Israel Resource Review 7th March, 2001


Contents:

Official Palestinian Radio News: The Voice of Palestine (V.O.P.) March.5th
The PLO Non-Reaction to the Netanya Bombing


Summary and Analysis The Voice of Palestine began its special Feast of Sacrifice ('Eid al-Adha) programming with prayers and sermon from the Al-Aqsa, including a call from the mosque sheikh "to liberate Jerusalem" and to support Iraq in its struggle against the United States.

In a somewhat unusual move, V.O.P. quoted from the highlights of the mosque speech throughout the day, noting the Sheikh "called for a continuation of the struggle and the holy war" (Arabic: nidal and jihad).

No Palestinian official commented, condemned or even signaled disapproval of the bomb attack inside Netanya yesterday, and there was no call for restraint in any shape or form.

But in a very interesting development, during a special edition of the morning dialogue show hosted by senior PA commentator Youssef al-Kazaz, the V.O.P. raised the question that many outside the PA are talking about the imminent collapse of the PA. The idea was dismissed by PA Minister Nabil Amr, but the very fact that the issue was raised-and by a commentator who is sycophantically tied to Arafat-means that the PA wanted the question raised and dismissed.

Why? It wanted the issue dismissed for the home Palestinian audience which it needs to believe that Arafat is in control. But it also could not ignore that the issue has been raised by the "Peace Camp" in Israel and by many European observers (perhaps after being briefed by the PA). Indeed, the PA may have wanted the issue raised out of a "weakness is strength" view.

The PA faces imminent collapse unless it does two things:

  • It lets the PA off the hook of responsibility for violence emanating from PA territory;
  • And it puts pressure on Israel to ease up on economic pressure and to shelve possible military escalations, while increasing pressure for international intervention for and "protection" of the Palestinians.

Monday Morning Headlines: Feast of Sacrifice, March 5, 8:00 a.m.

  • "A martyr in Jenin welcomes (greets) the first day of the Feast. The martyr is Osama Ibrahim 'Id;
  • Thousands brave the siege and attend the Feast prayers in the holy Al-Aqsa mosque;
  • "His Excellency says fate will bring Palestinian flags atop the mosques and churches of Jerusalem despite Israeli aggression;
  • The National and Islamic forces call for setting aside the Feast days for visiting the graves and families of the martyrs;
  • Occupation forces have cordoned off the village of Rafat, keeping it under curfew for the last eight days;
  • In Israeli maneuvers, there are increased road blocks on the routes;
  • Sharon backs not transferring funds owed by Israel to the National Authority, and presents his government to the Knesset his Wednesday."


Quote of the Day

"We celebrate with you the opening day of the Feast, though the tyrannical Occupation presses its ugly imprint on everything Palestinian." (Jamal Miari, V.O.P. anchorman, 8:05 a.m., in lead-in from morning news headlines to the news in detail)

Quote from live statement by Yasser Arafat in "stake-out" after mosque prayers in Gaza:

"On this occasion of the Feast, Palestine, the Arab nation, the Muslim nation, (we say) this (Palestinian) people, despite the siege and the dangerous military escalation and these circumstances and confrontations we will continue until Palestinian flags fly atop the mosques and churches of Jerusalem, and they will be seen from afar."


Quotes from Monday Morning Feast Commentary, Youssef al-Kazaz, Senior V.O.P. Commentator

"The Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation congratulates His Excellency President Yasser Arafat on the occasion of the Feast of the Sacrifice. And may God grant our Arab and Muslim peoples goodness and blessings, and may the Palestinian people realize their rights-freedom, independence and the return (of the refugees), as well as the establishment of their state with holy Jerusalem as its capital. We at Palestinian Broadcasting call for the grace of God for our martyrs and for his healing for the wounded and for freedom for our prisoners. And our Palestinian people will continue their glorious intifada in the face of unprecedented escalation by the Israeli Occupation and its settlers against our people. We will always remember our martyrs who sacrificed themselves for us, defending this homeland, Palestine, this homeland of the birth (of Jesus) and the night journey (of Muhammad). They fell in the path of freedom and independence. May God grant that by the next Feast we have realized our goals, liberating the land, establishing an independent Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its capital under the leadership of His Excellency President Yasser Arafat, president of the state of Palestine."


Interview with PA Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nabil Amr

Question: "Professor Nabil, what do you say about all the talk in international and Arab circles about the collapse of the (Palestinian) National Authority?"

Answer: "There are many causes for the talk in this direction. There are some who would like to see that day. One has to remember that the National Authority is not a traditional organization or a typical construction which can be pressed to collapse. It has faced many pressures since the establishment of the PLO. There are those who are afraid such a collapse would lead to great explosion in many places. But the truth is that whatever the difficult circumstances, the collapse that some are waiting for is not in the offing. "

Question: "Anything that happens inside the Green Line, Israel blames President Yasser Arafat."

Answer: "Well, brother Youssef, the charge the Israelis throw at Yasser Arafat or the National Authority is the best indication, the strongest indication of Israeli weakness, the weakness of their security might. We say the Israelis are choosing an impossible solution to the security matter and that is the military solution. They are trying to put the entire police in the streets. This state that considers itself the most important state, the most powerful in the Middle East believes its security lies in the hands of Yasser Arafat."


12 Noon News Bulletin Headlines

  • "After the Feast prayers, thousands accompany to burial the exalted martyr Osama Ibrahim Id, 23, from the Jenin Camp who fell early today before Occupation bullets during a heavy bombardment of populated neighborhoods;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat asserts that our people are ready to continue with their fate until our flags fly over the mosques and churches of holy Jerusalem, the capital of the independent state. His excellency's remarks came in response to reporters' questions after he attended the Feast prayers in the Mosque of the Martyr Abu Jihad (a.k.a. Khalil al-Wazir, Arafat's late military deputy, killed by Israel) in the Sheikh Ijleen neighborhood of Gaza, where the mosque sermon speaker, Dr. Muhammad Nijm called for re-doubling efforts for the sak Thousands attended the Feast prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the sermon speaker in Al Aqsa, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein strongly criticized the tyrannical Israeli siege on Palestinian cities, towns and villages and camps. And the sermon giver said the siege and the oppression would not prevent our people from continuing their struggle (nidal) and holy war (jihad) to free their land and to establish an independent Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its capital;
  • More than a million passed by Mount Arafat last night to Wadi Mina (part of the Haj pilgrimage route) near holy Mecca .;
  • Feisal Husseini, holder of the Jerusalem portfolio (in the PLO) asserts that the Palestinian intifada against the Israeli occupation is the expression of a political choice aimed at ending the occupation and sweeping it from our occupied land. Husseini called on our people to continue its resistance;
  • Two citizens wounded, one seriously, in Khan Yunis from Occupation fire;
  • Occupation forces burst in into mosque in Rafat village during Feast prayers and attack worshipers;
  • Ariel Sharon will present his government in the Knesset on Wednesday."


Monday Evening Headlines, March 5

  • "Occupation forces continue their aggression and wound a citizen;
  • National security forces urge citizens to report any artillery bombardments using bombs or bullets by the Occupation;
  • His Excellency President Yasser Arafat receives a second letter from American president and his secretary of state;
  • The Likud finalizes is efforts to form a government, and it will present it to the Knesset tomorrow;
  • Iraqi missile forces fire on American and British planes."

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Official Palestinian Radio News: The Voice of Palestine (V.O.P.) March 6th


Summary and Analysis

On the second day of the Feast of the Sacrifice, V.O.P. gave slight news coverage and interviewing, but expanded generally on several themes it has been broaching recently:

  • broad condemnations of Israeli war crimes;
  • firm support for Iraq versus the United States;
  • a somewhat clumsy cover-up of recent Palestinian statements (e.g. Communications Minister Imad Falouji speaking 'Ein Hilweh Camp in Lebanon) that the Intifada was a planned war with specific political goals, and not a spontaneous outpouring of wrath against Ariel Sharon for "polluting" Islamic shrines on September 28, 2000.

In its news reports, V.O.P. concentrated on Israeli-imposed curfews, fire and searches in the Ramallah, Jenin and Khan Yunis areas.


Tuesday Morning 8 a.m. Holiday Round-up Headlines

  • "The Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Ikrema al-Sabry stressed in an interview with Egyptian news agency-Al-Sharq al-Awsat-that the Palestinians will stubbornly fulfill (their goals) in the Intifada despite the sacrifices;
  • The Minister of Communications Mails, Engineer Imad Falouji, denies what was ascribed to him by the media, that is, that the Palestinian National Authority planned the outbreak of the Intifada. He described this story as outrageous (i.e. "chutzpah") and said that the National Authority like the Palestinian people was not surprised by the outbreak of the Intifada because of Israeli policies and the continuing violation of registered agreements;
  • The director of the UN's refugee organization UNRWA, Peter Hansen, warns of the worsening situation of the Palestinian refugees, and he says that their situation (i.e. the refugees) is worse after five months of Intifada than it was after seven years of the first Intifada (i.e. 1987/8) (Note: the first Intifada did not last seven years);
  • The Israeli Gesher Party refused to join the new Likud government.;
  • The United States decides to contribute 14-million dollars to the Iraqi Opposition as part of the American plan to strengthen the opposition against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein;
  • Russia denies testing a nuclear weapons."


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

  • "Occupation forces impose curfew on Al-'Aroub Refugee Camp in Hebron district after bombarding it with heavy automatic fire, and they are bulldozing lands in Khan Yunis, while imposing a reinforced closure on Jenin. All this even as the village of Rafat remains under closure and curfew for ten days;
  • The Minister of communication and Mails places the blame for existential tensions on Israel, while the Jerusalem Mufti stresses that the Intifada will continue despite the sacrifices;
  • UNRWA representative issues a warning
  • -Ariel Sharon has revealed his majority and will tomorrow present his government for a confidence vote;
  • The vice president of the United States underwent surgery, and a chain of shooting continues in the schools of America, reviving re-examination after two students were killed in other events."

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Return to Contents#000080Interview: Bassem Eid
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Return to Contents size=+2>Interview: Bassem Eid
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Return to Contents#000080Rock Throwing is Non-Violent
Dr. Aaron Lerner
Director,
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Return to Contents size=+3>Rock Throwing is Non-Violent
Dr. Aaron Lerner
Director,
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Return to Contentshttp://www.imra.org.ilIMRA


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dis-obedience. We, the Palestinians, have the full right to continue our resistance against the occupation, to liberate our occupied territories and to declare our independent state. We can do so through non-violent resistance.

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Return to ContentsI am not talking about obedience: I am talking about civilian dis-obedience. We, the Palestinians, have the full right to continue our resistance against the occupation, to liberate our occupied territories and to declare our independent state. We can do so through non-violent resistance.         PHRMG Director Bassem Eid interviewed online by the Washington Post.

IMRA interviewed Bassem Eid, in English on 7th March, 2001.

IMRA: I just saw your comment about non-violent resistance and I was hoping you could help me out.

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        PHRMG Director Bassem Eid interviewed online by the Washington Post.

IMRA interviewed Bassem Eid, in English on 7th March, 2001.

IMRA: I just saw your comment about non-violent resistance and I was hoping you could help me out. Printer friendly version of this article

Return to ContentsNon-violence

Bassem Eid: Violence is shooting.

IMRA: So rock throwing is nonviolent in your book?

Bassem Eid: I think that the rocks and the stones in the last intafada gave the Palestinians so much international support . . .

IMRA: But that is not the question. We are using a language in which people use the same words to mean different things. If Palestinians go out and throw rocks at security people and settlers is that a non-violent activity?

Bassem Eid: But don't forget on the other side that using the stones is less dangerous.

IMRA: That is not the question. You are using the term

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Return to Contents is a question of definition. I have interviewed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and he says that it is non-violent when you throw rocks but do not shoot guns. What do you consider to be a non-violent activity?

Bassem Eid: Violence is shooting.

IMRA: So rock throwing is nonviolent in your book?

Bassem Eid: I think that the rocks and the stones in the last intafada gave the Palestinians so much international support . . .

IMRA: But that is not the question. We are using a language in which people use the same words to mean different things. If Palestinians go out and throw rocks at security people and settlers is that a non-violent activity?

Bassem Eid: But don't forget on the other side that using the stones is less dangerous.

IMRA: That is not the question. You are using the term Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentsnon-violent resistance and this is a source of confusion because when a westerner hears the term Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentsnon-violent resistance

I am not making a value judgement. Just noting that you are using the term

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Return to Contents within his field of reference it does not include throwing rocks at people. They have a vision of Martin Luther walking down the street with arms linked in Selma Alabama. Martin Luther King did not walk down the street throwing rocks at policemen.

I am not making a value judgement. Just noting that you are using the term Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentsnon-violent resistance

Just so I understand. You are saying that it is OK to throw rocks. That you can kill policemen and settlers with rocks but you cannot shoot them?

Bassem Eid: I do not remember a case that someone was killed getting hit by a stone.

IMRA: Absolutely. There are a whole series of people who have been killed by rocks. They were hit by rocks and lost control of their cars.

Bassem Eid: I do not remember such an incident. I know about people who were injured. Please send me a list.

IMRA: I will. But for the time being let's just finish this conversation: As far as you are concerned, when you talk about non-violent resistance you include throwing rocks?

Bassem Eid: Yes. Yes.

[IMRA will release list later of other cases but will mention now that an Israeli driver was killed on the Tel Aviv - Haifa highway in October when he lost control of his car after being stoned by Israeli Arabs.

This interview is illustrative of the problem reporters frequently encounter with such terms. They have to go the next step and ask what

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Return to Contents and that it is a term that in western eyes has another interpretation.

Just so I understand. You are saying that it is OK to throw rocks. That you can kill policemen and settlers with rocks but you cannot shoot them?

Bassem Eid: I do not remember a case that someone was killed getting hit by a stone.

IMRA: Absolutely. There are a whole series of people who have been killed by rocks. They were hit by rocks and lost control of their cars.

Bassem Eid: I do not remember such an incident. I know about people who were injured. Please send me a list.

IMRA: I will. But for the time being let's just finish this conversation: As far as you are concerned, when you talk about non-violent resistance you include throwing rocks?

Bassem Eid: Yes. Yes.

[IMRA will release list later of other cases but will mention now that an Israeli driver was killed on the Tel Aviv - Haifa highway in October when he lost control of his car after being stoned by Israeli Arabs.

This interview is illustrative of the problem reporters frequently encounter with such terms. They have to go the next step and ask what Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentsnon-violenceliving in Israel may be considered an

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Return to Contents means. There is a similar problem when a Palestinian says the Jews will be left alone once they halt their aggressive activities and the reporter declines to ask for a definition of these activities - as it may turn out that Jews living in Israel may be considered an Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentsaggressive activity

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
P.O. Box 982, Kfar Sava
Tel (+972-9) 760-4719
Fax (+972-3) 548-0092
Email:
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Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
P.O. Box 982, Kfar Sava
Tel (+972-9) 760-4719
Fax (+972-3) 548-0092
Email:
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Return to Contentsmailto:imra@netvision.net.ilimra@netvision.net.il
Website: Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contents>imra@netvision.net.il
Website: Printer friendly version of this article

Return to Contentshttp://www.imra.org.ilwww.imra.org.il

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