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Politics : The Palestinian Hoax -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GROUND ZERO™ who wrote (3401)	3/21/2003 11:13:48 AM
From: Haim R. Branisteanu	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3467

Mar. 21, 2003 - 'Our beloved Saddam, hit Tel Aviv,' Palestinian protesters shout (UPDATE) By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Thousands of Palestinians holding pictures of Saddam Hussein poured out of mosques after Friday prayers to protest the US-led attacks on Iraq and cheered for the Iraqi leader to bombard Israeli cities with Scud missiles. In the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Palestinians turned out in the rain to shout slogans of support to Iraqi fighters and revived some chants from the 1991 Gulf War. "Oh, beloved Saddam, we are ready to sacrifice our blood for you," a crowd chanted in Gaza City. In Jerusalem, worshippers on the Old City's hilltop mosque compound shouted, "Our beloved Saddam, hit Tel Aviv," a chant popular in 1991, when Iraq launched 39 Scud missiles at Israel. Meanwhile, a pro-Iraqi faction in the West Bank and Gaza Strip said it has been asked by the Iraqi government to speed up delivery of checks of US$10,000 each to the families of Palestinian civilians, gunmen and suicide bombers killed in fighting with Israel. A spokesman for the group, Mohanna Shabat, said Saddam gave the order to show that while he's under threat from American and British forces he's still supporting the Palestinians and influential in the Arab world. Throughout 30 months of fighting, the pro-Iraqi Arab Liberation Front had been making payments once every two weeks. But in the last week, Saddam's money has been distributed in five ceremonies in Gaza alone. Three families received the money Friday in Gaza. "The ceremony, God willing, will not be the last because President Saddam Hussein will continue his support to the Palestinian people, who are part of his Arab nation," Shabat said. The Iraqi leader is popular in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in part because of more than US$35 million he has paid to Palestinian families. In the 1991 war, he portrayed himself as the liberator of the Palestinians from Israeli occupation, and many Palestinians cheered when Iraq's Scuds fell on Israel. On the first Muslim holy day since US and British forces began attacking Iraq, the prayer leader at Gaza City's Omari Mosque, Mohammed Najam, told 15,000 worshippers: "We urge the Arab armies and people to resist the invaders and to reject any attempt to extend facilities to the American aggressors." About 7,000 men and women filled Gaza City's streets. American and British flags and pictures of U.S President George Bush were burned and withered in flames. The spiritual leader of the Islamic Hamas movement, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, told reporters at the rally that Iraqi fighters should learn from the example of Palestinian militants, who have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians in suicide bombings and other attacks. "The (Iraqi) men and women should become martyrs and fight using their bodies against the aggression," Yassin said. Palestinians suicide bombers are revered as martyrs. In Jerusalem, clouds of tear gas wafted through a street outside the Old City as Israeli police cleared a small crowd of demonstrators. Police also fired stun grenades. Yasser Arafat embraced Saddam in 1991, but his Palestinian Authority has been careful to remain on the sidelines this time. Palestinian leaders have said they oppose the US offensive, but have not expressed support for the Iraqi leader.

To: GROUND ZERO™ who wrote (3401)	4/20/2003 9:46:29 AM
From: lorne	Respond to of 3467

Abu Mazen threatens to quit after row with Arafat Khaled Abu Toameh Apr. 19, 2003 A drama was underway in Ramallah Saturday night after Palestinian prime minister-designate Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) stormed out of a meeting of Fatah's central council to announce that he was quitting. The meeting, chaired by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, was held to discuss the composition of the new Palestinian cabinet. This is the second time in the past week that Abbas and Arafat have clashed over the new cabinet. Palestinian sources said the latest row erupted when Arafat announced that he planned to retain control over the Palestinian security forces. According to senior Palestinian officials, Arafat told Abbas that he remains opposed to giving the security portfolio in the new cabinet to former security chief Mohammed Dahlan. At the stormy meeting, some Fatah officials also accused Abbas of seeking to marginalize the organization's role in the new cabinet. "There's a very serious crisis," said one official. "Abbas has said that he isn't interested in the job of prime minister." It was unclear if Abbas's decision is final. Several Palestinian officials were trying Saturday night to talk Abbas into meeting with Arafat to solve the crisis. A source close to Abbas told The Jerusalem Post: "Arafat is placing too many obstacles that make it impossible to form an independent cabinet. He wants to remain in charge of everything. That's why Abbas doesn't feel that he can accomplish his job successfully." jpost.com

To: GROUND ZERO™ who wrote (3401)	6/6/2003 9:04:32 AM
From: DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3467

The following is a grim account of a murderous koranic cult: Saudi executioner tells all Beshi says his job does not spoil his social life (photo: Arab News) Saudi Arabia's leading executioner says he is "very proud to do God's work" and does not lose sleep over beheading several people in one day. In a rare interview, Muhammad Saad al-Beshi, 42, told the Saudi daily Arab News that he had executed numerous women, as well as men. "Despite the fact that I hate violence against women, when it comes to God's will, I have to carry it out." He expressed indifference about the number of beheadings he was required to carry out. I sleep very well... I live a normal life like everyone else Muhammad Saad al-Beshi "It doesn't matter to me: two, four, 10 - as long as I'm doing God's will, it doesn't matter how many people I execute". Under the Gulf kingdom's strict Islamic Sharia laws, the death penalty can be imposed for murder, rape, apostasy, armed robbery, drug trafficking and repeated drug use. The Saudi authorities report public executions regularly - and are condemned by Western human rights groups. Choice of death Mr Beshi said he sometimes shot dead women convicted under Sharia. "It depends what they ask me to use. Sometimes they ask me to use a sword and sometimes a gun. But most of the time I use the sword," he said. When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away Muhammad Saad al-Beshi His job at a prison in Taif, where he had to handcuff and blindfold prisoners facing death, gave him a taste for executions, he told Arab News. Back in 1998, when he carried out his first execution in Jeddah, he was nervous, because many people were watching. But now he no longer suffers from "stage fright," he explained. "The criminal was tied and blindfolded. With one stroke of the sword I severed his head. It rolled metres away," he said, recalling his first beheading. "There are many people who faint when they witness an execution. I don't know why they come and watch if they don't have the stomach for it," he said. "No one is afraid of me. I have a lot of relatives, and many friends at the mosque, and I live a normal life like everyone else. There are no drawbacks for my social life." Treasured sword He is a contented father of seven. Beshi trains the next generation of executioners (photo: Arab News) Mr Beshi said his sword was a gift from the government. He keeps it razor sharp and sometimes his children help him clean it. "People are amazed how fast it can separate the head from the body," he said. Before an execution he visits the victim's family to seek forgiveness for the criminal, which can lead to the criminal's life being spared. "I always have that hope, until the very last minute, and I pray to God to give the criminal a new lease of life." Once an execution goes ahead, his only conversation with the prisoner is to tell him or her to recite the "Shahada" - an affirmation of Muslim faith. "When they get to the execution square, their strength drains away. Then I read the execution order, and at a signal I cut the prisoner's head off," he said. Training As an experienced executioner, Mr Beshi now trains others for the grim task. He is proud that his son was taken on as an executioner. Training focuses on how to hold the sword and where to bring the blade down. Sometimes he also has to carry out amputations of hands or legs. "I use a special sharp knife, not a sword. When I cut off a hand I cut it from the joint. If it is a leg the authorities specify where it is to be taken off, so I follow that."