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Two weeks ago, recently resigned Palestinian cabinet minister Abdel Fattah Hamayel told the BBC that the Palestinian Authority shells out $50,000 a month to members of Fatah's Aksa Brigades terror cells. Hamayel said that Yasser Arafat is aware of these payments. The BBC reporter then sat down with Ata Abu Rumaileh and Zakariah Zubaidi, the respective heads of Fatah's political and terrorist wings in Jenin. Together the men explained to the BBC reporter that "there is no difference between Fatah and the Aksa Martyrs' Brigades." The men also explained that Arafat commands both. What we learn from this report is...

The following is IMRA's translation of the results of a poll of a representative sample of 618 adult Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalem carried by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO) under the direction of PCPO President Dr.Nabil Kukali on 15- 20 October 2003 as published in Arabic in Al Hayyat Al Jadeedah on 20 November 2003. The survey was commissioned by "The New Family Organization". Do you believe it is important to raise a child to be: Shahid 18.6% Farmer 8.9% Academic with a profession 59.2% Other 13.3% What type of legal marriage...

PA officials: Powell speaks to Qureia by phone, tells him Israeli-Palestinian meetings important for road map progress (AP)

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Palestinians are mocking and laughing at American casualties in Iraq in their press and elsewhere, an independent Israeli media watchdog group said on Tuesday. Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) Director Itamar Marcus said that while the Palestinians have been criticizing America in their media for years, the hatred has recently been ratcheted up. Established in 1996, PMW monitors and analyzes Palestinian Arabic language media. "[The Palestinians] have been condemning America since 1997," said Marcus in a telephone interview. "Anti-American cartoons mocking American dead [have] reached a new level of hatred." In a cartoon printed in the Palestinian Authority's...

(IsraelNN.com) Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a member of the House International Relations Committee, introduced legislation that will prohibit further US financial assistance to the PA until the perpetrators of an October 15th deliberate attack on an American diplomatic convoy are handed over to US custody. The attack killed three American members of the diplomatic security detail and badly wounded another. The attack also marked the first time Americans were intentionally targeted. "Enough is enough. It is clear that the Palestinian Authority is not serious about stopping the terrorists in their midst," said Flake. "I see no logic in providing American...

The United States stepped back on Monday from its long-standing position a Palestinian prime minister must control all security forces and said it would judge a new Palestinian cabinet on its performance. Bowing to the reality the Palestinians were unlikely to choose a government more to Washington's liking, the State Department said the only criterion was whether the new cabinet would crack down on Palestinian militants. Meanwhile, Palestinian legislators warned that Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia's new government would face stiff opposition in parliament, because it looks similar to earlier ones. Qureia's cabinet is expected to win parliamentary approval on Wednesday,...

During the past three years, while the intifada was raging, the number of Palestinian high-tech firms rose by 88 percent, from 40 to 75. These high-tech ventures include software firms and Internet service providers, but "there are still no real start-up companies," according to the vice chairman of the Palestinian Information Technology Association (PITA), Ahmad Abumarzouq. Abumarzouq says that the nascent high-tech sector in the Palestinian Authority has been relatively unscathed by the intifada compared to other Palestinian industries. "Via conference calls and the Internet, we can overcome curfews and road blocks, and be global. Thus we had fewer problems...

A majority of Palestinians continues to support suicide attacks against Israeli civilians, according to a new public opinion poll published on Thursday by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC). The poll found that 61.8 percent of Palestinians supported suicide attacks, while 34.9% are opposed to this form of terrorism. Another 67.9% said they supported the resumption of "military operations" against Israel "as a suitable response within the current political conditions." Twenty-eight percent said they rejected such attacks and because they find them harmful to Palestinian national interests. A majority of 42.3% said they supported the resumption of attacks inside...

A Jordanian columnist, Dr. Hisham al-Bustani, wrote an opinion piece for an official Palestinian Authority daily, al-Hayat al-Jadida, published on October 25, in which he laid out the two foremost tasks facing the Arab world today: resisting America and eliminating Israel. The article, translated and distributed by Palestinian Media Watch, states, “During these moments in history it is extremely important to adopt a direct and decisive position regarding imperialism, and especially regarding the Zionist entity. There is no option but resistance to imperialism... There is a need to crystallize a position regarding the imperialist-Zionist project in the Arab region.” The...

[IMRA: The International Press Center (IPC) is one of the PA's State Information Service (SIS) main departments. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is part of Yasser Arafat and Abu Ala's Fatah. It is important to note that since the PA considers suicide bombers "resistance activists" rather than "terrorists" photo opportunities in which PA officials announce that they will fight terror are meaningless.] Palestinian Resistance Activist Killed , Israeli Troops Wound Several Civilians, Jewish Settlers Take over Lands http://www.ipc.gov.ps/ipc_e/ipc_e-1/e_News/news2003/2003-11/010.html PALESTINE, November 4, 2003 (IPC+ Agencies)[Official PA website]-- Sobaih Abu S'aud, 18, of the West Bank city of Nablus, has been killed Monday, after...

A Palestinian terrorist blew up late this morning while on his way to perpetrating a murderous attack against Israelis. It is assumed that he was on his way to Jerusalem last night, but because a high terror alert was in force, he was deterred by the high numbers of security personnel, and turned back. He then tried to enter a city in the Sharon region today, but again did not succeed. Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler reports that near the village of Azoun, between Karnei Shomron and Alfei Menashe, an IDF force saw the suspicious-looking Arab and called for him to stop....

In the past ten days, the Shin Bet and IDF forces succeeded in thwarting seven potential suicide bomb attacks in Israel, including a double suicide bomb attack that was to have taken place in Beit She'an, and a car bomb attack in Israel. The security establishment registered 41 warnings of plans by terrorists to perpetrate attacks on Wednesday, a security official told The Jerusalem Post, noting that the majority of the warnings received related to potential suicide bomb attacks. "People should not be misguided by the supposed calm," the official said, noting that the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank...

Two "work accidents" occurred in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas yesterday, leading to one death and one serious injury. An Arab lawyer was killed in Ramallah when an explosives vest he had prepared for a suicide attack exploded unexpectedly as he was walking in the street. Another terrorist in Ein Yabrud, across from Ofrah, was seriously hurt when a bomb he was preparing for use against Israeli targets exploded in his hands. He was hospitalized in Ramallah. On Wednesday, a terrorist was killed and two more were injured in yet another terrorist "work accident" in Shechem.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman said Wednesday the fact that he would become the first American president who is Jewish would not handicap U.S. dealings with the Arab world. "As president I am confident I am going to be judged in the world, including the Arab and Islamic world, by my policies not my faith," Lieberman said in a wide-ranging interview with Associated Press editors and reporters. He said President George W. Bush had alienated much of the Arab world, not because of his religion but by his policies. Lieberman also said: -The United States should not pressure Israel to...

(Sunday 19 October 20:00) Three Israelis were murdered by terrorist gunfire in the Shomron shortly before 19:00 tonight. The terror attack occurred near Ein Yabrud, an Arab village located [northeast of Ramallah] in proximity to the Shomron community of Ofrah. According to the preliminary information available, the Ofrah paramedic ambulance was informed of the attack at 19:00, immediately responding to the location a short distance away. It remains unclear at this time but reports indicate the initial response may have been delayed due to ongoing gunfire. An army report indicates that in addition to the gunfire, a bomb may have...

Three senior Fatah leaders, one of whom helped reach a deal with Israeli opposition figures last week, were to leave for Washington early Sunday for urgent talks with top US officials, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The invitation, which came as a surprise to the Fatah officials, was extended on Saturday evening. Ahmed Ghnaim, Kadoura Fares, and Hatem Abdel Kader were issued visas by the US Consulate-General in Jerusalem. A fourth, Muhammad Hourani, was invited but did not plan to go. Fares and Hourani were both key figures in the Palestinian delegation that hammered out the Geneva Initiative with an...

6 Arrests Made in Judea and Samaria 21:40 Oct 18, '03 / 22 Tishrei 5764 (IsraelNN.com) IDF sources report arresting six PA residents in Judea and Samaria tonight on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities. Hamas Vows to Avenge Killing of Terrorists 21:05 Oct 18, '03 / 22 Tishrei 5764 (IsraelNN.com) Hamas has released statements vowing to avenge the IDF’s killing of terrorist commander Tariq Abu Hussein, who was killed by soldiers as he was placing bombs in the Rafiach area of southern Gaza. A second terrorist, Hussam Mureyer was also killed as was an Arab woman. PA sources report...

Early last Saturday morning, 27-year-old Hanadi Jaradat waved goodbye to her parents and hurried off down the street. She had business to do -- something about a land transaction. An apprentice lawyer, she was only a few days away from finishing her internship and opening her own office. "She was happy," her father later said. But Ms. Jaradat's true business lay elsewhere. She changed from her traditional Arab robe and scarf into blue jeans, and put her hair up into a ponytail. She slipped across a lightly guarded part of the security fence that now separates large parts of the...

IDF In Pictures October 10, 2003 As part of IDF activity in the city of Rafah to uncover weapon smuggling tunnels, IDF forces exposed two tunnels used for weapons smuggling - which were dug under buildings in the area. Photos: Yonatan Na'aman, IDF Spokesperson's Unit IDF In Pictures October 11, 2003 As part of ongoing activity in Rafah (initiated October 9, 2003), IDF forces uncovered three weapon smuggling tunnels dug under buildings in the areaa. Photos: IDF Spokesperson's Unit IDF In Pictures September 8, 2003 Israel Air Force attack helicopters targeted a Hamas arms depot in the Gaza Strip...

U.S. conservatives meeting in Jerusalem advise Israel to end negotiations with the Palestinian Authority