FWD: Holiday Greetings from Yasser Arafat to Saddam Hussein

[KXX4493553 at aol.com]

>From: "MEMRI" <memri at memri.org>
>
>Special Dispatch - Palestinian Authority/Iraq
>February 26, 2003
>No. 475
>
>To view this Special Dispatch in HTML format, please visit:
>http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD47503
>
>Holiday Greetings from Yasser Arafat
>to Saddam Hussein
>
>On February 5th, 2003, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sent a 
>telegram to Saddam Hussein in honor of the 'Id. The following is the 
>text of the telegram as reported by the Iraqi newspaper 
>Al-Jumhuriya(1):
>
>"President Saddam Hussein, may Allah protect him, received a 
>congratulatory telegram for 'Id Al-Adha [The Feast of the Sacrifice] 
>from Mr. Yasser Arafat, President of Palestine and Chairman of the 
>Executive Committee of the PLO.":
>   
>"Your Excellency, Brother-President Saddam Hussein, greetings and 
>the blessings of Allah to you."
>
>"As our glorious nation celebrates 'Id Al-Adha, the holiday of 
>sacrifice and redemption, it is our pleasure to send to you, and 
>through you to your revered government and your people - our 
>brethren - in the name of the Palestinian people and leadership, and 
>from me personally, our warmest regards, our heartfelt and sincere 
>congratulations, and our deepest prayers to Allah the Glorious, may 
>He lead our steps onto the road of virtue, success, and progress to 
>our peoples, and strengthen our brotherly ties, cooperation and 
>solidarity in a way that will serve our interests, our rights, our 
>nations, and the future of our generations and repel all dangers 
>that loom presently over us in our region."
>
>"On this blessed occasion, which we are celebrating with our 
>Palestinian people in the holy land of Palestine, the first of the 
>two Qibla [the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer], the land 
>of Al-Israa wa Al-Mi'raj [Prophet Muhammad's night ascent to heaven 
>from Jerusalem, and his return to earth], I wish, with all 
>confidence and hope, that all our brethren in our great nation [will 
>strengthen] their stand beside us, [and] increase their support to 
>us in this difficult and dangerous phase we are going through, with 
>all its old wounds and hurt. To reduce the suffering of our patient 
>and enduring people, to support our ongoing steadfast resistance in 
>confronting the Israeli war-machine, aggression, murders, and 
>destruction."
>
>"To undermine the attempts and plans by which the Israeli government 
>- the occupying power - is trying to blow up the peace process and 
>the foundations and institutions of our national Palestinian 
>authority, and even to forcefully change its elected leadership and 
>to impose on us an Israeli solution that serves Israel's interests 
>and covetous greed in our holy land, and in our resources [in order] 
>to enhance the vile settlement and occupation of our land."
>   
>"Any kind of support and assistance from you in these difficult 
>times will enable us to continue our persistence and resistance 
>until we put an end to the occupation, in all its manifestations, of 
>our holy Al-Quds [Jerusalem] and the Islamic and Christian holy 
>shrines, and exercise our legal and lasting rights, based on 
>international legal resolutions, and most importantly our rights for 
>self determination, for repatriation, and for establishing our 
>independent state with its capital Al-Quds Al-Sharif [Jerusalem]."
>   
>"Once again we send you our heartiest brotherly wishes, and to your 
>Excellency we wish the best of health and happiness, and may Allah 
>the Powerful protect Iraq from the great dangers and evils that loom 
>over it ... and together, hand in hand [we will march] to Al-Quds 
>Al-Sharif with the help of Allah."
>   
>"[Signed] Yasser Arafat, President of the State of Palestine and 
>Chairman of the PLO, Ramallah.  February 5, 2003."
>
>Endnote:
>(1) Al-Jumhuriya (Iraq), February 22, 2003.
>

kwp
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