Palestinians doubt Iraqi government pledge to Rajoub

Jibril Rajoub told IRIN: "We handed over a letter from President Mahmoud Abbas to President Talabani in which we asked for better protection for Palestinians in Iraq and we got a clear message that Palestinians would be treated equally with Iraqis." He added that Talabani told him that attacks directed against Palestinians in Iraq were individual acts and not part of any wider strategy.

However, Palestinians in Iraq are not convinced that Talabani's pledge will change anything. "It is easy to say such things but very hard to implement them on the ground. Iraqi officials themselves have acknowledged that government security forces are highly infiltrated by militiamen and gangs," said Omran Khalid Wadi, a 44-year-old Palestinian refugee who lives in Baghdad. "The best thing is to help us to get out of this country, this would be highly appreciated."

Qussai Mohammed Saleh, 32, is a Palestinian truck driver who was born and married in Iraq. He now lives with his wife and two children in a tent in the al-Waleed border camp. "I call upon all Arab countries and good people in the world to pay attention to us and put an end to our ordeal. We've suffered a lot and we can't stand it any more. Of course we can't go back and depend on government protection. The government can't protect its own people, how can it protect us?" Saleh has been at al-Waleed since last December, after facing continual harassment from militants as well as from US and governmental forces soon after the fall of Saddam, he said. "The last [attack] really terrified us when Shia militia broke into an apartment in the Baladiyat area of Baghdad last year and kidnapped three [Palestinian] men. The following day we found their bodies dumped in the street. They were all killed execution-style."

Dalil al-Kasous, the Palestinian Charge d'Affaires in Baghdad, said nearly 190 Palestinians had been killed since 2003, and 40 others are still being held in Iraqi and US custody.