Iraqi ruler, Saddam Hussein, is sending generous donations
to the families of dead and wounded Palestinians. This
assures him of hero status amongst the Palestinians and sets
the signal for a whole series of donations from the Arab
world for the intifadah cause. Israel itself is no
exception. A broadsheet distributed in Israeli universities
says the following: "Every day many of our people are being
killed and injured in the glorious intifadah. The Israeli
occupying authorities have imposed curfews which suffocate
and starve us. We therefore beseech you to contribute as
much as you can by way of clothing and food products for the
sake of our needy people and the families of the fallen."
The leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, has become a hero of the
Palestinians: his pictures are displayed in their newspapers
alongside those of the "shahidim" (martyrs -- people
killed during the intifadah). During demonstrations and
funerals, the Iraqi flag is also displayed. Arafat writes
him thank you letters, and during street demonstrations
people shout out slogans in his praise.
The admiration for Saddam is mainly due to his financial
assistance and moral backing of the intifadah.
(Incidentally, nobody asks why Saddam is not supporting the
poor of his own country, who are suffering terribly from the
embargo imposed on Iraq a decade ago.) However, this
admiration is also the expression of an old pact between
Iraq and the Palestinians. Ten years ago, during the Gulf
War, the Palestinians helped the Iraqi army when it invaded
Kuwait. We all remember how they danced on their rooftops
when Saddam dispatched missiles to Israel.
Now Saddam is returning the favor. The wounded from Gaza and
the West Bank are flown to Iraq via Amman, to receive
medical care in Baghdad, at the expense of Iraq. The Iraqi
and Palestinian media held grand celebrations when the
wounded reached their destination. They were welcomed by
Iraqi officials. One of the wounded came out of the airplane
waving the Iraqi flag. Iraq also received wounded
Palestinians in a direct flight from Gaza airport to
Baghdad, which is still under siege. They were accompanied
by an official delegation of the Palestinian Legislative
Council and representatives of the Chambers of Trade, who
brought with them "the blessings of the intifadah" to the
Iraqi people. The wounded and the delegation were welcomed
in an official ceremony with many participants.
However, Saddam's growing popularity is mainly due to the
money which he donates to families of the dead and wounded.
About a month ago, he announced that the family of every
victim killed by the intifadah would receive 10,000 dollars,
and those of the wounded 1000 dollars. The money is
distributed in Gaza, Shchem, Chevron, and Ramallah by
Palestinian members of the Iraqi Baath party or members of
the Arab Liberation Front, two rather ephemeral pro-Iraqi
Palestinian movements. Representatives of the Arab Front
have declared that families of Arab Israelis killed will
also receive funds from Saddam Hussein.
As if this were not enough, about a month ago the Iraqi
President announced, during a special meeting with the
Palestinian leadership, that he would donate $9 million
worth of aid to the Palestinians. The money was to be
transferred within the framework of the "petrol for food"
arrangement between Iraq and countries in the West. Iraq
does not seem too badly off.
Iraq is also helping by supplying essential products. More
than a month ago a convoy of 68 trucks from Baghdad reached
Amman packed with 4000 tons of medicines and basic food
products (who says that Iraq is under siege, and that its
pharmacies' shelves are empty?). Israel hesitated about
permitting entry to aid from an "enemy," but eventually the
shipment was allowed in to prevent it being accused of
starving the Palestinians. The Iraqi trucks crossed the
Allenby Bridge, and from there the goods were transported in
Palestinian and Jordanian vehicles to areas under Israeli
control, and from there to the West Bank and Gaza.
The money being poured by Saddam into the territories is
making him a hero of the Palestinians. Families of intifadah
victims who received money, publish notices in the
Palestinian press thanking Saddam, with his picture
appearing alongside that of the shahid . The picture
of the Iraqi President is suddenly to be seen throughout
Gaza.
The Whole Arab world Contributes
Iraq is not alone in her assistance to the Palestinian
intifadah. The outburst of religious feelings in the Arab
world as a result of the El-Aksa Intifadah, have led to
massive anti-Israel demonstrations, which in their turn
resulted in a campaign for aid, in the shape of financial
donations as well as donations of clothing and food. Arab
countries also decided to receive wounded Palestinians into
their hospitals. More than 150 injured Palestinians have
been flown for treatment in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan,
Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Iran.
How valuable are the shahidim to the other Arab
countries? The Saudi Interior Minister transferred some 26
million dollars to the territories about a month ago for
families of the dead and wounded. Another Saudi prince
donated 22 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority for
unemployed workers forbidden entry into Israel. (This may
explain why only a few Palestinians show up when Israel re-
opens crossing points).
The wave of sympathy for the Palestinians in Saudi Arabia
has also reached a giant American fast food chain, owned by
Saudis. The Saudi administration decided it would set aside
30 cents of every sale it makes for the intifadah cause.
Representatives of the Red Crescent in Dubai, one of the
richest principalities of the Persian Gulf, toured the West
Bank last month, and gave out envelopes to families of
intifadah victims which contained dollars. In Chevron,
people said that each family received sums based on its
financial situation.
In addition, about 50 million dollars was donated by Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait, which went towards the wages of about
130,000 officials of the Palestinian Authority. Even the
Chechnian rebels decided to make their own contribution to
those killed during the intifadah. The Council of "Shura" --
the governing authority of Chechnian Muslims -- announced
that it was donating 1000 dollars to the family of each
shahid (this must be the money of Bin-Laden, the
extreme Muslim billionaire). The Chechnians apologized that
they were not able to make more generous donations, because
of the rebels' difficult financial situation. There was also
a message of support for the Palestinians: "The Jihad
is different and the way to peace does not entail
relinquishing territory."
Donations from Israeli Universities
The Palestinian authority is not sitting with folded hands
either. It hands out $2000 to each family of a shahid
and $1000 to the family of each person wounded in the
intifadah. The National Islamic Peoples' Committee, which
directs the intifadah, pays $1000 to the family of a dead
victim, and $300 per wounded victim. Officials of the
Palestinian Authority have also been paying out 600 NIS
recently to every worker registered in the Palestinian labor
exchanges as working in Israel. This grant has already been
paid out to some 30,000 unemployed workers.
The Palestinian Minister of Labor Rafik Al-Natashe has
promised that daily laborers who had been working inside
Israel without a work permit would also soon be entitled to
aid.
The Hamas movement pays a monthly sum according to the
financial situation of a family, instead of a one-off
payment. Families in financial straits are considered
"adopted families" and also receive food products.
Arab Israelis are also doing their best to help. The Balad
movement, led by MK Azami Bashara is active in organizing
donations for the intifadah. In the Hebrew University in
Yerushalayim a campaign lasting three days was held to
collect donations. A broadsheet was distributed containing
the following: "Every day many of our people are being
killed and injured in the glorious intifadah. The Israeli
occupying authorities have imposed curfews which suffocate
and starve us. We therefore beseech you to contribute as
much as you can by way of clothing and food products for the
sake of our needy people and the families of the fallen."
Recently some reports say that much of the Arab aid went
into the pockets of Palestinian leaders.
