility of direct Palestinian-Israeli talks in Washington; (rest of headlines similar to Friday afternoon)
Iraq fires missiles at American and British fighter planes in its northern air space, forcing them to withdraw;
President-elect George Bush, Jr. announces his first appointments today.”

Quote of the Day

“The talks are absolutely not serious.” (Saeb Erikat, Saturday Morning 8:10 am)

“Meddler for Hire”: Will Clinton Remain a Middle East negotiator after Jan. 20th

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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December 15, 2000

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright startled some of her interlocutors when, in her conference call with Jewish leaders last week, she mentioned in passing that Europeans and Russians were wondering what role Bill Clinton might play in the Middle East peace process after he leaves office Jan. 20. It turns out the comment might not have been entirely idle, though this drama may take some time to play out. Therein lies concern for President-elect Bush.

In recent weeks a quiet effort has been under way by S. Daniel Abraham, a billionaire active in private Middle East diplomacy, to set Mr. Clinton up at the head of a center for peace based in New York. Mr. Abraham was considering acquiring a luxurious building for the center in Manhattan. They were even thinking of naming the thing the Clinton Center for Peace. The idea was to give the former president a big budget, a ritzy apartment on the premises — and a license to meddle in the Middle East. The goal was to see about continuing privately the official efforts the Constitution will shortly bring to an end.

Late yesterday, Mr. Abraham emerged from the White House having failed to reach an agreement with Mr. Clinton, and the deal appears to be dead, at least for now. But that the talks were even taking place says a lot about the state of mind of the administration and its allies as they contemplate the prospect of going out of power without having forged an agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinian Arabs.

Mr. Abraham, a combat veteran of World War II who made his billions with the Slim Fast diet products, has operated in the Middle East for some time. An early backer of Ariel Sharon, he has moved in a different direction and lately has been operating through something called the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. He has surrounded himself with some of the most left-wing advocates of appeasement on the Middle East scene. The most charitable view of his activities would be that he is, to borrow a line from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Foreign Correspondent,” a “well-meaning amateur.”

He has made some serious missteps. One occurred in October 1997, when President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore held a a small dinner at the White House for Ezer Weizman, then president of Israel. At the table were leaders of the American Jewish community. Next to Secretary Albright sat Mr. Abraham, who is one of the biggest financial contributors to the Democratic Party. At one point, Mr. Abraham asked, “Look, does anyone here really think that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu wants peace?”

The dinner became famous — or infamous — after the Jewish Forward newspaper reported that the guests sat with their chins in their soup until Mr. Weizman, a political foe of Mr. Netanyahu, spoke up. Yes, he felt it should be said, Mr. Netanyahu does want peace. Mr. Clinton finally chimed in to say he agreed. But the moment gave outsiders a glimpse of the degree to which the left was prepared to attack the personal bona fides of a sitting prime minister of Israel behind his back in the intimacy of a White House setting.

Another incident concerned the president of Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh. This past March 31, Mr. Abraham hosted an elaborate luncheon for Mr. Saleh at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. The invitation to the event, signed by Mr. Abraham, described the occasion as “festive,” “honoring” the Yemeni president for taking a leading role in “the democratization of his country” and for “actively supporting a comprehensive regional peace.” The problem was that Mr. Saleh, who has ruled Yemen since 1978, has racked up a record of human-rights violations and anti-Israel rhetoric second to few.

At the event, a questioner pressed the tyrant on whether Yemen would begin allowing Israelis to travel there. A long pause ensued as Mr. Saleh conferred with his foreign minister. Mr. Abraham got up and announced the answer was yes. He was promptly contradicted by the Yemen president himself, who said that his country would recognize no Israeli passports. This led several of the Jewish leaders present to walk out. Mr. Saleh has been back in the news lately, obstructing the investigation into the bombing of the USS Cole, a bombing that Mr. Saleh initially insisted must have been an accident caused by the U.S.

During his second term, Mr. Clinton permitted Ms. Albright to undermine Mr. Netanyahu to the point that he was vulnerable politically at home. Mr. Clinton’s political operatives — James Carville, Robert Shrum and Stanley Greenberg — went to Israel to engineer the Labor Party’s campaign for Ehud Barak, who had, since retiring as Israel’s military chief of staff, been serving on the advisory board of Mr. Abraham’s Middle East peace center. Once elected prime minister, Mr. Barak abandoned his campaign pledges and treated with the Palestinian Arabs with an eye to dividing Jerusalem.

Not surprisingly, his government lost the confidence of the Knesset, and new elections are in the offing, much earlier than required. One of the issues — if Mr. Sharon has his way — will be the way recent Israeli prime ministers have permitted themselves to be manipulated by Washington. It’s an issue for Israel’s voters, and the behavior of the American leadership is also an issue for many of us here, including Mr. Bush.

When The Wall Street Journal called the White House last week to ask about the negotiations with Mr. Abraham, a spokesman would not comment on the specifics but noted the president had been making preparations for what the spokesman called his “postpresidency.” Though Mr. Abraham’s deal with Mr. Clinton collapsed at the White House yesterday, a scenario may yet emerge in which Mr. Clinton uses his “postpresidency” to pursue a Mideast deal with backing from private parties.

What Mr. Bush must remember is that he can learn from his predecessors’ failures. Israel’s former permanent representative at the United Nations, Dore Gold, argues that Mr. Barak was “forced to agree to new elections” precisely because “his policies, which were supported by the Clinton administration, were bankrupt.” The Americans, he says, “should never have gotten drawn into this kind of micromanagement of Israel’s internal and diplomatic affairs.”

Mr. Bush has signaled an instinct to avoid micromanagement of the affairs of foreign friends. If he becomes president he may be confronted with a private opposition that doesn’t share this view and is operating in the international arena with big financial backing. It may soon be time to apply that hoariest of little-used laws, the Logan Act, which was passed not long after America was formed:

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This article appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Dec. 5, 2000

Official Palestinian Authority Voice of Palestine Radio Broadcast – Dec. 15

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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December 15, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP is broadcasting mixed and confusing message regarding talks with Israel, suggesting that the Palestinian Authority may be going through a bit of an identity crisis or in some kind of split personality-or just deep internal differences over strategy and tactics.

For several hours yesterday, December 14, it totally ignored Israeli reports of a high-level meeting between PA President Yasser Arafat and Israeli negotiators Gilad Sher and Police Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami.

Only on its midnight news round-up, did VOP finally mention the meeting, leading its news line-up with the item on the summit, which was covered tersely. But the item was dropped entirely from the first Friday morning news show at 8 am, and was added as the last item in 9 am news. (see headlines below)

Later it was mentioned in the context of remarks by Yasser Abd Rabbo, who said he expected a continuation of the talks but also a continuation and even intensification of the Intifada

For several days VOP has featured PA Speaker Ahmad Qreia-Abu Ala-in its prime time interviews, offering the view that there will be no talks with Israel, certainly not unless and until Israel executes past agreements: freeing prisoners and withdrawing from key Jerusalem neighborhoods. Beginning on December 12, VOP also began offering the views of PLO Executive Secretary Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen-offering a slightly less hard-line approach: that there were some low-level contacts.

Today, VOP featured PA Information Minister Yasser Abd-Rabbo saying that there would be contacts but that the Intifada would continue until Palestinian demands are met and that indeed they would step up confrontations. Similarly, in the mosque speech featured on the 12-noon news, the mosque speaker reiterated that the Palestinians would not stop their intifada and he called forth a vision of the end of the State of Israel.

Morning Headlines 8 a.m.

“The martyring of the youth Muhammad Hamtash, 28 years old, from Baqat al-Hashab in the Ramallah prefecture, a member of the security forces who was shot in the chest…;
Masses of our people in Khan Yunis will accompany the funeral of Hani Abu Bakr in the afternoon, and he was martyred in a crime executed by Israeli occupation forces when they opened fire for no reason on a car going down the highway…and five others were injured,4 of them seriously;
Occupation forces are preventing those under the age of 45 from praying at the Juma’a (Friday assembly) prayers in Al Aqsa…;
President Yasser Arafat has sent a congratulatory message to American President-elect George Bush Junior….saying that the Palestinians clung to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy;
Economic Cooperation Minister Dr, Nabil Sha’ath characterized President Arafat’s meeting with French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine as very important, emphasizing the important role to played by the European Community in the peace process;
Former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he would not run for the post of prime minister unless the Knesset itself also ran for election at the same time.”

$10,000 Per “SHAHID” from Iraq for Each Palestinian Martyr

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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December 14, 2000

Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein has become the darling of the Palestinians: his pictures grace the newspapers along with the those of the shahids — Intifada casualties — the Iraqi flag is raised at demonstrations and funerals, Arafat writes him thank you notes and slogans are shouted in his favor at street demonstrations.

This wave of adulation is mainly a result of the monetary aid and moral support he gives the Palestinian Intifada. But it is also the product of an old alliance between Iraq and the Palestinians.

Ten years ago the Palestinians helped the Iraqi arm invade Kuwait. When Saddam sent Scuds at Israel — they danced on the rooftops.

Now Saddam is repaying the Palestinians. This week, for example, several wounded from Gaza and the West Bank were flown to Amman and from there to Baghdad for medical treatment, at his expense naturally.

Their arrival at the airport was shown on Iraqi and Palestinian television.

The wounded were welcomed by officials and one wounded man who could walk on his own, descended from the plane holding an Iraqi flag.

In addition, Iraq has taken another 20 Palestinian wounded brought by direct flight from Gaza to Baghdad. The flight also carried an official delegation of the Palestinian Legislative Council and a representative of the Chamber of Commerce bringing the Intifada’s blessing to the Iraqi people. The wounded and the delegation were greeted in an official ceremony with many participants, headed by Saddam Hussein’s deputy.

But Saddam bought most of this honor by the money he gives the families of the dad and wounded. A month ago he decided to give the family of every dead man the sum of $10,000 and the family of wounded men $ 1,000 each.

The money is given out in Gaza, Nablus, Hebron or Ramallah by Palestinian who are activists in the Iraqi Baath or activists in the Arab Liberation Front, two tiny pro-Iraqi Palestinian organizations.

Representatives of the Arabic Front said that even families of dead among Israeli Arabs would receive grants from Saddam Hussein.

And as if that were not enough, the Iraqi president announced a week ago in a special meeting with the Palestinian leadership that he would donate $9 million to the Palestinians. The money would be given as part of Iraq’s agreement with Arab states in an arrangement of oil for food.

Iraqi aid is not just monetary. Ten days ago a convoy of 68 trucks with 4,000 tons of medicine and basic food stuffs — rice, flour, oil, lentils, tea and coffee — arrived in Amman. Israel deliberated whether to allow it in, but eventually, mainly to stave off claims that Israel was starving the Palestinians, it allowed it in. The Iraqi trucks came to Allenby Bridge and from there the goods were transferred to Palestinian and Jordanian trucks and from there to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

This money has made Saddam a hero in the Palestinian street. The families of the dead who received the grants, publish thank-you notices in the Palestinian press to the Iraqi leader with his picture next to that of the shahid. The picture of the Iraqi leader is now seen throughout the West Bank.

But not only Iraq is participating in the effort to help the Palestinian Intifada. The outburst of feelings in the Arab world on religious grounds has lead to huge anti-Israel demonstrations and a flurry of aid – from donations of clothes and food to money. The Arab states have also decided to take in wounded. Up to now more than 150 wounded have been moved from the West Bank and Gaza Strip for treatment in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Iran.

How much is this costing them?

The Saudi interior minister, Prince Naif Bin Abed el-Aziz, transferred a sum $26 million last week for the families of the dead and wounded. Another Saudi prince, Talal Ibn Walid, transferred a sum of $22 million to the PA for workers unemployed because they can’t enter Israel.

The wave of sympathy for the Palestinian in Saudi Arabia has gotten as far as McDonalds. The Saudi management of the American firm decided to set aside 30 U.S. cents from every hamburger sold there for Intifada.

Representatives of the Dubai Red Crescent Society — one of the richest principalities in the Gulf — toured the Palestinian Authority ast week and gave families of the dead envelopes full of dollars.

In Hebron they said that the money was given according to the family’s financial situation.

Generous assistance of a few tens of millions of dollars was given also by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who paid the salaries of 130,000 PA employees.

Even the Chechen rebels have decided to make a donation. The Chechen leadership organization announced a payment of $1,000 for every “shahid” family. This announcement was accompanied by an apology that due to their difficult financial situation, they could not give more. They also sent a supportive announcement: “The jihad is one and the way to peace does not mean relinquishing land.”

The PA is also busy. It pays each “shahid” family $2,000 for and $1,000 for every wounded. The Popular National Islamic Committee pays $1,000 for each dead and USD300 per wounded.

PA officials have also paid 600 Israeli Shekels to each worker registered in the Palestinian employment bureau as being employed in Israel.

At first the grant was given to 30,000 unemployed. The Palestinian minister of labor, Rafik al-Natshe, promised that day laborers too, who work in Israel without a permit, would soon receive the aid.

Hamas pays according to the family’s financial situation, not through a one-time grant but through monthly allowances.

Families in difficult financial straits are defined as “adopted families” and receive food supplies as well.

Israel is trying to help too. The Balad movement, headed by MK Azmi Bishara, embarked on a fund-raising campaign for the Intifada.

A three-day donation campaign was declared at Hebrew University in Jerusalem to collect donations.

A leaflet distributed at the universities reads: “Every day many of our country-men are killed and wounded in the noble Intifada. The Israeli occupation forces have imposed a closure and strangulation starvation on us. That is why we urge that you donate what you can in clothes and food for our needy country-men and to the families of the fallen.”

This article appeared in Yediot Aharonot on December 13, 2000

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 14th

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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December 14, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP concentrated on what it has labeled as Israel’s assassination policy, but it also highlighted what it says was the heroic repulsion of an Israeli invasion of Khan Yunis.

VOP continued to push denials of current negotiations with Israel, but it is now quoting PA officials who are leaving the door open a bit-saying that there are “no serious talks” but acknowledging that talks could be revived under certain circumstances. One gets the impression that PA resistance to negotiations is lessening.

Bulletin-(as of 9:30 pm Thursday Evening)

VOP has not mentioned any resumption of negotiations with Israel, including meetings with Ben-Ami or Sher-despite israeli reports to the contrary. Also, there has been no report of Israel allowing thousands of Palestinian workers inside Israel-also contrary to Israeli reports.

VOP also escalated the war crimes charges against Israel by focusing on charges that Israel was using American-made radioactive ammunition against Palestinians. PA Environment Minister Dr. Youssef Abu Safia, who made the charges, was first quoted at length in several newspapers and was then the featured morning interview guest. ((No proof of the charges was presented.))

The wild charges against Israel and the intermittent anti-American tone may seem inconsistent with trying to get American support and Israeli concessions, but from VOP broadcasts it appears that the PA is pursuing seemingly different strategies on different fronts: encouraging anti-Israel and anti-settler violence while moving to isolate Israel (and to a certain extent, the United States) diplomatically, claiming little or no interest in talks, while keeping an active interest in talks.

VOP gave prominent coverage throughout the day to Israeli Arab MK Azmi Bishara being interrogated by the Israeli police on charges of having praised the activities of Hizballah.

“I said Hizballah was a heroic resistance group, and I do not take those words back,” said Bishara in a morning interview.

Quotes from Interview with Environment Minister Dr. Youssef Abu Safia:

“First of all, from the beginning of the Intifada, Israel has used every kind of shell and bullet against our people, but after the 27th of November there was a report in the global press and in America that Israel had used shells with enriched uranium….

There were also reports that America had used such weapons in the Gulf War in its aggression against Iraq.

Therefore when the brother, the president, Abu Amar (Arafat’s nickname) saw the formation of the commission, he thought it appropriate to bring the reports on this subject… to its attention.”

Rhetorical Elements

“His excellency president Yasser Arafat relayed to the international investigating commission (the findings of ) Abu Safia that Israel was using shells with enriched uranium to repress the Intifada. (From Al Hayyat al-Jadida newspaper headlines read at 7:50 am on morning news round-up) (Note: Palestinian newspapers have been intermittently accusing Israel of using chemical weapons (so has VOP), radioactive means and biological agents against Palestinians, but this was first reading of such charges involving radioactive materials during prime-time radio broadcast—and put in the mouth of Arafat and other PA officials from the official PA newspaper)
“Israel unleashes vicious dogs to attack farmers and students in Khan Yunis.” (headline from al-Ayyam read at 7:52 am)

Thursday Morning Headlines (7:30 am-9:00 am)

“Three attempts to invade Khan Yunis repelled, with forty injured, five of them seriously and damage to an Israeli tank;
The martyring of four members of security forces and a prominent Hamas member is assassinated in Hebron;
Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen-denies the existence of any serious talks with Israel;
(Miguel) Moratinos and Hubert Vedrine in Gaza today;
The latest developments in the American election: Gore announces concession, Bush is president;
Al-Mujaida warns Israel against trying to invade portions of Palestinian National Authority territory.”

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 12th

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

December 13, 2000

Radio Analysis and Excerpts: The Voice of Palestine-Dec 12 > SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS

The death of Islamic Jihad agent Anwar Ahmad Humran was treated as a top item by VOP during its evening broadcasts Dec 11 and throughout the day on Tuesday Dec. 12, but in a strange way: Humran was repeatedly described as “a student” without mentioning at all that he was a senior agent in Islamic Jihad who had been released from Palestinian Authority jails.

“The youth Anwar Ahmad Hamran was a student at the Jerusalem Open University and he was shot by Israeli fire from Mount Grezim near Nablus without there having been any confrontation,” announced VOP. VOP said that the 28-year-old Hamran was “assassinated on his way home from school” when “he was struck by more than 15 bullets in his stomach.”

VOP intensely covered Monday night the funerals of four men during the day, and continued its heavily detailed coverage of the same funerals and other deaths and injuries during Tuesday’s broadcasts. In this vein, VOP interviewed Tuesday Dr. Riyadh al-Za’anun, PA Health Minister, who said there were 272 Palestinian martyrs, in addition to 50 who were buried by Israel-bringing the number of martyrs to 322.

During Monday’s broadcasts, VOP made a point of saying that Israeli fire had been concentrated at Palestinian “national security forces” in Gaza.

There was no mention of any Palestinian fire at the Gilo neighborhood in Jerusalem, where an Israeli civilian women was shot in the neck. Similarly, there was no mention of Palestinian fire at any other Israeli targets, nor the placement and explosion of road-side bombs at several locations.

VOP placed strong emphasis on the beginning of activities of the Mitchell Commission-both Monday and Tuesday, but at the same time its anchor man Samir Interr (and several VOP interviewees) stressed “the American role in the continuing Israeli aggression against our people.”

Nevertheless, VOP mentioned (not in any leading headlines) that during his trip to Morocco, Yasser Arafat would meet American mediator Dennis Ross.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“During this period-67 days (of intifada), 10,450 people have been hospitalized.” (Dr Riyadh Za’anun, PA Health Minister)

NIGHTTIME HEADLINES-Dec 11/12 midnight:

*–“The youth Ahmad Hamran was martyred by occupation soliders;

*–Israeli shelling with missiles and heavy artillery on Khan Yunis as well as shooting on Beit Jallah and ‘Aida (refugee) Camp;

*–His Excellency President Yasser Arafat strongly urges the international investigating commission to begin its investigation of Israeli crimes…”

*******

TUESDAY MORNING HEADLINES-DEC 12 (7:30 am-9:00am)

*–“The martyring of 28-year-old student Anwar Ahmad Hamran, who was assassinated by Israeli Occupation soldiers;

*–Israel shells citizens’ homes in Khan Yunis, Beit Jalla and Aida;

*–His Excellency President Yasser Arafat heads off today for a visit to Morocco for a meeting with Moroccan monarch and leading officials there…;

*–His Excellency President Arafat meets the international investigation commission headed by former American senator George Mitchell;

*–A ministerial committee linked to the Arab summit finished its deliberations in the Syrian capital of Damascus today…;

*–Mr Farouk al-Qaddoumi will discuss the recent political developments.” (The names, ages and addresses of four martyrs were also read at the top of the news.)

Quotes from Interview with Information Minister Yasser Abd-Rabbo, on Arafat’s meeting with Mitchell Commission:

“For over two hours, President Abu-Amar (i.e. Arafat) explained in detail the events that preceded the eruption of the intifada and Israel’s continuing violations-on the political level-of the agreements, symbolized by the settlements, taking the land and leaving thousands of prisoners in jail – and other violations….They will not only deal with security causes, the direct causes of the eruption of the intifada, but also the deeper political reasons which disrupted the peace process

Official Palestinian Authority Radio “Voice of Palestine” Dec. 13

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

December 13, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP’s morning news bulletins and news-round-ups focused on “criminal” Israeli military attacks, in particularly those leading to deaths of four members of Palestinian security forces in Gaza. (Note: death toll changed throughout the day)

Wednesday morning’s reports focused on Israeli tank fire on Palestinian security forces that killed and wounded several PA soldiers. PA Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Abdul-Rahman, a featured morning interviewee, said the Israeli action showed the need for an international protection force as well as the warlike intentions of the Barak Government. He hinted broadly that he hoped the investigating commission would pay attention to Israel’s latest actions.

Notable and Newsworthy

In another “prime-time” interview, PA Speaker Ahmad Qreia (for the second time in three days), stressed three important diplomatic points:

that there were no talks under way with Israel;
that there would be no settlement with Israel without Israeli recognition of the Palestinian right of return;
and that the PA was insisting on a total Israeli withdrawal for establishing its independent state.

Once again, Qreia, perhaps the most senior (and some would say the most moderate of the Palestinian interlocutors) was publicly saying that the PA would not make peace with Israel without the right of return.

” There has to be a change in the Israeli mentality, especially the mentality of the Israeli leadership to execute the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, among them: the right of return or the Palestinian refugees, according to Resolution 194, a return to the June 4 1967 lines, and an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem its capital-all of Jerusalem.”

Quotes of the Day

“The Barak Government is a murderous government which has no thoughts about peace.” (Cabinet secretary Ahmad Abdul-Rahman, in morning interview repeated throughout the day in top headlines)
“The Israeli forces perpetrated out a new massacre this morning in the Khan Yunis Camp near the Israeli settlements of Nevei Dekalim and Gush Katif, both of which were built on land belonging to citizens from Khan Yunis.” (Gaza correspondent ‘Adil Za’anun, morning news)

Quotes from Interview with Ahmad Abdul-Rahman, cabinet secretary: “This aggressive Israeli war is not ceasing despite all the contortions by some Israelis about the reaction of world opinion….There’s someone in the Israeli army who is determined to destroy any Palestinian national presence, by striking the Palestinian people, believing or fantasizing that by doing that they will get the Palestinian people… to accept Israeli outposts and settlements…

This crime that was committed this morning is another sign that the Barak Government is a murderous government and a government of aggression…. Therefore, the Palestinian people has no choice but steadfastness and resistance….

This Israeli crime and the previous Israeli crimes are a strong condemnation against the Israeli government and the Israeli army….

Why did this happen and what happened yesterday? Because the settlers want to destroy any Palestinian presence wherever they (i.e. the settlers) are, whether it be a community or trees. Well, we now have two dead and 40 wounded from this Israeli crime. This is a sign to the international commission where Israel’s intentions are in its aggressive policies against the Palestinian people.”

Q: “In addition to the shelling and siege, there is a new Israeli assassination policy-one commander of the Fatah movement yesterday in Bethlehem and another commander of Islamic Jihad. What is demanded of us internally as we face this policy?”

A: “This is organized state terrorism carried out by Israel, especially since we know that the head of this government carried out assassination operations against the Palestinian leadership since 1973….

There is an Israeli decision to kill civilians and to kill those prominent in the Intifada-as seen in one of the decisions taken by Mofaz, the Israeli chief of Staff.”

(Note: Abdul-Rahman mentioned General Shaul Mofaz a day after a Palestinian attempted to kill General Mofaz’s brother, Shalom Mofaz. Is this just an ironic twist of fate or might it suggest that the PA has its own “assassination policy.”)

Wednesday Morning Headlines

“The occupation continues its criminal attacks against our people, wickedly shelling the Khan Yunis camp, killing two citizensand wounding others (note: toll figures changed later);
Occupation forces tried to invade Palestinian territory near Khan Yunis but were forced to retreat by a violent resistance by our citizens and national forces;
Occupation forces assassinate one of the Fatah’s commanders: Youssef Ahmad Abu-Swei of Bethlehem prefecture;
Masses in Jenin accompany the funeral of the martyr Anwar Ahmad Humran yesterday who was martyred two days ago;
Israel deliberately escalates its wicked siege and its racist and conceited actions by its soldiers against our citizens at road blocks;
His Excellency President Araat meets in Moroccan capital of Rabat with the Moroccan King Muhammad VI;
His Excellency also meets with the American mediator Dennis Ross;
Speaker Ahmad Qreia says that there must be a complete and total cessation of Israeli hostilities and a complete Israeli withdrawal and a stop of all settlements as prerequisite for ending demonstrations on the land (i.e. in the field)-as well as keeping all agreements-(including or especially) the decision (guaranteeing) rights of the Palestinian refugees for return-in exchange of a return to negotiations. ((Note: if that seems quite a mouthful for headline, it’s still the headline that came out of the mouth of VOP morning narrator Samir Interr))

(Note during the 8 am news round-up, there was coverage of the Likud Conference, with the usual descriptions of “the extremist Ariel Sharon” but without any slurs against Binyamin Netanyahu. There was also short mention of elections in Sudan and the Supreme Court decision in the United States.)

Quotes from Interview with Ahmad Qreia

Q: Are we going to wake up one of these days with surprising news of results from secret talks with Israel?

A: I have told you there are absolutely no talks going on. And I don’t know of any benefit from going to talks unless Israel presents them with what is known in English as ‘pre-negotiation’-that is preceding talks dealing with all the obligations to which it is bound: stopping all the settlements, releasing all the women prisoners and the (male) detainees. They have (also) to carry out the interim agreement (i.e. withdrawal from three villages around Jerusalem), and then we can sit down, if those things are pushed forward-all the things to which they are bound….Not just as pretty words….Why should we open up any channels until we see that??!!

Q: The Israeli media are talking about a meeting with Geilad Sher in two days???

A: I know of no such meeting or any other contact….If Israel really wants a return to talks then it first must carry out all the obligations to which it is bound. All the obligations. It has to pull out all its roadblocks, and it has to stop the economic strangulation…. Without that there will be no public or secret talks.

Q: Is there anything optimistic from the international efforts?

A: The international efforts have to be to help stop the aggression against our people….This aggression is meant to force certain things, certain conditions, on our people. The Palestinian people have responded with their heroic intifada, and there is no power that can overcome us, that can force anything on us

Q: Do you think in the remaining 60 days of Barak, the remaining time of Clinton, that something will happen.

A: I don’t believe so. Neither the period of Clinton nor the period of Barak, till the elections, is sufficient time to fulfill the conditions needed for a just solution. Absolutely not….There has to be a change in the Israeli mentality, especially the mentality of the Israeli leadership to execute the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, among them: the right of return or the Palestinian refugees, according to Resolution 194, a return to the June 4 1967 lines, and an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem its capital-all of Jerusalem.

There will be no peace in the region unless these points are realized.”

Word Usage

During his interview, Cabinet Secretary Abdul-Rahman used the term al-‘udu al-Israeli (the Israeli enemy).

Official Palestinian Authority PBC Radio – Dec 9

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

December 11, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP continued to focus on the heavy death toll and casualty rate from the first “day of rage” declared by national and Islamic forces. Particular attention was paid to the “wicked massacre” carried out by occupation forces against Palestinian security forces in Jenin.

PA officials again painted a picture of a clumsy Israeli army using excessive force to no avail against a brave and resourceful people resisting aggression. Indeed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nabil ‘Amr, in a bitingly sarcastic interview, made fun of Israel, the United States and the West when he noted that “what was supposed to be the outpost of Western civilization” in the region (i.e. Israel) was “the only country now being branded for mass murder”.

Quote of the Day
from Nabil ‘Amr, Parliamentary Affairs Minister

“This army (the Israeli army), which was one of the world’s best armies, has become the laughingstock of world opinion. It has used all the means of destruction provided by the United States of America to kill Palestinian children.”

Morning Headlines

Thirteen years to the Intifada;
Eight martyrs, five of them in a massacre in Jenin;
Occupation forces strengthen their siege on the cities and arteries of the homeland;
The leadership after a meeting last night declares the need for international protection for our people;
Ministerial meeting tomorrow in Damascus to discuss implementation of Arab summit decisions;

Official Voice of Palestine PBC Radio: Dec. 10

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

December 11, 2000

Summary and Analysis

VOP gave very low-key coverage to the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak Saturday night. The late-night news broadcasts covered the resignation in very terse, matter-of-fact style, without commentary or analysis. (This was in keeping with the low-key response to the first passing of the election law in late November, when Arafat and other PA officials were careful to say that the matter was an internal Israeli affair.)

Yet beginning Sunday morning VOP began covering Israeli election developments in depth, hinting that Israeli election developments-though an internal matter– would definitely have an impact on the “peace process.”

VOP quoted Barak saying he was trying to seek a new mandate in a special election that would be held in 60 days.

Morning Headlines

“Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak officially submits his resignation today to Israeli President Moshe Katsav, and Israeli parties hold hectic meetings to discuss Barak’s sudden announcement;
Barak avoids facing Netanyahu (in election) because Basic Law says that only members of Knesset can run for prime minister;
Voices in the Likud call for making a special law to enable Netanyahu to run;
In reaction, the Palestinian Authority says that the Barak resignation is an internal Israeli matter;
The United States says the resignation is an internal affair but is likely to affect the peace process;
A child is martyred in Rafah…;
His Excellency President Yasser Arafat meets the Saudi King Fahd Ben-Abdel-Aziz in Riyadh…;
Foreign Ministerial meeting in Damascus today in wake of Arab summit…”

Israel Behind the News

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 18th

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 16th

“Meddler for Hire”: Will Clinton Remain a Middle East negotiator after Jan. 20th

Official Palestinian Authority Voice of Palestine Radio Broadcast – Dec. 15

$10,000 Per “SHAHID” from Iraq for Each Palestinian Martyr

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 14th

Official PA radio news – the PBC radio Dec. 12th

Official Palestinian Authority Radio “Voice of Palestine” Dec. 13

Official Palestinian Authority PBC Radio – Dec 9

Official Voice of Palestine PBC Radio: Dec. 10

Column from the Director