Attempts made to control the Palestinian TV and radio

The British daily " Sunday Times " said on Sunday quoting Palestinian sources that armed groups pro to the secretary general of the Fatah Movement Marwan al-Barghouti had planned to control the TV and radio centers of the Palestinian government in Ramullah, and Gaza during the absence of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Sharm esh Sheikh.

The paper added the group had changed this plan after several Palestinian leaderships felt that this will only be in the interest of Israel.

The paper added that this operation raised tension between the Palestinian leadership which had the view that al-Barghouthi has no significant political weight.

The New York times yesterday reported "Mr. Barghouti reiterated his caustic denunciations of the American- refereed peace talks Mr. Arafat has participated in for the past seven years. He also made it clear that he was rejecting calls from more senior figures in Mr. Arafat's movement to keep protests restrained and confined to West Bank city centers. He repeatedly swore his fealty to Mr. Arafat, but confidence does not extend to Mr. Arafat's diplomatic team, however." The New York Times quoted Barghouti as saying "The Palestinian people are fed up with Saeb Erekat's recitation of the 34 Israeli violations of the various peace agreements."

The New York Times reported Barghouti as saying "The Israelis want peace, security, stability and occupation" adding the street protests are showing Israel "that it must choose between stability and occupation."