[FBIS Report]
Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic at 0818 GMT on 18 August begins a live relay from the Presidential Compound in Ramallah of a Palestinian Legislative Council session attended by PA Chairman Yasir Arafat, during which he is scheduled to deliver a speech. The Gaza-based PLC members are taking part in the session via videoconference.
PLC Speaker Rawhi Fattuh announces that a quorum is achieved with the presence of 60 attendees. Fattuh notes that this is a special session devoted to listening to Arafat's speech, after which it will be adjourned for the members to head for the sit-in tent set up in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners.
At 1826 GMT, Fattuh delivers a speech in which he expresses support for Arafat and for the Palestinian efforts to establish an independent state. He hails the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prisons and calls for extending all forms of support to them until they gain their freedom. He condemns the Israeli construction of the separation fence and says peace can be achieved after the occupation is removed and the problem of refugees is solved. He condemns the attack on deputy Nabil Amr and other lawless acts the Palestinian arena has recently witnessed. He welcomes Arafat's decision to merge the security services. He calls on the Quartet and the international community to help the PA hold the presidential and legislative elections and pressure Israeli into stopping its "aggression." He calls on the Palestinian Council of Ministers to perform their duties based on the provisions of the Basic Law.
At 0841, Fattuh gives the floor to Arafat to speak.
Arafat begins by saluting the Palestinian and Arab prisoners currently on a hunger strike in the Israeli prisons. He says the prisoners' issue is a priority and that the Palestinian leadership and national forces will join the prisoners in fasting today. He notes that "an Arab and international endeavor" to address the prisoners' problem and work to secure their release and that "a leadership committee" has been formed for this purpose.
Reacting to Israeli Public Security Minister Hanegbi's statements, [in which he allegedly said he could care less if the prisoners died of hunger], Arafat says: "We are all potential martyrs." He wonders why the Palestinian prisoners in prisons close to the Dimona reactor were not given the anti-radiation pills that were distributed to the residents of that area.
Arafat says this meeting underlines the determination by the Palestinian people and leadership to continue their work "despite the continuing siege, aggression, occupation, and attacks." He adds that the meeting is also "proof of the vitality of our institutions, which, along with the people, have for years been subjected to these aggressive campaigns." He notes that these campaigns do not stop "in an attempt to weaken and strike at them [institutions] until liquidating our National Authority and entity." "But their deeds are of no use and we are up to the challenge," he maintains.
Arafat recalls Sharon's visit to Al-Haram al-Sharif, which sparked the Palestinian intifadah four years agio. He also recalls warning Baraq not to allow Sharon to make this visit.
Arafat notes that ten years after the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, "it is an occasion for us to pause and contemplate the march of these ten years to evaluate and rectify and see where we were right and where we were wrong."
Further as available.
[Description of Source: Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Official television station of the Palestinian Authority]
GMP20040818000055 Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic 0818 GMT 18 Aug 04
[FBIS Report]
Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic at 0855 GMT ON 18 August continues the live relay from the Presidential Compound in Ramallah of a Palestinian Legislative Council session attended by PA Chairman Yasir Arafat. Audio and video reception are good.
Arafat then says: "The people and their leadership are besieged. They, however, adhere to their rights, national objectives, and their land, the land of steadfastness." Arafat then reviews the Palestinian national program, which is based on carrying out two national tasks; namely, "ending the criminal occupation of our land and our holy Christian and Islamic places and establishing the independent Palestinian state with holy Jerusalem as its capital," as well as "setting up the National Authority as the basis and cornerstone" for the Palestinian state.
Turning to the peace process at 0900 GMT, Arafat says: "The road to peace represents a strategic option for our people, as you declared this in our national councils and our Arab summits." Arafat then announces his adherence to all peace agreements that began in Madrid, Washington, and Oslo, and that were signed with the Israeli Government. Recalling the provision of the agreements with "my late partner Yitzhaq Rabin," Arafat says in English: "No new settlements, no one house to be added to any settlement; the fence of any settlement not more than 50 meters from the last house." He adds that despite this, new settlements are still being built.
After reviewing the peace talks with the Israeli side and "Israel's practices and wars to destroy the Palestinian National Authority," Arafat says: "We were the first to condemn -- as you recall -- the attacks that were carried out in New York and Washington in 2001, warning against taking the Palestinian issue and Islam as a pretext by any party to carry out acts that we strongly condemn and reject proceeding from our heritage, principles, and values, as well as from the fact that we are victims of the Israeli state terrorism and Israeli extremists."
At 0920 GMT, Arafat says: "We are the only people in the world who are still under occupation." He adds: "As for Iraq, it is still half and half. They say that they still cannot enter Al-Najaf."
Further as available.
[Description of Source: Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Official television station of the Palestinian Authority]