• Official PA radio news - The P.B.C. VOP (Voice of Palestine) January 20-21

VOP reported a Palestinian cabinet policy statement that reiterated that the PA was interested in achieving a comprehensive peace based on International legitimacy, backed by international guarantees and policed by an international "protection force." The statement, which was read during all news broadcasts, stressed the need for total Israeli withdrawal and the right of return for refugees to their homes. The PA put the Bush Administration on notice that it expected the Administration to follow this course, even as it signaled strong Palestinian support for Saddam Hussein's Iraq (see headlines below).

In its coverage Friday afternoon and Saturday, VOP once again turned a harsh commentary on Israeli candidate Ariel Sharon, branding him "the extremist Ariel Sharon" at almost every mention of his name. This coverage followed publication in Friday's Israeli newspaper of Sharon's negotiating plank (only a 42-percent withdrawal versus a 95+-percent Barak withdrawal).

Quote of the Day

"O ye Muslims, the American president has left the Black House after his tenure ended, never to return. And he increased disappointment and failure in that he dreamed of getting what they call the Nobel Peace Prize. And all this at the expense of our people, at the expense of our land, at the expense of our holy places-all this to please the Jews."
        (from Mosque Address at Friday Prayers, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem, Mufti Sheikh Ikrema al-Sabry, presiding, January 19, broadcast on VOP, 11:50 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Evening Headlines, 7 p.m.

• "President Yasser Arafat received a British delegation at his headquarters in Gaza today, and he briefed them on the outstanding issues -the continuing siege, the latest Israeli aggression and the dynamics of and the need for defense and protection of the peace process;
• The Israeli cabinet headed by resigning prime minister Ehud Barak is discussing the latest aggression and the marathon meeting tomorrow Sunday in Taba which is expected to last ten days;
• Home Minister Saeb Erikat asserted that the National Authority awaits the Israeli reaction to negotiations.making ready an agreement that will put an end to Israeli occupation based on resolutions of international legitimacy linked to the Palestinian cause;
• Minister of Information Yasser Abd-Rabbo says the National Authority takes any negotiations completely seriously.and he said the National Authority was ready for a detailed agreement which deal with the all the questions.with international guarantees for their execution based on the source authority of the peace process and not on any new source authority suggested by any party (i.e. such as the Clinton initiative);
• The Leadership asserted its complete readiness to achieve an agreement on a just and lasting peace based on land for peace. and based on international legitimacy. and it warned Israel against continuing aggression.;
• The Leadership demanded that the new American president George Bush take immediate and real treatment for peace in the region based on international legitimacy and land for peace.;
• Israeli occupation police arrested this morning the (female) youth Amna Jawad from Bir Nabala in connection with the killing of the Israeli youthnear Ramallah at the end of last week;
• 13 families inside the Green Line whose family members were martyred at the hands of the Israeli police in September announced their refusal to receive resigning Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in their cities . . .;
• An Iraqi military spokesman said three Iraqis were martyred as the result of a bombing carried out by American and British planes in southern Iraq;
• And finally, at this hour, the inauguration ceremony of George Bush Jr. is taking place in the White House."

Saturday morning, January 20, Round-up headlines

• "His Excellency President Yasser Arafat sends a message to President Bill Clinton one day before he leaves the White House;
• The Leadership asserts that the Israeli withdrawal is a matter of principle for establishing confident, deep and strong relations with the Bush Administration;
• The Palestinian journalists' organization takes part in the Arab journalists' conference in Baghdad;
• Prisoners' Organization notes the large percentage of children in Israeli jails;
• Today, Clinton leaves the White House, and Bush is a new resident there, along with analysis of Clinton's letter to the Palestinian people and Bush's mid-east policies;
• A new customs agreement between the National Authority and Jordan;
• An exchange of accusations between Barak and Peres."

Sunday Morning, January 21, Headlines - 7:05 a.m.

• "His Excellency President Yasser Arafat sent a message of thanks to President Bill Clinton, thanking him or his efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.;
  (News bulletin then covered the Cabinet statement in depth and other items, repeated throughout the day. And noted in 7pm evening bulletin)
• Israeli occupation forces last night heavily shell the Ruwaiba area near Khan Yunis.wounding four citizens, three of them seriously
• National and Islamic forces are organizing a mass march in Ramallah today under the heading "NO BARGAINING OVER THE RIGHT OF RETURN."

Quotes from Mosque Address at Friday Prayers, Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem
Mufti, Sheikh Ikrema al-Sabry, presiding
Broadcast on VOP, January 19, 11:50 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

(Note: Much of the mosque speech dealt with the importance of fulfilling the Islamic commandment of pilgrimage to Mecca. Note also that the following section was repeated in three or our different variations, relying each time on a slightly different source in the Hadith-the compendium of Islamic traditions relating to the Prophet Muhammad's life and sayings.)

". . . And God's messenger (the prophet Muhammad) said 'He who can make the pilgrimage and does not do so, better that he die a Jew or Christian. And the Prince of the Faithful, Omar Ibn al-Khatab (one of Islamic leaders, known as Caliphs, following Muhammad's death), .decreed that .even a member of the Ansar (the victorious host of Muhammad's followers in Medina) who does not make the pilgrimage, even though he be Muslim, yes, even though he be a Muslim, will be subject to the jiziya (the special head tax levied on non-Muslims under Islamic sovereignty)."

[There was a pause in the speech or the reading of the first sura - or chapter - of the Quran, Islam's sacred scripture, and then the speech resumed.]

"O ye worshipers, we are hearing strange voices here and about raising slogans about 'human rights', and they act or those who guard these human rights in pseudo-organizations in Britain and America and in other infidel circles. And they talk about human rights. And they are not aware that the mighty religion of Islam actively protects the nobility of the human being (citation of several Quranic verses).And we Muslims safeguard the human rights and act with generosity of spirit to human beings, and not the infidel organizations safeguarding human rights. And anyone who calls the swallowing up of human rights that emerged from the community of nations in 1948 (i.e. with the creation of Israel) knows that this is just so much ink on paper. O ye Muslims, anyone who calls the institutions for human rights which have connections in Palestine, Europe and America who consider the executions of the treacherous agents who worked for the Occupiers who call for safeguarding human rights have confused exposing evildoers on one hand with protection of human rights on the other . . .

And we ask why were they subject to execution -- these agents, these traitors? And they subjected one of the martyrs to the guns of the occupation soldiers in Hebron while he was wounded. And they treated him savagely and wickedly. And where is the humanity in these extreme actions? And we ask why were we subjected to criminal America and malevolent Britain and the other Western countries as they bombed Kosovo, Bosnia, Herzogovina with dangerous Uranium bombs.which lead to cancer? And what of the crimes of the imperialist countries?

O ye Muslims, the American president has left the Black House after his tenure ended, never to return. And he increased disappointment and failure in that he dreamed of getting what they call the Nobel Peace Prize. And all this at the expense of our people, at the expense of our land, at the expense of our holy places-all this to please the Jews.

O ye Muslims, Al-Aqsa will burn anyone who tries to play with it and anyone who covets Beit al-Maqdas (i.e. the classical Islamic name for Jerusalem, which, is similar to the Hebrew name Beit Ha-Miqdash) except for the people of Allah.

And the city of Jerusalem has been and will remain a grave for pacifying Powers. And there will be an end to the Israeli Occupation, sooner or later. With the power of God and with His help. Because the Islamic rebel has begun to grumble and will soon conquer (also plunder), God willing.by the solution of Salahadin (Saladin) in liberating the land of the revelation, and purifying it from the inferiority (also lowness) of the transplanted ones and the colonizers. And God is powerful in his command. And God will bring victory to Islam and to the Muslims."

Return to Contents

The Israel Resource Review is brought to you by the Israel Resource, a media firm based at the Bet Agron Press Center in Jerusalem, and the Gaza Media Center under the juristdiction of the Palestine Authority.
You can contact us on media@actcom.co.il.