As war begins Saddam continues to give money to Palestinians [TERRORISTS]

Jerusalem Post ^ | Mar. 20, 2003 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[yonif]

Even as US forces launched a first salvo of missiles against Iraq, Saddam Hussein distributed more funds - $ 210,000 - Thursday to the families of Palestinians killed in fighting with Israel.

Throughout nearly 30 months of battles, Iraq has paid more than US$35 million to the families of Palestinians killed in the conflict, including relatives of scores of bombers as well as Palestinian civilians.

Via a tiny pro-Iraq faction in the West Bank and Gaza, Saddam on Thursday doled out US$10,000 checks to the families of 21 Palestinians, including a member of the Hamas, an Islamic militant group that has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks and is on the US State Department's list of terrorist groups.

One of the leaders of the pro-Iraqi group told the families - and a crowd of hundreds of onlookers gathered in a main square of Khan Younis, a town on Gaza's border with Egypt - that Saddam would continue to support them.

"Even in this crucial time, President Saddam has not forgotten his people in Palestine and he insists on making payments to the families of the martyrs," said Ibrahim Zaanen, of the Arab Liberation Front.

"President Saddam and the Iraqi people will be steadfast in the face of aggression and God is greater than the aggressor. Iraq will defeat the invaders," he said, speaking from a small stage.

Several men from the group popped off shots into the air from submachine guns each time Saddam's name was mentioned.

Families receiving the money held pictures of Saddam and Iraqi flags.

Fourteen of the families were related to slain civilians, including youths who hurled rocks at Israeli soldiers and four cousins killed by soldiers as they tried to cross a fence into Israel in search of work.

The other seven were gunmen, including a Hamas militant who battled with an undercover unit of Israeli soldiers who came to arrest him.

The payments have made Iraq popular among many Palestinians who feel they have been abandoned by other Arab countries in their conflict with Israel. Most Palestinians oppose the US offensive against Baghdad as unjustified, though many also consider Saddam to be a cruel dictator.

[yonif]

A biased article, but nonetheless, it tells of the continuing sponsor of terrorism Iraq is going about doing.

[joesnuffy]

The fun has only just begun...wait till this Iraq things blows over and there is a move to give the PLO part of Israel and demands they share Jerusalem