OPINION:
Asma’ Jawabreh’s interesting report, “Palestinians admit to working with Israel to foil attacks” (Web, Feb. 15) unfortunately omits the matter of Palestinian Authority (PA) incitement and rejectionism and downplays anti-Jewish violence.
The article repeats Hamas claims that terrorist attacks against Israelis are a “bloody struggle for independence.” In fact, what Hamas really wants — according to its own charter — is the destruction of the Jewish state and the genocide of the state’s Jewish inhabitants. Lack of a Palestinian state is not why Hamas targets and murders Israelis; as Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a Jan. 19 speech: “This intifada is not the result of despair. This intifada is a jihad, a holy war fought by the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupation. Only a holy war will drive the occupier out of Palestine.” Hamas has made clear that the so-called “occupation” and “Palestine” is in fact all of modern-day Israel.
Ms. Jawabreh’s article notes comments by PA intelligence head Majir Faraj that are critical of the ongoing “stabbing intifada.” But it fails to mention that other PA officials — including Mr. Faraj’s boss — have incited the very violence Mr. Faraj claims he condemns. In a Sept. 16 speech on official PA TV, PA President Mahmoud Abbas said, “We bless every drop of blood that has been spilled for Jerusalem, which is clean and pure blood, blood spilled for Allah, Allah willing. Every martyr will reach paradise.”
With such ’peace negotiators,’ it’s little wonder that in recent years the PA has rejected, without counteroffer, Israeli and U.S. proposals of “two-state solutions” in exchange for peace with Israel. This happened in 2000, 2001 and 2008 — a fact omitted in Ms. Jawabreh’s report. The article also repeats Mr. Abbas’ claims that “Jewish settlements” are “expanding.” It fails to note that Jewish communities in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) are as a rule growing internally but not expanding their boundaries. Altogether they account for less than five percent of that land.
Some arms of the PA very well may be cooperating with Israeli forces in limiting terror attacks. But simultaneously others are inciting them.
SEAN DURNS
Media assistant
Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA)
Washington
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