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Palestinians stunned at Iraqi gratitude toward U.S. presence in Baghdad
National Post ^
| April 9 ยป 2003
| Stewart Bell
Posted on 04/09/2003 6:20:05 PM PDT by Ooh-Ah
'This is a sad day for all the Arabs and Muslims, particularly the Palestinians'
TEL AVIV -- Israel remained on high alert yesterday despite the fall of Baghdad, while in Palestinian areas news of the defeat of Saddam Hussein was met with disappointment and disbelief.
Palestinians, who had been among the Iraqi leader's most strident supporters, watched their television sets in stunned silence as stations showed liberated Iraqis rejoicing alongside U.S. troops in Baghdad's central square.
It was hardly the clash they had expected would send the Americans retreating back home in defeat, thus redeeming long-suffering Arab pride. Instead, they saw the statue of their hero toppled by fellow Arabs.
"This is a sad day for all the Arabs and Muslims, particularly the Palestinians," Nael al-Am, a Ramallah grocer who keeps a poster of Saddam Hussein in his shop, told the Jerusalem Post.
"I invested a lot of money in buying a satellite dish and a new TV set because I wanted to watch the day the battle for Baghdad begins. I was sure this was going to be one of the great battles of the century, where an Arab army would inflict heavy losses on the invading crusaders. I feel as if a dagger has been stuck in my heart when I see American soldiers strolling in the heart of Baghdad."
Since the war started, Palestinians have held almost daily demonstrations in the West Bank and Gaza. They burned the U.S. and British flags, waved the Iraqi flag and carried portraits of Saddam, whom they urged to bomb Tel Aviv.
The terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad vowed to conduct suicide bombings against Israel in support of Saddam and claimed to have sent members to Iraq to kill coalition troops. Islamic Jihad carried out one suicide bombing in Netanya on March 30.
The Iraqi leader had nurtured support among Palestinians by joining his cause to theirs and donating about US$30-million to the families of Palestinians killed in attacks against Israelis.
The U.S.-led victory was all the more shocking because Palestinians get their news from Arab media outlets that have repeated far-fetched Iraqi claims that U.S. troops were nowhere near Baghdad and would be slaughtered if they approached the city.
There was no official response to yesterday's news from Israel or the Palestinians. Israel has been on a state of alert since a few hours before the first coalition air strike on Baghdad three weeks ago.
Israeli officials feared Saddam would launch Scud missiles at Israel, as he did during the 1991 Gulf War. But this did not happen, possibly because U.S. Special Forces secured western Iraq early in the campaign.
Civil defence authorities were expected to meet today to discuss whether to lower the alert, which requires Israelis to carry their gas masks at all times and keep a sealed safe room in their homes.
Israeli officials said this week they had not lifted the alert because they felt the Iraqi leader would become more unpredictable as he was cornered and might resort to a chemical or biological weapons attack.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the United States yesterday for what it claimed was a deliberate attack on its offices in Baghdad. The building was struck by an air-launched missiles at 4 p.m. Monday, it said.
"The U.S. aggression on the embassy was premeditated," an official said.
"No other embassies were targeted by bombing, which proves that the targeting of the Palestinian embassy was premeditated and not an accident."
Near Jenin, an explosive device injured 29 students at a Palestinian school. Messages sent to the press claimed a Jewish group called Revenge of the Infants was responsible.
But Israeli police cast doubt on that claim, saying it appeared a student had brought a bomb or grenade to school and accidentally detonated it.
sbell@nationalpost.com
TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hussein; iraq; israel; palestinians; us
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To: CyberAnt
Islamic Palestinians are so full of hatred that they would not even know it if something good came their way. They are not ready for statehood or anything else. They should go over to Jordan where they belong.
21
posted on
04/09/2003 6:40:14 PM PDT
by
tessalu
To: Ooh-Ah
I guess this means all those checks for $25,000 drawn on the Bank of Baghdad will not clear now.
V
22
posted on
04/09/2003 6:40:47 PM PDT
by
Beck_isright
(Oh the quagmire of it all....)
To: Ooh-Ah
The Palestinians are enslaved by (and are pawns of) the same kind of "leadership" that the people under Saddam suffered under for decades. They don't understand freedom any more than the Iraqis did
before yesterday.
So they are puzzled and confused. If they were freed of their chains, they'd understand too. And they'd realize that Israel is not the author of their troubles.
To: Ooh-Ah
I'm loving this day, this news and the humiliation of the American haters. Wish I could make this day last longer. It feels so damed good.
24
posted on
04/09/2003 6:42:14 PM PDT
by
demkicker
(I wanna kick some commie butt)
To: Ooh-Ah
I'm not usually one to denigrate entire groups of people (except Democrats, of course, which is different), but over the years it seems impossible to think of a greater bunch of MORONS than the Palestinians. Just when you think they can't act any dumber . . .
25
posted on
04/09/2003 6:42:18 PM PDT
by
Timmy
To: Timmy
They are kind of the Yankees of morons. I don't see the dynasty ending any time soon.
26
posted on
04/09/2003 6:44:38 PM PDT
by
Leisler
To: tessalu
Well ... I understand Jordan doesn't want them either!
27
posted on
04/09/2003 6:45:40 PM PDT
by
CyberAnt
To: The Old Hoosier
I kinda miss Baghdad Bob. If he gets a U.S. visa, he'd be a shoo-in for late night comedy or a Democrat Party leadership position.
To: Timmy
One Palestinian comment:
"But who will rape their daughters, gas their sons, cut out their tongues now? This is a sad day indeed!"
To: Mark17
'This is a sad day for all the Arabs and Muslims, particularly the Palestinians' Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch...
30
posted on
04/09/2003 6:48:51 PM PDT
by
ambrose
To: CharlotteVRWC
The family doesn't get their $30,000 for supplying Suicide Bombers anymore.Now they'll have to figure out how to send their dumbest kid to Mullah school.
31
posted on
04/09/2003 6:48:59 PM PDT
by
Octar
To: Ooh-Ah
Comment #2 removed. That must be a record. Good job.
32
posted on
04/09/2003 6:51:58 PM PDT
by
satchmodog9
(it's coming and if you don't get off the tracks it will run you down)
To: Ooh-Ah
33
posted on
04/09/2003 6:52:05 PM PDT
by
SamAdams76
(California wine beats French wine in blind taste tests. Boycott French wine.)
To: Ooh-Ah
Dear Mrs. Matifa Mustafa:
We are so proud of your son's recent martyrdom. Please accept our congratulations on the event, and sorrow that it did not slaughter more infidel Zionist women and children.
Unfortunately, the promised check from Uncle Saddam has been delayed at the Jordanian border, and may not make it to Ramala soon. Indeed, there is some question as to its liquidity.
Nonetheless, rember the Glorious United Arab Umah! Allah Akbar, and, really sorry again about the check.
Yours,
Ali Go-Byebye
Iraqi Representative to Palestine
34
posted on
04/09/2003 6:52:36 PM PDT
by
Uncle Miltie
(Wheat is Murder! (Tilling slaughters worms.....))
To: nutmeg
bump - read later
35
posted on
04/09/2003 6:57:08 PM PDT
by
nutmeg
(Liberate Iraq - Support Our Troops!)
To: SamAdams76
LOL! That's priceless!
To: SamAdams76
SA,
Is this from the Onion or Boston Globe?
To: The Other Harry
This guy might be embarassed by this pic in the days to come but in THIS instant he's tickled pink.
38
posted on
04/09/2003 7:07:17 PM PDT
by
alexandria
((Shpeling Opshunal))
To: alexandria
I think that this serviceman will treasure this picture forever.
To: All
A Jordanian in Amman covers his face while watching television coverage of a U.S. Marine draping an American flag over a statue of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Baghdad April 9, 2003. The Arab world was in shock, and some Arabs were in denial, after Baghdad fell almost without a fight and jubilant Iraqis, aided by U.S. Marines, toppled the towering statue of Saddam. Images of crowds rejoicing at the fall of the authoritarian ruler and cheering U.S. forces, broadcast live in many Arab countries on Wednesday, caused consternation and a sense of shame, tinged in some places with envy. (Ali Jarekji/Reuters)
40
posted on
04/09/2003 7:18:53 PM PDT
by
saquin
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