The writing on the wall for Saddam Hussein says “Defeat,” but Palestinians are refusing to read it.
Jubilant residents of Nablus, the largest city in the West Bank, took to the streets Tuesday, rejoicing in what they called Saddam Hussein’s “victory.”
When the Iraqi president announced his troops would withdraw from Kuwait in keeping with U.N. resolutions, many residents of Nablus climbed to the rooftops to praise God.
“Allah Akhbar” (God is great), they chanted, the same slogan they used when Iraqi missiles hit Tel Aviv.
As some of them expressed it, the fact that Hussein withstood 38 days of pounding by a multinational allied coalition led by a superpower spelled victory, not defeat.
Theirs was an expression of total support for Hussein, regardless of the consequences. If there was criticism of the man who led his people to disaster, it was not heard.
In Hebron, residents showed more restraint than in Nablus. The streets hummed with activity, even as authorities continued to prevent most Arab workers from returning to work in Israel.
People here did not cling to their radios, as they did in Nablus and Jordan, listening to the speech of the Iraqi leader. They were too busy in their daily routines to bring life to a halt, but when asked, they responded unanimously that Saddam Hussein had been justified.
“Kuwait is part of Iraq,” said a shop owner, who refused to be identified. “We sided with him because he was the first Arab leader who came to our support.”
“He gave us hope,” said Akil Kafishe, a restaurant owner. “He gave us belief in the future.”
Some insisted Iraq’s defeat was not final. “There are those who have not lost hope. I am convinced that in the end the Iraqis will come out stronger, both politically and physically,” journalist Daoud Kuttab said at an East Jerusalem symposium Tuesday.
Palestinians refuse to discuss the future, even in terms of an international peace conference, possibly because they realize they would be attending such a meeting in a weakened position.
“We will not accept any political solution short of an Islamic state,” said Sheik Hisman Kafishe, a young bearded imam, or Islamic religious leader.
“You, the Jews, have waited for 2,000 years to realize your dreams,” said Atiya Zahde. “We have patience, too.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
