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PALESTINIANS MARK “BLACK DAY” OF SADDAM CAPTURE

Palestinians mark 'black day' of Saddam capture
By Mohammed Assadi
Reuters
December 14, 2003

reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3989848

Disbelief and gloom seized many Palestinians on Sunday at news of Saddam Hussein's capture while Israel, which came under Iraqi Scud missile attack in the 1991 Gulf War, hailed the United States for capturing Saddam.

The former Iraqi ruler was a hero to many Palestinians for his stand against Israel and its U.S. ally, as well as for giving financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and others who died in a three-year-old uprising.

For Israel, he was a menace over the horizon who long bankrolled the enemy and the Iraqi leader rained at least 30 Scud missiles on Israeli cities during the 1991 Gulf War.

"It's a black day in history," said Sadiq Husam, 33, a taxi driver in Ramallah, West Bank seat of the Palestinian Authority.

"I am saying so not because Saddam is an Arab, but because he is the only man who said 'no' to American injustice in the Middle East," he said.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and his government made no comment. But Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, a senior leader of the militant Hamas group, said the United States would "pay a very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam.

"What the United States did is ugly and despicable. It is an insult to all Arabs and an insult to Muslims," he told Reuters.

Islamic factions sworn to Israel's destruction have taken strength from Iraqi resistance and cautioned on Sunday that Saddam's capture would not end attacks on U.S. forces.

As Palestinians lamented Saddam's capture, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon telephoned U.S. President George W. Bush to congratulate him on "a great day for the democratic world".

"I believe that dictatorships in general and those who support terror in particular learned a historic lesson today," Sharon told Bush in the telephone call.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, currently visiting Washington, said Saddam's capture proved persistence paid off in the "uncompromising battle against terrorism and totalitarian regimes" and it would promote regional stability.

Saddam paid over $35 million to the kin of Palestinian suicide bombers, militants and bystanders who died in an uprising that began in 2000.

Although far from all Palestinians supported him, militants marched to back Saddam ahead of the U.S.-led invasion in March and Palestinian protesters were often heard chanting: "Oh, Saddam. Oh, Saddam. Bomb, bomb Tel Aviv".

During the 1991 Gulf War, Palestinians cheered as Iraqi Scud missiles crashed into Israeli cities.

Some did not believe news of Saddam's capture even when images of the bearded figure flashed across television screens.

"Maybe they captured someone who looks like him," said Laila Abusharigh, 55, in the Gaza Strip. "Saddam is a real man and all of us are with him."

(Additional reporting by Shahdi al-Kashif in Gaza and Dan Williams in Jerusalem)

 

SADNESS AT FEEBLE DISPLAY BY A HERO TO PALESTINE

Sadness at feeble display by a hero to Palestine
By Allan Laing
Herald & Times (Scotland)
December 15 2003

For some Palestinians, the television footage of their self-proclaimed benefactor submitting to a humiliating beard-pulling and face-prodding exam by his American captors was too painful to watch.

Others gave up on former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein months ago when US forces toppled his regime. News of his capture simply brought closure to the painful tale of defeat.

Most were disappointed that Saddam went quietly into captivity, saying that the honourable thing would have been to commit suicide.

Saddam was widely seen in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as the Palestinians' most steadfast supporter, agitating for the destruction of Israel and emphasising the plight of the Palestinians in nearly every speech. He gave financial support to suicide bombers and launched missiles at Israel during the first Gulf War in 1991.

But the streets of Gaza were quiet yesterday when the world was told of his capture. "This is a black day for the Arab world," said Salman Awad, a 24-year-old law student watching television in a Gaza City coffee shop. "Saddam was a symbol of grandeur and represented the hopes of all Arabs."

Others in the coffee shop were paying little attention to the television screens. "Saddam fell the day Baghdad fell, not today. Today is just the end of his flight – if that is the real Saddam," a man who gave his name as Abu Suleiman said as he got his hair cut in a barber shop, images of the scruffy, bearded Iraqi leader playing across a TV in the background.

The Palestinian Authority declined official comment. While Yasser Arafat, Palestinian leader, had supported Saddam in the 1991 Gulf War, his government had been careful to stay on the sidelines during the US-led invasion this year.

Mohammed Horani, a legislator from Arafat's ruling Fatah movement, said he expected many Arabs to have mixed feelings. "Saddam is a dictator and the Iraqi people suffered under him, but on the other hand, it was the (American) occupation that caught him," he said. "There will be a sense of confusion in the public."

Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian legislator and human rights activist, said the capture brings to an end a "painful and tragic chapter" in the region's history. She said as a result Arab leaders would realise "such regimes are part of the past, and this will encourage the people to move on and show them that democracy can move things".

Despite Saddam's treatment of his own people, he worked hard to cultivate an image as the Palestinians' greatest defender, an image he used to gain popular support throughout the Arab world.

During the past three years of fighting, Saddam sent millions of pounds to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including £18,000 for the family of each suicide bomber and £7000 for each Palestinian killed in fighting with Israelis.

But the rapid collapse of the Iraqi army in the face of the US invasion crushed the morale of many Palestinians. Saddam's eventual arrest was just another drop in their reservoir of dashed hopes.

In a Gaza City pool hall, a dozen men continued playing as the news was broadcast on a television. "I love him so much, I can't stand watching it," said Raafat Logman, 23.

 

SHOCK IN JERUSALEM AT SADDAM’S CAPTURE

Shock in Jerusalem at Saddam's capture
By Eric Silver and Sa'id Ghazali in Jerusalem
The Independent (London)
December 15, 2003

The flickering, 14-inch television screen in the Al Omal caf} opposite the Damascus Gate was tuned to the Telly Tubbies. An hour after the Americans announced that they'd "got him", news of Saddam Hussein's arrest spread through Arab East Jerusalem by old-fashioned word of mouth.

Kebabs sizzled, water pipes bubbled, leather-faced old men in black and white chequered head cloths went on playing cards. When we asked the young manager of the Al Jazeera pharmacy, lately renamed to cash in on the popular Arabic satellite station, what he thought about the arrest, he said: "Oh, have they caught him?"

In his heyday, the Iraqi dictator distributed more than $15 million to the families of Palestinian "martyrs." West Bank Arabs danced with delight when he fired Scud missiles on Tel-Aviv in 1991. But last night Palestinian Authority spokesmen were reluctant to comment.

With equal caution, Amr Moussa, the Arab League's secretary-general, said merely that the arrest was "an important event," adding that the Iraqi people should decide his fate. In Israel, by contrast, shares on the Tel-Aviv stock exchange soared more than 3 per cent in celebration.

In East Jerusalem, the card players and shopkeepers, bakers and building workers were divided. For some, Saddam was an Arab hero, for others a traitor who had betrayed the Palestinian cause. Most were sure, however, that his capture would not stop the resistance.

Mahmoud Azmi, a 25-year-old porter, said he was shocked by the arrest. "Saddam was the only one who said no to the Americans," he explained. "All the others bowed down before them. What if he was a dictator? All the Arab leaders are dictators."

Mohammed Abdel Fatah, a 48-year-old cook, concurred: "Saddam was the best. All the other Arab leaders were collaborators and traitors, including ours. He was the only one who fought the whole world."

But Ahmed Jebour, a 25-year-old building worker, said he was happy Saddam was under lock and key. "He destroyed the Palestinian people. He talked big, but he couldn't do anything." What about the Scuds, we asked, and the handouts to suicide bombers' families? "He did that for his own propaganda," Mr Jebour jeered.

Ahmed Mohammed, a 20-year-old baker, put it more succinctly: "Let him go to hell!"

Asked whether the arrest would reduce the violence in Iraq, Abed Mo'ez Saleimeh, an unemployed 58-year-old father of 12, replied: "The Iraqis got rid of Saddam's injustice, but they got an American occupation in its place. Like us, they will go on resisting."

Pausing between sips of sweet tea, Hamad Sa'adi Salameh, 74, agreed: "There are 26 million Iraqis, and they're not fighting for Saddam. They're fighting to end the American occupation. The Iraqi revolution is just like the Palestinian revolution."

The Telly Tubbies bounced and nodded on, but nobody was taking much notice.

 

JUBILATION ACROSS THE WORLD AND EVEN ARAB NATIONS SHED FEW TEARS

Jubilation across the world and even Arab nations shed few tears
By Katherine Butler
The Independent, London
December 15, 2003

Western leaders, even those who opposed the US war against Saddam's Iraq, hailed news of the capture of the tyrant as a turning point, and acknowledged the achievement of the forces who caught him without firing a shot.

Few tears were shed in the Arab world, a reflection of how devoid of allies the deposed Iraqi leader was at the end. Some Arab leaders warned the US, however, that Saddam should face justice in his own country.

Jacques Chirac, the most strident leader of the European anti-war camp said the arrest was an event which "should strongly contribute to the democratisation and the stabilisation of Iraq".

The German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, greeted the development "with much happiness". In a telegram to George Bush, he called for intensified efforts to rebuild Iraq.

Spain and Italy, both of which sent troops and backed the war, were jubilant. The Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, said: "The time has come for [Saddam] to pay for his crimes."

The Italian Premier, Silvio Berlusconi, phoned Mr Bush to congratulate him.

In Poland, which commands thousands of international troops in Iraq, the Defence Minister Jersey Szmajdzinski welcomed the news, but said the arrest could prompt retaliation from Saddam's supporters. "The coming days could be equally dangerous as these past days," he said.

The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whose decision to send troops to Iraq is deeply unpopular with his own people, predicted that the capture would improve security in Iraq.

Reaction was more mixed in the Arab world. There was jubilation in Kuwait, whose invasion by Iraq led to the 1991 Gulf war. The Kuwaiti information minister, Mohammed Abulhassan "thanked God" that Saddam had been captured alive "so that he can be tried for the heinous crimes he has committed".

Iran, Iraq's arch enemy, joined in the call for justice. The Vice-President, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, said: "Iranians have suffered a lot because of him and mass graves in Iraq prove the crimes he has committed against the Iraqi people."

Amr Moussa, the Arab League's secretary general, said merely that it was "an important event," stressing that the Iraqi people should decide his fate.

A Jordanian government statement fell short of welcoming the capture. It expressed hope nevertheless that it would contribute to the dawning of a new era in Iraq.

In Arab East Jerusalem, where Saddam was regarded as a hero because he bankrolled the families of Palestinian "martyrs", reactions were mixed. For some, Saddam was an Arab hero, for others he was a traitor who had betrayed the Palestinian cause.

Palestinian Authority spokesmen were reluctant to comment. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, telephoned the White House. "Today is a great day for the democratic world," he said.

Shares on the Tel Aviv stock exchange rose by more than 3 per cent.

 

IRAN HAPPY OVER CAPTURE OF SADDAM

Iran happy over capture of Saddam
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Network
December 15, 2003

iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=194398&n=31

Iran's Vice President Mohammed Ali Abtahi expressed satisfaction Sunday over the capture of Saddam Hussein, whom he described as a "criminal" who committed many crimes against the Iranians.

"I am happy they have arrested a criminal, whoever it may be, and I am even more happy because it is a criminal who committed so many crimes against Iranians," Abtahi told reporters in the first official Iranian reaction to the arrest.

US overseer Paul Bremer confirmed Sunday that Saddam had been captured alive on Saturday night near his northern hometown of Tikrit.

"The arrest of Saddam Hussein could reinforce stability in Iraq because it will weaken the morale of his supporters," Abtahi added.

Although Iran, which fought a bitter 1980-1988 war against Saddam's Iraq, constantly opposed the US-led assault on Iraq, it rejoiced at the Iraqi leader's ouster in April.

The Islamic Republic blames Saddam for hundreds of thousands of Iranians killed in the eight-year war, and says it was subjected to Iraqi chemical attacks.

 

MOURNING CAPTURE OF MAN SEEN AS ARAB HERO

Mourning capture of man seen as Arab hero
By Dan Ephron
Boston Globe Correspondent
December 15, 2003

Many Palestinians in this hardscrabble refugee camp voiced anger and sorrow yesterday at the news that American troops captured Saddam Hussein, describing the former Iraqi dictator as a hero who stood up to the United States and Israel.

The sentiment was echoed in other parts of the West Bank, but Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who incurred Washington's wrath in 1991 by backing Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, made no comment on the US operation.

Israel welcomed the news and said it sent a signal to other dictators who support terrorism in the region. Some Israeli commentators suggested Hussein's incarceration might help lift the sagging peace process with the Palestinians.

But in al-Amari, between Jerusalem and Ramallah, residents mainly grieved. Several men gathered around a television set at the Abul-Abed barbershop, shaking their heads at pictures of Hussein being examined by an American doctor after troops pulled him from a hovel near his hometown of Tikrit.

"I'm shocked by this. I didn't expect him to be captured this way," said Mohammed Hamad, who owns the barbershop and visited Iraq five years ago.

"We Palestinians like Saddam because he's the only Arab leader who managed to scare Israel and the United States. He made Israelis hide in shelters and cover their faces with gas masks," Hamad said, referring to the 1991 Gulf war.

Iraq fired dozens of Scud missiles at Israel during that conflict, spurring some Palestinians to celebrate on rooftops across the West Bank. When the second Palestinian uprising against the Jewish state began nine years later, Hussein sent thousands of dollars to the families of suicide bombers and other militants killed by Israeli forces.

Hamad said he was surprised Hussein did not put up a fight when American soldiers came to get him. "I expected him to die like a martyr," he said. But others in the barbershop speculated that the Americans used a gas to drug Hussein and then seized him.

"He is a brave man. I swear by God, this is a big loss," said Daoud Abu Alez, who came to the barbershop for a shave.

Al-Amari, home to about 11,000 Palestinians, was the scene of several major clashes between militants and Israeli troops during more than three years of fighting. Wafa Idris, the first female suicide bomber in the conflict, came from this camp.

"I watched television for three hours and cried," said a 55-year-old shop owner who gave her name as Fatima. She predicted Iraqi fighters would step up their campaign to oust American soldiers.

Others gathered around American visitors to the camp and groused at the policies of President George W. Bush. "He hates Arabs. He is the real terrorist," one man said.

But not all Palestinians were lamenting Hussein's incarceration. In East Jerusalem, 25-year-old Imad Jbour described the fallen Iraqi leader as an aggressor who "committed a lot of injustice against his people.

"He was selling us words and slogans. He was using the Palestinian cause. But it was all political propaganda," said Jbour, a resident of the village of Yata, south of Hebron.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel phoned Bush yesterday to congratulate him on the American operation. In a statement issued by his office, Sharon described yesterday as "a great day for the democratic world, for fighters for freedom and justice and for those who fight against terror."

Some Israelis speculated that Iran would foment continued anti-US violence in Iraq, leading to more American casualties.

But Eran Lerman, a retired intelligence colonel who monitored Iraq and other Arab regimes until recently, said Hussein's capture would seriously undermine the resistance.

"It will certainly not disappear overnight. Some of the elements here are Islamist. But I think it's going to make a profound difference," said Lerman, who now heads the Israel office of the American Jewish Committee.

Lerman said Arafat had much to lose from Hussein's incarceration and possible trial for war crimes. "He was always hoping to see Saddam reemerging so that he could play him off against the Americans. That's why this is a very somber day for Arafat.

"But this could help clear up some of the clutter here and could give momentum to the peace process," he said.

Lerman said it was hard to understand why Palestinians had backed Hussein again and again at the price of American support and the financial backing of the Gulf states.

But Sa'id Aburish, a Palestinian biographer who wrote a scathing book about Hussein, said the former Iraqi leader appealed to the downtrodden by thumbing his nose at Israel and America.

"From day one, Saddam's prominence and his position in terms of the Arab street has depended on the fact that he's the man who stood up to the West, in particular in the United States," Aburish said.

"That hasn't changed to this day," he said.