A recent U.N. report dismissed as unsubstantiated Palestinian claims that Israeli soldiers committed a "massacre" in the Jenin camp in April.

Still, Arab propagandists and yellow journalists from around the world (such as Australia's Peter Cave) insist that there was a massacre. Many more "journalists", such as Robert Fisk, who claimed back in April that there was "mass killing" in the camp with "hundreds" of victims, have yet to issue a retraction. Let's suppose there was a massacre. Any victims that could be identified would surely be listed in the "List of Martyrs of the Al Aqsa Intifada" maintained by the Palestinian Authority (more on this below). Furthermore, if there had been a massacre and the bodies of its victims were hidden, then at least some of the those victims would surely have survivors. The survivors would certainly notice that someone was missing and it would be reasonable to assume that someone like the PA would compile a list of the missing. I am unable to find such a list.

I took a close look at the PA's List of Martyrs, which is on the website for the official PA news agency, WAFA. For some reason the list is on the Arabic portion of the website only, there is no version in English. The list includes every Palestinian who is said to have been killed in the conflict. To the PA's credit, suicide bombers don't seem to be included. Other terrorists who are responsible for killing civilians, such as Hamas military chief Salah Shehadeh and his deputy, are included. The list includes each casualty's name, age, date, location and circumstances of death. (The total number of Palestinian casualties claimed between September 29,2000 and August 11, 2002 is 1,648. This is slightly higher than, but in the ballpark of, the number given by Israeli human rights group Btselem)

And casualties In the Jenin Camp during the fighting in April? The PA lists exactly 42 deaths, which is even lower than the 52 mentioned in the U.N. report. Only 9 are specifically mentioned as being younger than 18 or older than 40. Only 4 have female names, as far as I can tell. The rest are males of combat age, many of whom are explicitly described as having died while "resisting the occupation forces". At least one of these was double counted (unless there were two 24-year-olds who happened to have the name Rabi Jalamna and who both died on April 4 while "resisting the invasion forces along with comrades"). These casualties occurred over a 15 day period during which 23 Israeli soldiers were also killed.

Massacre? Doesn't sound like it to me. If someone can come up with the names of all of the missing "victims" we should take a look. In the meantime, perhaps all of those who wish there had been a massacre should just be grateful that the number of innocents who were killed is smaller than they first feared. Even if it means they don't get to report as sensational a story as they initially hoped for. And even if it means that the responsible thing to do would be to retract any earlier unsubstantiated claims that there was a massacre.