Injured Palestinians arrive in Baghdad for treatment

A group of wounded residents of the Palestinian National Authority has arrived in Baghdad to undergo treatment in the Saddam Husseyn medical centre. This was reported Monday by the Iraqi As-Saura newspaper.

Director of the centre Khadduri Menkhi told the newspaper that a majority of the arrivals were wounded in the head, stomach and chest. He also stated that all Iraqi hospitals were ready to render necessary assistance to intifada fighters till their complete victory.

Palestinians, chiefly young people, regularly go to Iraq for treatment and rehabilitation via the neighbouring Jordan. Seventeen groups of Iraqi specialists are working in Jordan and rendering medical assistance to Palestinians on the spot, and also send them to Iraqi hospitals.

Iraq traditionally supports Palestinians. Since the beginning of the first intifada in 1987, Baghdad has been providing medical and other humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. Thus, in particular, the Iraqi authorities pay 25,000 dollars to the family of each murdered Palestinian, including suicide-bombers, and 10,000 dollars to those wounded and deprived of their homes.

The United States and Israel regard this assistance as complicity with terrorism, and Iraq - as the fight against occupation and part of its Pan-Arab duty.