News, December 2003, www.aljazeerah.info
Human Price of the Israeli Occupation of Palestine
Israeli daily aggression on the Palestinian people
Mission and meaning of Al-Jazeerah
Cities, localities, and tourist attractions
to continue providing you with this free service
|
Palestinians mark 'black day'
Jordan Times, Monday, December 15, 2003
RAMALLAH (Reuters) —
Disbelief and gloom seized many Palestinians on Sunday at news of Saddam Hussein's capture while Israel, which came under Iraqi Scud missile attack in the 1991 Gulf War, hailed the United States for capturing Saddam. The former Iraqi ruler was a hero to many Palestinians for his stand against Israel and its US ally, as well as for giving financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and others who died in a three-year-old uprising.
For Israel, he was a menace over the horizon who long bankrolled the enemy and the Iraqi leader rained at least 30 Scud missiles on Israeli cities during the 1991 Gulf War.
"It's a black day in history," said Sadiq Husam, 33, a taxi driver in Ramallah, West Bank seat of the Palestinian Authority.
"I am saying so not because Saddam is an Arab, but because he is the only man who said 'no' to American injustice in the Middle East," he said.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and his government made no comment. But Abdul Aziz Al Rantissi, a senior leader of the Hamas Islamic resistance group, said the United States would "pay a very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam.
"What the United States did is ugly and despicable. It is an insult to all Arabs and an insult to Muslims," he told Reuters. In particular, he criticized showing Saddam on Video and broadcasting that all over the world, when the US government was outraged when US prisoners of war were displayed on Iraqi TV. Then, the US said it was a violation of the Geneva Convention. Now, the US is committing the same violation, with a leader of a nation, not just a prisoner of war.
Islamic resistance factions have taken strength from Iraqi resistance and cautioned on Sunday that Saddam's capture would not end attacks on US forces.
As Palestinians lamented Saddam's capture, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon telephoned US President George W. Bush to congratulate him on "a great day for the democratic world."
"I believe that dictatorships in general and those who support terror in particular learned a historic lesson today," Sharon told Bush in the telephone call.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, currently visiting Washington, said Saddam's capture proved persistence paid off in the "uncompromising battle against terrorism and totalitarian regimes" and it would promote regional stability.
Saddam paid over $35 million to the kin of Palestinian suicide bombers, members of the resistance, and bystanders who died in an uprising that began in 2000.
 |
| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
 |
| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
 |
| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python (Alquds, 1/25/03. |
 |