P.E.O. "fighting war’

Press, 29 April 1982, Page 6

P.E.O. "fighting war’

The Palestine Liberation Organisation is not a terrorist organisation, according to the director of the Palestine Information Office in Australia, Mr Ali Kazak. Palestine's' enemies had spread the view that the P.L.O. was terrorist. This was the view that was given to the public even though world leaders and the United Nations recognised the Palestinian struggle, he said in Christchurch yesterday. “We are simply defendingourselves from the settlers who came to our country and pushed us out with massacres and violence. We are fighting a war." he said. Mr Kazak said he did not accept the term, “terrorist.”

"To me they were freedom fighters. “In the early days we wanted to remind the world of our existence and what had happened to us. We did do some things that the West described as terrorist acts, but that was stopped later on. It is against the P.L.O. policy to carry out such acts, and has been so for years.” he said. Mr Kazak, who spoke at a public meeting’at the University of Canterbury last .evening, was in Christchurch as part , of a speaking tour sponsored by the New Zea-

1 land University Students' Association. - He said his tour was intended to put -forward the E Palestinian viewpoint so that 1 New Zealanders could exat mine both sides of the issue. > But it was impossible to “balance 34 years of biased ■ propaganda and one-sided ; presentation in two weeks.” Mr Kazak confirmed that there were “concrete” plans 1 to set up a Palestine in- ’ formation office in Welling--1 ton. He denied an assertion 1 by the Israeli Ambassador, r Mr Yaakov Morris, that information centres throughout

the world were used as bases for terrorist activity. The P.L.O. aimed’to set up an independent Palestinian State where people could live side-by-side regardless ’ of racial or religious difference. It also wanted to achieve peace. A peaceful solution to the Middle East problem was possible, although most people failed to realise that Israel had refused two Palestinian peace proposals, and ignored world opinion, he said. “Zionism did not come to Palestine to live with everyone else. Its aim was very clear — it wanted to build up an exclusive Jewish State in Palestine. We are prepared to accept its settlers and that is a big compromise," Mr Kazak said. Asked to comment on New Zealand's involvement in the Sinai peace-keeping force, Mr Kazak said he was pleased that Egypt had won the territory back. Israel was not doing Egypt any favour, but only what the world community had asked. "How Israel sees the role of the peace-keeping force is guaranteeing the border with Egypt and pushing them to Syria and south Lebanon.” he said. "We expect Israel to invade south Lebanon any time." •