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TITLE: Palestinians Condemn Anglo-American Bombing of Baghdad |
AUTHOR: |
ORG: Islamic Association for Palestine |
DATE: February 18, 2001 |
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Occupied Jerusalem: Palestinians at all levels strongly condemned British and American aerial bombing of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday which resulted in the death of a number of civilians and inflicted heavy material damage. Palestinian Authority officials denounced the bombing as "vicious" and opined that it was meant "to cover up the criminal Zionist aggression against our people." PA legislative council member, Ahmed Qrei, said in a solidarity letter to his Iraqi counterpart, National Council Speaker Sa'adoun Hamadi, that the Palestinian people were identifying with Iraq against American aggression. Moreover, Popular forces in the West Bank and Gaza as well as in 1948-Palestine also expressed their outrage at the American bombing. Hamas official in Nalubs, Jamal Mansour, said the Anglo-American bombing was "a reassertion of western enmity to Arabs and Islam," adding that there were not any real justifications for the bombing. The same sentiments was voiced by other Palestinian groups that viewed the bombing as part of the overall American policy toward the Arab world. "This criminal bombing amounts to a blatant aggression not only against Iraq but against the entire Arab nation," said Hussein Rahal, head of the pro-Iraqi Arab Liberation Front. He called on Arab masses to exert pressure on Arab regimes to end official silence and lend support for the Iraqi people. In Nablus, the West Bank's largest town, hundreds of Palestinian activists from various political orientations took part in a rally in solidarity with Iraq. Participants carried signs condemning the American bombing, and calling on Arab and Muslim masses to show solidarity with the Iraqi people. One speaker called on political leaders in the region to boycott the upcoming visit to the Middle East by US Secretary of State Colin Powel. Another speaker argued that the real aim of the bombing was to divert attention from the daily genocidal rampage carried out by the Zionists against the Palestinian people. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been gaining popularity among many Palestinians recently, especially since the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada or uprising, mainly due to his generous financial help to the families of Palestinian martyrs. Iraq has offered $10,000 to each martyr's family and $3,000 to each Palestinian seriously injured in the nearly 5 month-old uprising. END |