DATE=2/19/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39024
TITLE=PALESTINIANS/IRAQ
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS TRYING TO CRACK DOWN ON
PRO-IRAQ AND ANTI-U-S DEMONSTRATIONS, WHICH HAVE BROKEN OUT
ALMOST DAILY IN THE WEST BANK FOR MORE THAN A WEEK, INCLUDING ONE
ON THURSDAY (TODAY). AMONG OTHER STEPS, THE AUTHORITY CLOSED
SEVERAL PRIVATE TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS, WHOSE BROADCASTS
SOME OFFICIALS SAID HAD BEEN INCITING THE PUBLIC. V-O-A'S AL
PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM ON HOW THE GULF CRISIS IS AFFECTING
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, MEDIA AND PEOPLE.
TEXT: ///DEMONSTRATION ACTUALITY -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER///
IN DEMONSTRATIONS LIKE THIS ONE THROUGHOUT THE WEST BANK,
PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN CRITICIZING THE UNITED STATES AND CALLING
ON IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN TO FIRE MISSILES AT TEL AVIV.
THE SMALL DEMONSTRATIONS, MOSTLY BY YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVE PERSISTED
IN SPITE OF A BAN IMPOSED LAST WEEK BY THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY.
THIS WEEK, THE AUTHORITY TOOK ADDITIONAL STEPS, ORDERING SEVERAL
PRIVATE TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS TO LIMIT THEIR COVERAGE OF
THE IRAQ ISSUE AND THE DEMONSTRATIONS. //OPT// IT ALSO CLOSED AT
LEAST SIX TELEVISION STATIONS AND TWO RADIO STATIONS, AND IS
REVIEWING THE LICENSING PAPERS OF MORE THAN 30 OTHERS. THE
AUTHORITY SAYS THE STATIONS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO GO BACK ON THE
AIR, PENDING THE PAPERWORK REVIEW.
IN THE PAST, PRIVATE PALESTINIAN BROADCASTERS HAD GENERALLY BEEN
ALLOWED TO OPERATE WITH OR WITHOUT THE PROPER LICENSES. BUT NOW
//END OPT// WALID AWAD OF THE PALESTINIAN INFORMATION MINISTRY
SAYS TIGHTER REGULATION IS NEEDED. MR. AWAD SAYS THERE IS SOME
CONCERN IN THE AUTHORITY THAT BY REFLECTING -- AND PERHAPS
MAGNIFYING -- PALESTINIAN SYMPATHY FOR IRAQ, THE PRIVATELY-OWNED
STATIONS COULD BE DAMAGING WHAT HE CALLS THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL
INTEREST.
///AWAD ACTUALITY///
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE NOW ... ARE IN A PEACE PROCESS
AND WE WANT TO HAVE RATIONAL THINKING PREVAILING AMONG
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE SO THAT THINGS ARE NOT
PUSHED TOWARD EXTREMISM. ON THE CONTRARY, WE WANT IT TO
BE ON THE SIDE THAT IS PUSHING TOWARDS, IF YOU LIKE,
ACCOMMODATION AND PEACEFUL ATTITUDES, WHEREBY WE CAN
MOVE ON WITH THE PEACE PROCESS. //OPT// ... THIS IS THE
PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INTEREST AND IT IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TO PROTECT
THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN THIS
DELICATE SITUATION. //END OPT//
///END ACTUALITY///
MR. AWAD SAYS ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU USES ANY
MILITANT STATEMENTS BY ANY PALESTINIANS -- SUCH AS THE
DEMONSTRATORS' CALL FOR ATTACKS ON TEL AVIV -- TO HURT THE
PALESTINIAN IMAGE WORLDWIDE, AND TO DELAY THE PEACE PROCESS.
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY WANTS TO AVOID.
//OPT// AT THE SAME TIME, MR. AWAD ADMITS THERE IS CONSIDERABLE
SYMPATHY FOR IRAQ AMONG THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. HE SAYS THERE IS
AN ARAB SOLIDARITY ISSUE, AND HE SAYS PALESTINIANS SEE IRAQIS AS
VICTIMS OF WHAT HE CALLS U-S ATROCITIES, JUST AS, HE SAYS, THE
PALESTINIANS ARE VICTIMS OF ISRAELI ATROCITIES. THE PALESTINIAN
OFFICIAL ALSO SAYS PALESTINIANS FEEL "HURT" BY WHAT HE CALLS THE
U-S DOUBLE STANDARD -- ALLOWING ISRAEL TO IGNORE PEACE AGREEMENTS
AND U-N RESOLUTIONS, WHILE SENDING ENORMOUS FIREPOWER AGAINST
IRAQ TO ENFORCE OTHER U-N RESOLUTIONS. //END OPT//
MR. AWAD SAYS THE BROADER PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INTEREST MUST TAKE
PRECEDENCE OVER FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE
MEDIA. THAT VIEWPOINT WORRIES DAOUD KHUTTAB, AN AWARD-WINNING
PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST AND PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF
INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN BROADCASTERS.
///KHUTTAB ACTUALITY///
I STILL DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS
BEEN AWARDED TO PALESTINIANS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES USING
INDEPENDENT MEDIA. BUT I THINK THAT THE SENSITIVITY OF
THE POLITICAL SITUATION, THE EMERGENCY-LIKE SITUATION
HAS GIVEN MORE POWER TO THE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES IN
THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN
ISSUES OF WAR AND NATIONAL SECURITY GET INVOLVED THAT
YOU CAN REALLY TALK IN A REASONABLE (WAY). SO I JUST
HOPE THE IRAQI CRISIS ENDS QUICKLY SO THAT PEOPLE WHO
USE THESE EXCUSES WILL NOT BE USING THAT AS AN EXCUSE TO
STIFLE THE MEDIA.
///END ACTUALITY///
PALESTINIAN OFFICIAL WALID AWAD IS PROUD TO PROCLAIM THAT THERE
IS MORE FREE MEDIA IN AREAS CONTROLLED BY THE AUTONOMY AUTHORITY
THAN IN VIRTUALLY ANY ARAB COUNTRY, IN SPITE OF WHAT HE CALLS THE
PALESTINIANS' "DELICATE" POSITION. HE SAYS THE BEST WAY TO
PROTECT THAT FREEDOM IS TO LIMIT IT WHEN IT THREATENS BROADER
PALESTINIAN INTERESTS.
BUT BROADCASTER DAOUD KHUTTAB HAS SEEN WHERE SUCH THINKING CAN
LEAD. HE WAS ARRESTED LAST MAY BECAUSE HIS TELEVISION STATION
BROADCAST FREQUENT CRITICISM OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. THE
CRITICISM WAS VOICED DURING SESSIONS OF THE PALESTINIAN
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL -- WHICH HE BROADCAST LIVE AS A PUBLIC
SERVICE. (SIGNED)
NEB/AWP/PCF
19-Feb-98 11:31 AM EST (1631 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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