Hadera Bombing: Strategic Terror

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November 23, 2000

The Palestinians regard bombing terror attacks as strategic terror. This terror is meant to achieve diplomatic goals within a short period of time by using “shock therapy” on Israeli public opinion.

The Palestinian terror organizations want to achieve the same goal as the ballistic missiles fired by Saddam Hussein on Israel in the Gulf War and as the Katyusha rockets Hizbullah fired on the Galilee: by means of massacring civilian population and wreaking havoc deep inside the State of Israel, the Palestinians hope to spur the frightened public in Israel to pressure the government and the political establishment into taking steps that they, the Palestinians, consider desirable. At times their goal is to deter Israel from taking painful and powerful military action. At other times their goal is to stop the peace process. That was the case in 1995-1996 when Hamas blew up buses on the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and toppled the government. At this juncture in time the Palestinian terror attacks are meant to achieve two strategic goals.

The first goal is to escalate the war of attrition being waged against the Israeli public so that it begin to hold the settlers responsible for the situation and that it begin to demand that the government put an end to the warfare that is underway “because of them.” The second goal is to drag the Israeli government into retaliating in such a lethal manner that it will isolate Israel internationally and may even force the Arab world and the international community into intervening forcibly in order to “protect the Palestinians.”

Under the current circumstances, the Israeli government and the IDF must not play into Arafat, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad’s hand. A large-scale reprisal that leaves innocent Palestinians dead and escalates the warfare even further would be detrimental to the Israeli interest.

But Israel does not have to remain impassive. It will be able to produce far better results by increasing the pressure on the Palestinians by less flashy military means: stopping Palestinian radio and television broadcasts, for example, can serve as a good punitive measure that will also help stop the incitement; tightening the closure on the territories and blocking all movement into Israel will be far more effective in preventing future car bomb attacks than the bombing of a few buildings owned by the Palestinian security services in the heart of Judea and Samaria or Gaza will. Above all, enlisting leaders in the U.S. and in Europe to apply pressure on Arafat. Barak has already begun enlisting the support of these leaders and the public has to give this diplomatic effort a chance to succeed if it wants to win the overall campaign in which we are currently engaged with the Palestinians.

The present battle will not be won from the air but rather by means of intensive diplomatic pressure coupled with a variety of IDF actions on the ground. And we must not forget revenge. Israel must seek vengeance from the initiators, perpetrators and planners of the car bomb attack, not only in response to base needs but also for the sake of deterrence. “Revenge is something that one eats cold,” Stalin said, and justly so. Intelligence information needs to be gathered, an operation needs to be planned and then, when the time is right, the blow needs to be dealt. This blow needs to serve the Israeli interest and not the Palestinian.

Appeared in Yediot Aharonot on November 23rd

Bombs Don’t Distinguish Between a Jew and an Arab

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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November 23, 2000

Thara Abu-Hussein, a one-year old baby from the town of Baka al-Garbiya, sustained moderate to severe injuries in yesterday’s attack. She suffers from burns on 15% of her body.

The baby was transferred yesterday to Rambam Hospital in Haifa and was immediately rushed to the operating room. According to the hospital, in the next few days she will undergo a series of operations.

“What is a one-year old baby guilty of?” asked the baby’s uncle, Rashid Marana. “What is her mother guilty of that she has to see her like this, completely burnt. Whoever did this is a criminal. A bomb doesn’t know the difference between Jews and Arabs and it is forbidden to hurt children. A struggle is something for one army against another army.”

Thara’s mother, Manal, sat next to her daughter crying. Her husband, the baby’s father, was also seriously wounded in the attack. “Leave her alone,” said the baby’s uncle, “Let her deal with this pain. It’s hard enough for us especially since she doesn’t know what’s going on with her husband, who is lying in Hadera.”

Appeared in Maariv, November 23rd

The Voice of Palestine November 12, 2000: Featuring Arafat’s Message to the Islamic Summit

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Center for Near East Policy Research

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November 13, 2000

Note: Arafat often speaks in a mixture of sentence fragments and run-on sentences in some of his appearances. This was apparent especially in the following remarks. In other words, the syntax is Arafat’s and not the translator’s.

Arafat Speech Broadcast on the Voice of Palestine Radio network:

“[We are] in defense of the holy places to Christianity and to Islam in accordance with the Pact of Omar. And we say no the continuation of occupation in all forms in our land and in our holy places. And we say no to the Judaization of Holy Jerusalem.

They allowed Sharon to pollute the holy shrine of Jerusalem and the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque with thousands of police and soldiers, firing on worshipers. Jerusalem became in all its holy places and all its streets a place for stationing an occupation army. And it [the Israeli government] did the same thing limiting movement, placing a siege on our towns and cities and villages in Gaza and the West Bank-especially Bethlehem. And it prevented passage and transit, closing the international airport.

Our people clings strongly to its faith in Allah [God] and in its perseverance despite 200 martyrs and 9,000 wounded-maybe I should say today reaching 10,000-and despite financial siege causing damages reaching 900-million dollars, a suffocating and frozen siege that has cost us 380,000 worker years: a great economic rift because of what Israel has has forced on us. But in spite of that, our people are determined more than at any time in the past, with the help of our brothers [i.e. fellow Arab states] and our friends to continue on its Jihad for the love of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque…

This is a love for what is right, for freedom, for justice, for independence, for liquidating the venality (i.e. bribes) of the tyrannical Israeli occupation in all its violent and destructive forms.

Indeed, our people holds fast to this great national battle, realizing fully the full importance of the great sacrifice in life and in property for the sake of the goal of the Prophet and for its national rights and for protecting the Islamic and Christian holy places. And in this confrontation we are confident of the full help of all the Islamic nations and Arab countries and our friends throughout the world-on our side always in steadfastness in its Jihad and its just battle.”

Summary and Analysis

VOP had opened its broadcasts Sunday with coverage of the hijacking of the Russian plane to Israel, following that item with continued detailed coverage of Palestinian martyrs.

In a somewhat unusual format VOP used its news bulletins and round-ups in the morning hours to broadcast a call by “Islamic and national forces” to all Palestinians to go out to the streets to protest continued Israeli aggression. This was doubly unusual: the call was open and made on several news shows, and it actually placed “Islamic” before “National.” The “national forces” are a reference to Fatah units or followers of Yasser Arafat (and perhaps some “leftist” secular organizations such as the PFLP), while “Islamic forces” connotes followers of Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

Later, VOP broadcasts were largely devoted to live coverage of Yasser Arafat’s speech to the Islamic Summit in Doha, Qatar where Arafat’s remarks were laced with continual references to “jihad.”

Quote of the Day

President Arafat says: “No to Peace Now and no to Peace that sanctifies [Israeli] occupation.”

Opening Headline for Panorama Afternoon News Round-up at 2 p.m.

Details

7 a.m. / 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.:

In an operation entitled ‘Operation al-Aqsa,’ a Chechen group has hijacked a Russian plane headed from Dagestan to Moscow and forced it to land at an Israeli airport. Israeli sources said that two Chechens had hijacked the plane with 58 on board forcing it to land at one of the Israeli airports in order to hold a press conference in order to proclaim their position in support of the struggle our Palestinian people against the tyrannical Israeli aggression. According to these sources, Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak has decided to return to Israel after being on his way to Washington, to follow the developments in the hijacking. According to these sources, strong Israeli security measures have been taken on all roads leading to the Ovdat airport in southern Israel. A short time ago, the Russian news agency said that the Dagestani finance minister was on board the hijacked plane;
Eight of our citizens were martyred yesterday in battles against Israeli aggression;
Masses will gather today for an important national march for seven who were martyred yesterday and their names are: Osama al-Bawab and Majid Radwan from al-Bireh, Ayman Wadi, Musa Dukat, Muhammad al-Madhoum and Mundhir Yasseen from Gaza and Munir Abu-Munshar from Hebron;
President Yasser Arafat will deliver an important address shortly at the ninth Islamic summit in Doha, and the His Excellency the President will affirm that our people will continue the blessed Intifada, defending our national rights and holy places until the occupation ends;
At the Islamic Summit, Iranian President Hatemi called for a establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem its capital and for the return of the refugees to their homes.

Songs of the Day

Jerusalem my city,
return to me, my love
open up the gates

from lead-in to 2 p.m. news

We will die, we will die-all of us
That the homeland shall live

from lead-in to 7 a.m. news

BBC TENDENTIOUSNESS CHART

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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November 12, 2000

BBC Tendentiousness Test Chart

Time	Reporter	Airs own opinion?	Both sides presented?	Key words
October 3
1 p.m.	Paul Adams	yes	no
6 p.m.	Paul Adams	yes	no
9 p.m.	Ben Brown	yes	no	massacre, President Arafat
9 p.m.	Paul Adams	yes	no
BBC2
7-9 a.m.	Clive Myrie	no	no	demonstrations, Hostilities, Al Aksa compound
October 4
1 p.m.	Paul Adams	yes	no	Israeli snipers
9 p.m.	Ben Brown	yes	no	Uprising
BBC1 October 5
1 p.m.	Paul Adams	yes	no	protesters
9 p.m.	Ben Brown	yes	no	Children die
October 6
	Paul Adams	yes	no	stonethrowing protesters
October 9
	Jeremy Bowen	yes	no	Appropriate measures as they call it
	Hilary Anderson	yes	no	pogroms

BBC: an Excercise in Tendentious Coverage?

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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November 12, 2000

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

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

BBC News, October 3-9, 2000

Overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 3

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

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

No Israeli opinion is cited in either of these broadcasts.

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

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

BBC 2 Newsnight

10:30 p.m.

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

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

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

BBC 1

October 4, 2000

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

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

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

October 5, 2000

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

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

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

BBC 1

October 6, 2000

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

Paul Adams again describes the rioters as stone throwing protesters.

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

October 9, 2000

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

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

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

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

Official PA Radio News: The PBC Radio, November 11

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

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November 11, 2000

Evening Headlines 6 p.m., Saturday Evening

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Official PA Radio News: The PBC Radio, November 10

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

November 11, 2000

Summary and analysis

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

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

Morning Headlines, 8 a.m.

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

11 a.m. Headlines (additional)

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

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

Headlines

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

Quote of the Day

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

Official PA Radio News

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

November 9, 2000

Summary and Analysis

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

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

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

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

Interview with PA Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Abdul-Rahman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Detail and Headlines

7 a.m. morning headlines

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

4 p.m. afternoon

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

Song of the Day: Jerusalem Operetta
(partial verses)

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

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

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

Good Afternoon.

Abd-Rabbo: Good afternoon.

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

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

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

9 p.m. Evening News

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

Quote of the Day

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

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 8

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

November 8, 2000

Summary and Analysis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Detail and Headlines

7 a.m. morning headlines

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

2 p.m. Lead Headline

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

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

6 p.m. headlines

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

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

Song of the Day

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

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

Bringing War Criminals to Justice

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

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

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

Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 7

By

Center for Near East Policy Research

-

November 7, 2000

Summary and Analysis

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

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

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

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

Quote of the Day

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

Responsibility for Events

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

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

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

Detail and Headlines

November 7 – Morning Headlines

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

Addendum to Morning Edition

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

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

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

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

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

Israel Behind the News

Hadera Bombing: Strategic Terror

Bombs Don’t Distinguish Between a Jew and an Arab

The Voice of Palestine November 12, 2000: Featuring Arafat’s Message to the Islamic Summit

BBC TENDENTIOUSNESS CHART

BBC: an Excercise in Tendentious Coverage?

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Official PA Radio News – the PBC Radio, November 7

Column from the Director