ZGram - 9/19/2001 - "Press Release: How Palestinians react to the September 11 attack"

[Ingrid Rimland]

Copyright (c) 2001 - Ingrid A. Rimland

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

September 19, 2001

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

News has reached the Zundelsite that at least 200 Arabs and Muslims living
in America have encountered hostility and, in some cases, serious and even
deadly violence.
Palestinians, who were winning the public relations war for the hearts and
minds of Americans, feel particularly threatened because a controversial
video was repeatedly shown on CNN that seemed to indicate that Middle East
Palestinians were wildly celebrating in the streets in response to the
terrorist attack on the United States.

 It helps to know the facts, as per this press release sent out by a
Palestinian agency,  Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition, the
largest network of grassroots activists dedicated to Palestinian human
rights:

 [START]

 14 September 2001

 After the horrific tragedy on September 11, media outlets in the US
repeatedly aired a clip of a few Palestinians rejoicing.  However, there
was hardly any reporting in the news of the following items.

 - The terrorist act was strongly condemned by every single Palestinian
organization including Fatah, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas,
Workers Unions and Committees, Human Right Organizations (AlHaq, Law,
Palestine Center for Human Rights), student associations, municipalities,
mosques and churches, etc.

 - The attack was also condemned by every single Arab American, Muslim
American, and countless other human rights organizations who support and/or
work for Palestinian human rights

 - Palestinian Americans living in Palestine issued a statement in which
they reported that all messages they received from other Palestinians were
of sorrow and concern.

 - Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi told a news conference the
celebrations were "misguided" and "aberrations" motivated by a feeling
among Palestinians that they have been victims of U.S. backing for Israel.
Palestinian analyst Ghassan al-Khatib said the ``human tragedy'' in the
United States should not be exploited for political gains by making
Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims look like the "bad guys.'' The vast
majority of Palestinians condemned and were horrified and shocked by the
terrorist attacks and identified with the victims (as victims themselves).

 - We won't know the exact numbers for sometime but there are likely dozens
if not hundreds of Muslim and Arab Americans killed in these despicable
terrorist attacks. Many are still missing and we pray that they will be
found safe.

 - The US Consul General in Jerusalem reported that he has received a huge
stack of faxes from Palestinians and Palestinian organizations expressing
condolences, grief and solidarity.  He himself was pained to see that the
media chose to focus on the sensational images of a few Palestinians
rejoicing.

 - The Palestine Legislative Council condemned the terrorist attack on the
United States and sent an urgent letter of condolences to Mr. J Dennis
Hasterd, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 - Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem held candle-light vigils on 12 and 14
September to express their grief  and solidarity with the American families
struck by this tragedy.

 - Jerusalem University students, along with the president of the
university and the deans of the various faculty, began a blood donation
drive in occupied Jerusalem. Students and professors went to hospitals in
the occupied city, in order to donate blood for the American victims who
need it.

 - One million Palestinian students in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
including Jerusalem, stood five minutes in silence to express their
solidarity with the hundreds of American children who have been struck by
this tragedy, which resembles in its shocking effects their daily
sufferings.

 - Throughout the US, Arab and Muslim Americans joined other American in
solidarity vigils and prayers even when some of those members were attacked
and/or frightened by rhetoric being espoused in the media

 Meanwhile:

 - Georgia Senator Zell Miller's stated "I say bomb the hell out of them.
If there's collateral damage, so be it. They certainly found our civilians
to be expendable." [NY Times 9/13/01].

 - "Asked tonight what the attack meant for relations between the United
States and Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister, replied:
'It's very good.' Then he edited himself: 'Well, not very  good, but it
will generate immediate sympathy.' New York Times, 12 September 2001, p.
A22: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/12/international/12ISRA.html

 - While the media's attention was diverted by the tragedy, Israeli forces
stormed the Palestinian cities of Jenin and later Jericho killing scores of
people, injuring over 120, and demolishing many homes and other buildings.

 For more information contact:

 Al-Awda, Palestine Right to Return Coalition

 P.O. Box 1172

 Orange, CT 06477

 Fax: (717) 832-1123

 E-mail: prrc@mail.com

 WWW: http://al-awda.org

 Press Room: http://al-awda.org/pressroom.htm

 For your information and convenience, the factsheet below is now posted at
http://al-awda.org specifically at http://al-awda.org/s11_factsheet.htm.

[END]

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 Thought for the Day:

"Do you think Israel will face a backlash if the United States attacks
Muslim targets?"

Yes   79 %
No    21 %

Total Votes: 5570

(Poll taken on Sep 17, 2001 by the Jerusalem Post)

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