Jun 15 2000
Bashar, let our people in
(June 15) – The death of Syrian leader Hafez Assad was not seen as a major cause for sadness in Palestinian circles. Except for the national airwaves (Palestine TV and Voice of Palestine) the private Palestinian radio and television stations went on with their regular programming of music, entertainment and news.
In the streets and cafes of Palestine the question on everyone’s lips was not so much on how the death of Assad will affect the peace process, but on Bashar Assad’s relations with the Palestinians.
The news of Arafat’s intended visit to Damascus to pay his respects to the Syrians, and later, the news that the Syrians agreed to welcome him, was seen as possibly the beginnings of a Palestinian-Syrian rapprochement. Continue Reading »