Ramullah: thousands eulogize Saadat

More than 3,000 Palestinians on Thursday took part in the funeral of Muhammad Saadat, the brother of the secretary general of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine who was killed on Tuesday at the hands of Israeli Comandos.

During the eulogy ceremony which was converted into a demonstration in support of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine, invitations were made to reject cease-fire with Israel.

The local leader of the Fatah movement Sakher habash denounced the recent Israeli- Palestinian agreement known as "Gaza - Bethlehem First" which states the withdrawal of the Israeli army at stages from the Palestinian self- rule areas which have been reoccupied since the beginning of the Palestinian Intifada in September 2000. He said that this "funeral for Saadat" is a result of the "Gaza- Bethlehem plan and that Sharon is using it to cover his crimes." He simultaneously called upon the Palestinians to maintain unity.

The official in the People's Front Basheer Kheiri called on the Palestinian Authority to release its secretary general Saadat who is held in Arieha prison since the beginning of May together with other five Palestinians under guard by the Palestinian authority and British- American supervision. Israel accuses the secretary of the People's Front of giving orders in October, 2001 to assassinate the Israeli minister of tourism Rahba'am Zeifi.