October 19, 2001	Friday	Shaba'an 1, 1422

DUBAI: If Washington and its Enemy Number One Osama bin Laden think they are winning over Arabs by pledging support for creation of a Palestinian state, they are probably both wrong.

Arabs have scoffed at what they see as the US’s sudden support for a long-sought Palestinian state, and many say they will only believe it when it happens.

They are just as sceptical about Osama’s new-found espousal of the Palestinian cause, although analysts say his anti-US rhetoric has struck a chord with ordinary Arabs angry at Washington’s perceived bias towards Israel.

“We totally reject those who terrorize and harm innocent people and justify it in the name of Palestine,” wrote Abdul Rahman al-Rashed, editor of the Asharq al-Awsat daily. “We do not accept Palestine to be liberated by burning Jordan, or Lebanon, or Kuwait or Afghanistan, no matter how strongly we feel about this issue,” he added.

Analysts say both the United States and Osama, have tried to hijack the Palestinian cause to further their own goals. “What you’re hearing from Osama is clearly propaganda, but why does it work?” asked Ali al-Ansari, lecturer of Middle Eastern political history at Britain’s Durham University.

In Lebanon, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, an authority for Shias, called the US support for the Palestinians “a transparent bid to win Muslim backing”.

“Washington is trying to flatter and deceive the Arabs and Muslim masses by playing on their emotions and sentiments,” he declared in his sermon.

Across the Middle East, many Arabs echoed similar comments.

“It is very offending to many Muslims to see Bush and Blair pretending to understand Islam and pretending to understand our concerns,” said Ali Sayed, an Omani civil servant.

“They think that we are stupid. They don’t do this out of love for us or for Islam. They need the support of our leaders.”

In Cairo, many Egyptians shared the same conviction. “(The United States) will probably change its mind,” said pharmacist Sawsan Alfy.

“When everything is over, it will blame the Palestinians as usual and say it is not up to the United States to interfere in Israeli-Palestinian affairs.” —Reuters