apologies if i missed this being posted already.
http://electronicintifada.net/new.html
Various rumours circulating on the Internet -- alleging that the Reuters footage depicting Palestinians celebrating in the wake of the attacks in the U.S. was in fact footage from a different event -- are false. Still images, such as the Associated Press image above, were additionally shot by photographers from a variety of wire service agencies.
Reuters' International Editor, Anthony Williams, confirmed to The Electronic Intifada that "This material was shot on Tuesday. The suggestion that it was old is false." Mike Hanna, Jerusalem bureau chief of CNN, the media organisation named in many versions of the rumour, told us that, "I can unequivocally state that the footage shown on CNN of a small group of Palestinians "celebrating" was shot by a Reuters crew in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. The allegation that it was shot at any other time is contemptible."
A separate issue, The Electronic Intifada's statement about the media's misuse of these images, can be found here: The Palestinian people, as a whole, portrayed as supportive of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. [http://electronicintifada.net/coveragetrends/rejoicing.html -- jf]
Right, one million Palestinian school children observed a minute's silence for the victims of the attacks in New York and Washington DC. Vigils continue throughout today. [this is an image caption -- jf]
If The Electronic Intifada was to post every message of condolence to Americans and condemnation of the attack and perpetrators made by Palestinian organisations and institutions in the last two days, we would be doing nothing else for the rest of the month. The U.S. Consulate in East Jerusalem reported that it had received a foot-thick pile of condolence faxes from Palestinian organisations.
On the ground and in the media, Israel has used the current focus on events in the US to justify and launch attacks on Palestinian towns, that have killed several Palestinian civilians and injured many more.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., attacks on Arab-Americans, and Arab and Muslim-owned buildings have been reported. President George W. Bush and other U.S. officials, urged Americans Thursday not to scapegoat Arab-Americans for this week's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur reported yesterday: "Our nation must be mindful that there are thousands of Arab- Americans ... who love their flag just as much as (we) do," Bush said in a telephone conversation with New York Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, "And we must be mindful that as we seek to win the war (against terrorism), that we treat Arab-Americans and Muslims with the respect they deserve," he said, adding that the country "should not hold one who is a Muslim responsible for an act of terror".
Last night the U.S. Senate, led by Senators Tom Harkin and Orrin Hatch passed a unanimous resolution that stated, "the civil rights and civil liberties of all Americans, including Arab Americans and American Muslims, should be protected," and "condemn[ed] any acts of violence or discrimination against any Americans, including Arab Americans and American Muslims."