The Palestinian Authority news agency called the IDF retaliatory actions in Gaza, during which several buildings used by PLO militiamen and gun-runners were destroyed ?barbaric, shameful and [a] war crime act conducted by the Israeli occupying forces?? The US Administration, in the opinion of the Wafa editors, ?is terribly embarrassed for granting Israel the green light of approval to this war crime after it took place justifying it as ?defensive and precautionary measure!??
Apparently, the Israeli actions provoked a series of questions in the Arab press. The questions are posed not to Israel, but to the United States. Will the US Administration ?recalculate its position in the light of the exposed Israeli lies, deception and naive dramas??? asks the PA mouthpiece. An article in the Egyptian newspaper al-Akhbar poses a series of questions, as well. ?How can the demolishing of innocent and unarmed peoples' homes using American-made tanks be described as self-defense?? the article asks, directing its comments at US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in light of his understanding of Israel?s defensive motives in the Gaza operation. As to attacks on Israelis, the al-Akhbar piece poses another question, ?Can anyone with brains in their heads regard the suicide attacks against Israeli forces of occupation - forces, mind you not civilians - as an act of terror?? Another Egyptian newspaper, al-Alam al-Yom, asks, ?an irksome question, whose answer has long been sough but is yet to be reached, namely what is the American people's interest in seeing the Palestinian people being killed??
The al-Akhbar article concludes by answering its own questions with another comment directed at the US Secretary of State, ?The demolition of Palestinian homes by the Israeli forces, dear Mr. Powell, can by no means be subsumed as self-defense. It is terror personified; a flagrant attack on life and a violation of all laws and principles.? While al-Alam al-Yom attempts to encourage its readers as to the futility of Ariel Sharon?s actions against the Arabs of the PA. ?The Palestinian people's resolve will never be broken,? the Egyptian paper declares, ?Nor will it be undermined by the demolishing of their homes nor by leaving their children and women without shelter from the biting cold of the winter.?
The PA, for its part, uses its commentary on the Israeli demolitions to remind readers of the Wafa news agency report that ?it is up to us, Palestinians, to stop all useless actions, thus? blocking all excuses for Sharon and his Government.? Praising the PA?s ?outstanding achievements,? the PA editorial states that ?all Palestinian factions, individuals, groups and organizations should be aware of their duties also and commit themselves to the high interests of the Palestinian people?? Failing to do so, the PA agency says, has ?its translation on the ground, [as] more massacres and more refugees in their own homeland.? This approach is not taken ?out of fear or retreat in front of the Israeli gigantic war machine,? the Wafa article states, ?but because the world listens to us, and because we are getting closer to our independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its Capital.? While ?[w]e have to be a little more patient and give peace a chance? the legitimate resistance, the Intifada and confronting the occupation, those are our sacred resources that we will use when and if hope has vanished and replaced by despair and frustration.?
Apparently, the Israeli actions provoked a series of questions in the Arab press. The questions are posed not to Israel, but to the United States. Will the US Administration ?recalculate its position in the light of the exposed Israeli lies, deception and naive dramas??? asks the PA mouthpiece. An article in the Egyptian newspaper al-Akhbar poses a series of questions, as well. ?How can the demolishing of innocent and unarmed peoples' homes using American-made tanks be described as self-defense?? the article asks, directing its comments at US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in light of his understanding of Israel?s defensive motives in the Gaza operation. As to attacks on Israelis, the al-Akhbar piece poses another question, ?Can anyone with brains in their heads regard the suicide attacks against Israeli forces of occupation - forces, mind you not civilians - as an act of terror?? Another Egyptian newspaper, al-Alam al-Yom, asks, ?an irksome question, whose answer has long been sough but is yet to be reached, namely what is the American people's interest in seeing the Palestinian people being killed??
The al-Akhbar article concludes by answering its own questions with another comment directed at the US Secretary of State, ?The demolition of Palestinian homes by the Israeli forces, dear Mr. Powell, can by no means be subsumed as self-defense. It is terror personified; a flagrant attack on life and a violation of all laws and principles.? While al-Alam al-Yom attempts to encourage its readers as to the futility of Ariel Sharon?s actions against the Arabs of the PA. ?The Palestinian people's resolve will never be broken,? the Egyptian paper declares, ?Nor will it be undermined by the demolishing of their homes nor by leaving their children and women without shelter from the biting cold of the winter.?
The PA, for its part, uses its commentary on the Israeli demolitions to remind readers of the Wafa news agency report that ?it is up to us, Palestinians, to stop all useless actions, thus? blocking all excuses for Sharon and his Government.? Praising the PA?s ?outstanding achievements,? the PA editorial states that ?all Palestinian factions, individuals, groups and organizations should be aware of their duties also and commit themselves to the high interests of the Palestinian people?? Failing to do so, the PA agency says, has ?its translation on the ground, [as] more massacres and more refugees in their own homeland.? This approach is not taken ?out of fear or retreat in front of the Israeli gigantic war machine,? the Wafa article states, ?but because the world listens to us, and because we are getting closer to our independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its Capital.? While ?[w]e have to be a little more patient and give peace a chance? the legitimate resistance, the Intifada and confronting the occupation, those are our sacred resources that we will use when and if hope has vanished and replaced by despair and frustration.?