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| PA and Fatah personalities |
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| Mahmoud Abbas |
Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) is the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas worked very closely with Arafat during the years Arafat ruled the PA. Abbas was appointed by Arafat as Prime Minister in 2003, and was elected as Chairman of the PA in January 2005. This section documents statements made by Abbas.
In 2006, official PA radio and television stations were placed under the control of Abbas’s office [Ma’an News, Feb. 17, 2006]. Therefore, in addition to Abbas's own statements, it is important to examine the broadcasts and publications of official PA media which are documented on PMW's website. They are a reflection of the ideologies and messages that Abbas and other PA leaders and officials choose to disseminate to their people. |
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1- Glorifying terror and violence
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Abbas awards "Military Star of Honor" to terrorist who attempted to blow up cinema in 1967 "out of appreciation for her pioneering role in the struggle" and "for the public good"
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Source:
WAFA, official PA news agency, May 28, 2015
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Headline: "The President [Abbas] presents Barnawi with the Military Star of Honor"
"The President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, presented the Military Star of Honor to the fighter Fatima Barnawi, the first female prisoner of the modern Palestinian revolution... His Honor [Abbas] presented Barnawi with the Military Star of Honor out of appreciation for her pioneering role in the struggle, her sacrifice for her homeland, her people, and its revolution, and her willingness to sacrifice and to give from the beginning until today."
Click to view bulletin |
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Abbas awards military award to terrorist who planted a bomb in a movie theater
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, May 18, 2015
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Secretary-General of the Presidential Office, Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim: "Decree for 2015. The President of the State of Palestine and acting Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee; by the authority vested in us, and for the public good; we decree the following:
Paragraph 1: Fighter Fatima Barnawi - the first female prisoner of the revolution of modern Palestine - is granted the Award of Military Star of Honor.
Paragraph 2: In appreciation for her pioneering role in the struggle,her sacrifice for her homeland and her people, and its revolution, and her willingness to give from the beginning until now...
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine and acting Chairman of the PLO Executive Committee."
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin
Note: Fatima Barnawi placed a bomb in a movie theater in Jerusalem in 1967 in an attempt to blow it up. The bomb failed to explode. She was sentenced to life imprisonment but was released in 1977 after serving 10 years. |
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Abbas supervising PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, allegedly no longer under PA control
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, May 9, 2015
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PA TV News reader: “His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas authorized the work regulations of the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, which was phrased before it changed from a government ministry to a commission belonging to the PLO.”
Click to view PMW's special report on the PA's claims to no longer funding imprisoned terrorists |
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Abbas recites Quran verse “for the soul of leader Martyr Abu Jihad,” arch-terrorist, at Fatah meeting
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Apr. 20, 2015
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Headline: “The President [Mahmoud Abbas] at a meeting of Fatah Central Committee: Greetings to the Martyrs and prisoners and full support for our people in Al-Yarmouk [refugee camp]”
“The Fatah Central Committee held a meeting headed by President Mahmoud Abbas at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah yesterday [April 19, 2015]. At the beginning of the meeting, His Honor [Abbas] and the Central Committee members read the Al-Fatiha Sura (opening Sura of the Quran) for the soul of leader Martyr Khalil Al-Wazir ‘Abu Jihad’ and the souls of the Martyrs of the Palestinian revolution… The Central Committee also marked the 27th anniversary of the Martyrdom-death of the great leader, brother Khalil Al-Wazir ‘Abu Jihad.’ ... In addition, the Central Committee addressed the 42nd anniversary of the Martyrdom-death of commanders Kamal Adwan, Kamal Nasser, and Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar. The Committee emphasized its loyalty to their path, and that it would continue in their path of struggle until our people obtains its legitimate national rights, primarily the right of return, [the right of] self-definition and the establishment of a Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Central Committee expressed its appreciation and praised the President’s decision to honor the Martyrs who founded the Palestinian revolution and the Fatah movement, as well as the first fighters, emphasizing our loyalty and commitment to the heroic Martyrs, to their fighting families and to our heroic prisoners, who sacrificed the best years of their lives for their people’s freedom.”
Click "Full article" for a longer excerpt and descriptions of the terrorists mentioned in the article.
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Abbas expresses “his pride” for arch-terrorist Abu Jihad
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Apr. 17, 2015
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Headline: "The President [Abbas] on the anniversary of the Martyrdom-death of Abu Jihad: 'He was a leader and a symbol of the Palestinian struggle'“
"President Mahmoud Abbas expressed his pride yesterday [April 16, 2015] in Martyr ['Abu Jihad'] Khalil Al-Wazir's significant national role in the outbreak of the Palestinian revolution. In addition, the President praised his remarkable role in writing the modern history of the struggle as well as the efforts he invested, the sacrifices he made and his dedication in service of his people, in order to bring about the [establishment of] a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The President held a phone conversation with Intisar Al-Wazir, Martyr Abu Jihad's companion [and widow], in honor of the anniversary of his death yesterday and in appreciation of his revolutionary role in the history of our modern revolution." From WAFA, official PA news agency
Click to view bulletin
Note: Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir) was a founder of Fatah and deputy to Yasser Arafat. He headed the PLO terror organization's military wing and planned many deadly Fatah terror attacks. These attacks, which killed a total of 125 Israelis, included the most lethal in Israeli history - the hijacking of a bus and killing of 37 civilians, 12 of them children.
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Rally commemorating terrorist Abu Jihad held under auspices of Abbas
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Apr. 17, 2015
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Headline: "The National Security [Forces] and Fatah marked the anniversary of the Martyrdom-death of Abu Jihad in Jenin"
"The masses of the Jenin district marked the anniversary of the Martyrdom-death of Martyr Khalil Al-Wazir 'Abu Jihad' with a mass rally held in the Palestinian National Security Forces' camp Horsh Al-Saada, under the patronage of his Excellency, President Mahmoud Abbas. Present at the rally were: Jenin District Governor Ibrahim Ramadan, Fatah Central Committee member and Commissioner of Foreign Branches Jamal Muhaisen... commanders and representatives of the Palestinian National Security Forces, members of the Legislative and Revolutionary Councils, members of the [Fatah] movement and several national and public figures. In a speech he gave in the President's name, Ramadan stressed the importance of achieving national unity, unifying the ranks and joining together around the Palestinian leadership in order to bring about the establishment of our independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Muhaisen praised the members of the security establishment for sacrificing Martyrs, wounded and prisoners over the years, and brought up memories from the life of Martyr leader Khalil Al-Wazir 'Abu-Jihad.'"
Click to view bulletin
Note: Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir) was a founder of Fatah and deputy to Yasser Arafat. He headed the PLO terror organization's military wing and planned many deadly Fatah terror attacks. These attacks, which killed a total of 125 Israelis, included the most lethal in Israeli history - the hijacking of a bus and killing of 37 civilians, 12 of them children.
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2- Diplomacy and/or return to violence
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Abbas to Israelis: "We don’t want an Intifada and have not called for one"
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Oct. 30, 2014
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Official PA TV broadcast an interview with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Israeli Channel 2
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “I told people frankly: We want to protect our holy places. To protect them peacefully, and therefore, people are going there to protect Jerusalem peacefully. Where is the tension that emerged from my mouth (This is an allusion to Israel’s claim that the present deterioration is the result of incitement by the Palestinian leadership, -Ed.)? I say: We must protect them… We don’t want an Intifada and have not called for one... It is the Israeli media and many Israeli leaders that are demanding and encouraging a third Intifada. We are not for a third Intifada. We are for peaceful popular resistance to protect our rights, neither more nor less... We extend our hands to you in peace. We say to the [various] layers of the Israeli people: Let us engage in dialogue, so that we may live in peace and stability… I entreat the Israeli people, which has demanded of its government not to miss the opportunity for peace – for evil is all around us, and you know the terrorism and violence that surround us… When the situation here changes; when peace comes, all manifestations of terrorism in the Middle East will cease and peace between us will return.”
Click "Full article" for more excerpts from the interview |
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Abbas: PA will not disarm "the Resistance [Hamas]"
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Source:
Sada El-Balad TV (Egypt), Aug. 23, 2014
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Sada El-Balad TV host: “Mr. President, honestly, and tell me clearly in front of everyone – did Egypt, at any point, say ‘we’ll disarm or agree to disarm the Resistance [Hamas]’?”
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “It [Egypt] never said that. It was the US Secretary of State who once said that to me … He told me: ‘disarm.’ I told him: ‘Yes, once I have one state, one law, one rifle and one government, then you ask me to disarm. Not now. Give me a state and then I’ll decide.’ Egypt didn’t demand this – Israel did… Since the coup against the PA and to this day, we’ve been transferring more than 50% of our budget to Gaza, including [salaries] to 60-70 thousand civil servants who aren’t working. They are [in Gaza] and are receiving salaries. We pay them, because they’ve been prevented from working. Hamas came [to power after the coup] and appointed other people in their place.” |
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Official PA daily: Abbas protects the Palestinian youth, but Mashaal uses children's deaths for political gain
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 14, 2014
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Op-ed by Muwaffaq Matar, regular columnist for the official PA daily
“In his meeting with academics at the presidential residence in Ramallah, President Mahmoud Abbas said: ‘I consider each Palestinian child and youth as my own son, and I am responsible for his safety.’ [...]
Immediately after the Israeli Operation Cast Lead (2008-09) against Gaza ended, we read that the head of the Hamas Political Bureau Khaled Mashaal answered a French journalist who had asked him what his people were capable of doing against Israel’s army, the strongest army in the region. Mashaal answered: ‘The Israeli army may achieve progress. But when the world sees the body parts and blood of the Palestinian children, women and elderly the equation will change!”
Click "full article" for more. |
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Fatah: Abbas promotes violence in name of Islam
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Source:
Facebook, Fatah - The Main Page, July 28, 2014
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Caption: "Fatah - The Main Page"
Abbas: "In the name of Allah the Merciful 'Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.'"
Song accompanies scenes of violence:
"Protect the sanctuary and protect them
Knights of the sanctuary are holding the flags
Whenever they [Israelis] go crazy, and when our eyes are closed
We open our eyes on the sanctuary and its borders
When the land calls its men, it finds us as shining swords
There's nothing more precious. We kneel only to the Creator
When the land calls its men, it finds us as shining swords
There's nothing more precious. We kneel only to the Creator."
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin |
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Abbas "gave the sign to let the West Bank street loose"
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Source:
Ma’an, independent Palestinian news agency, July 25, 2014
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Op-ed by Muhannad Ubeid
Headline: "A single Quranic verse ignited the West Bank"
"[Mahmoud] Abbas realized that by staying outside the arena, he would be excluded from the political game. He also knows that the [Palestinian] street in the West Bank is ready for an explosion. Therefore, he gave the sign to let the [Palestinian] street in the West Bank loose. Isn't the Quranic verse he quoted during his last speech, "Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory" [Sura 22:39, trans. Sahih International] a clear sign to loosen the reins on the street?
Furthermore, what is the meaning of Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi's statement regarding the West Bank's need to enter into an armed Intifada? It's been a long time since we heard a member of the Fatah leadership talk about weapons. The West Bank's entrance into the line of confrontation will reshuffle the cards, and the action is still just beginning. Israel will not agree to a third Intifada, and this is precisely what Abbas wants. He wants Israel to knock on his door in order to find a solution."
Click to view bulletin |
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Abbas promotes violence quoting Quran: "Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought"
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Source:
Wattan TV (Palestinian private channel), July 22, 2014
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Abbas' quoting the Quran at the end of this speech - “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory” - was interpreted by his constituents as a sign to take to the streets. This speech sparked Palestinian rioting in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas concluded the speech with a quote from the Quran: “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.” [Sura 22:39, trans. Sahih International]
Click "full article" to view a longer excerpt of Abbas' speech. |
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3- Personal responsibility for terror
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Abbas: US Senate holds PA responsible for incitement and has recommended freezing aid
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Nov. 29, 2014
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Official PA TV broadcast a speech by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to the Arab League’s Council of Foreign Ministers.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “Unfortunately, the US Senate has recommended freezing its aid to the Palestinian Authority. They have held me personally responsible for the recent violence against the Israelis (reference to Palestinian riots in Jerusalem and several terror attacks in which Israelis were killed, -Ed.). Likewise, the US ambassador to the UN [Samantha Power] has distributed a written statement calling on [UN] member states to reject Switzerland’s call to convene a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. Regarding this accusation, levelled at us by [US] Congress members, [the person] responsible for Israel’s homeland security [General Security Services Chief Yoram Cohen] has openly and clearly announced in the Israeli Parliament that the allegations are completely false, [confirming] that we have not incited against anyone, neither secretly nor in public. Despite the Senate’s directive on freezing [US] aid, we hope they won’t do it.”
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Abbas promotes violence quoting Quran: "Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought"
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Source:
Wattan TV (Palestinian private channel), July 22, 2014
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Abbas' quoting the Quran at the end of this speech - “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory” - was interpreted by his constituents as a sign to take to the streets. This speech sparked Palestinian rioting in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas concluded the speech with a quote from the Quran: “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.” [Sura 22:39, trans. Sahih International]
Click "full article" to view a longer excerpt of Abbas' speech. |
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PA official: Abbas has increased budget for prisoners fivefold
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Source:
Ma’an, independent Palestinian news agency, June 2, 2014
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| “[PA] Deputy Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs Ziyad Abu Ein said that the Ministry exists and will not be closed until its status is determined, whether through the creation of a Prisoners’ [Affairs] Commission or by leaving it as it is. In a statement to Ma’an, he added: ‘The Ministry of Prisoners’ [Affairs] still exists in the makeup of the new government and is operating as an institution with all its elements. A discussion was held regarding its replacement with a supreme commission, but no presidential decree has been issued on the matter.’ He went on and said: ‘I am surprised by and condemn all the noise [being made] around the Ministry of Prisoners’ [Affairs], especially since it has not been closed, but [rather], there are thoughts to replace it with a commission whose powers will be no less than that of the Ministry. In addition, the prisoners’ issue is receiving double support from the President [Mahmoud Abbas], since Mahmoud Abbas has increased its budget fivefold.’” |
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Abbas: “We tried… the Second Intifada”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 24, 2011
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"[Abbas] emphasized that he supports the options that the Arabs will choose, and added: ‘I have said more than once that if the Arabs want war – we are with them. I cannot fight alone. We tried military action during the Second Intifada and during the attack on Gaza at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, after the [Hamas] refusal to renew the ceasefire, and it brought destruction upon us. 25% of the homes in Gaza are still in ruins.’
He noted that he opposes military action and that he believes that popular operations resisting settlement and the [security] fence lead to clear positive results for the Palestinian cause. He noted that 50% of the participants in these demonstrations are Israelis, while 25% are foreigners.
He added: ‘We are determined to continue this activity, and we do not wish to turn to armed struggle, because our capabilities and the international atmosphere do not allow for it.'"
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Abbas: "We tried the Intifada in 2000"
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Source:
Al-Ayyam, Sept. 6, 2010
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| “We tried the Intifada (PA terror campaign, 2000-2005) in 2000, and it destroyed everything that we had built. If the Arabs would want to fight, we’d be the first to fight. I told them at the [Arab] Summit in Sirt [Libya]: ‘If you want war, take the lead.’ It’s not possible for us [Palestinians] to go ahead alone; they must be first, with us behind them. We shall not permit them to fight using us. One of them [Arab leaders] spoke about resistance. I said to him, ‘The Palestinian people is not interested in resistance. We, as the [National] Authority, are not interested in resistance, Hamas has abandoned resistance, they are preventing [launch of] rockets and they speak of a tahadiyeh [ceasefire]. Therefore, if he [the Arab leader] is interested in resistance, let him carry it out himself. Nothing is easier than raising a banner [that says], ‘Forward, men!’ And half an hour later we’ll get a slap in the face and find ourselves on the floor. It’s not possible for a responsible person to behave this way.” |
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Abbas: I shot first bullet against Israel
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Source:
Al-Dustour (Jordan), Feb. 28, 2008
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas:
"I was honored to be the one to shoot the first bullet in 1965 [Fatah terror against Israel began in 1965], and having taught resistance to many in this area and around the world, defining it and when it is beneficial and when it is not... we had the honor of leading the resistance. We taught everyone what resistance is, including the Hezbollah, who were trained in our camps [i.e. PLO camps in the 60s and 70s]." |
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4- Contact with enemies of the West
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PA daily: Abbas refused to not form government with Hamas when asked by the Americans
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 27, 2015
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Headline: “Azzam Al-Ahmad, in charge of the [Hamas-Fatah] reconciliation: Hamas does not want to end the rift”
From an interview with Fatah Central Committee Member Azzam Al-Ahmad, who is in charge of the reconciliation with Hamas, to the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida
“Three days after we received the Egyptian document (i.e., the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, under Egyptian patronage), US Senator George Mitchell phoned. This was at 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2009. He started speaking in a most honorable, polite manner. I remember he began by saying: ‘Mr. President, [US] President Obama and the US government respect you, and we request that you not send a representative on your behalf to Cairo to sign the document.’ Later, Mitchel shifted to a threatening language and said: ‘We, the government, cannot control Congress, which threatens to halt aid to the Palestinian Authority if you sign the document with Hamas.’
President Mahmoud Abbas responded immediately: ‘Mr. Mitchel, the unity of our people means more than the satisfaction of Congress, and all the money in the world.’”
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Abbas representative visits Sudan and gives greetings from Abbas to Sudanese president
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Source:
WAFA, official PA news agency, Oct. 27, 2014
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| “The Fatah delegation that left for Sudan last Thursday to participate in the fourth conference of the Sudanese National Congress [party], concluded its visit today. The delegation was led by Fatah Central Committee Member and Commissioner of Arab Relations and Relations with China Abbas Zaki and [Fatah] Revolutionary Council member Dhiab Ayyush. Samir Abd Al-Jabbar, ambassador of the State of Palestine in Sudan, was also present at the conference. Last Thursday [Oct. 23, 2014], the Sudanese National Congress party held its fourth conference, attended by thousands of party members and officials and headed by the party chairman, President Omar Al-Bashir… The conference opened with a speech by [the representative of] Palestine, which was given the honor of being the first to speak. In his speech, Abbas Zaki addressed those present and the participating guests. He greeted the Sudanese leadership and people, and delivered the greetings of [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas to President Omar Bashir.” |
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Abbas sends congratulatory telegram to Kim Jong-un
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 11, 2014
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“[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas sent a congratulatory telegram to Marshal Kim Jong-un, First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, First Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, on the anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Workers’ Party, which took place yesterday [Oct. 10, 2014].
In his telegram, President [Abbas] expressed hope that by this time next year, the fraternal Korean nation will have realized its goals and expectations for progress and prosperity. In addition, the President praised the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for its support of the Palestinian people, and for its support, in all [international] forums, of our people’s firm right to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital - a state that lives in security and peace and [maintains] good relations with all its neighbors. In addition, he expressed hope that the historic relations of solidarity between Palestine and the Democratic People’s [Republic of] Korea, as well as between their two peoples, would continue to grow and develop.”
From WAFA, independent Palestinian news agency
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Abbas bestows Star of Palestine medal on Hugo Chavez
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 18, 2014
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Headline: “The President [Mahmoud Abbas] bestowed the Star of Palestine on the late Chavez and exchanged decorations with his Venezuelan counterpart”
 “The visit made by President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas to Caracas yesterday [May 17, 2014], culminated in the signing of two cooperation agreements with Venezuela…
In addition, the President awarded the Bolivar leader Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias a Star of Palestine decoration of the highest order in appreciation of his efforts for the Palestinian cause.
The decoration was received by the daughter of the deceased, Rosa Maria, at a ceremony held at the Museum of the Revolution, in the presence of the Vice President of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, Fatah Central Committee member Saeb Erekat, [PA] Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Malki, Diplomatic Advisor to the President Majdi Al-Khaledi, Palestinian Ambassador to Venezuela Linda Sobh, members of the Palestinian community and several senior Venezuelan officials.
The order for the bestowing of the medal on the deceased President Chavez stated that the medal was being given ‘in recognition of his principled and firm positions in garnering regional and international support to help the Palestinian people achieve their legal rights to freedom and independence, and in appreciation of his efforts, his humanity, his extensive influence and his struggle to support oppressed peoples in all parts of the world.’
In addition, President Abbas laid a wreath of flowers on Chavez’s grave.”
For more, click "full article."
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PA TV glorifies Abbas' defiance of the US in seeking UN observer status
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Nov. 29, 2013
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PA TV broadcast the movie ‘The appeal to the UN; secrets and hidden [facts]’ Part 1.
The movie’s intro: “A clear objective and a legitimate right.”…
“We chose the way and entered the conflict; we won and waved the name ‘Palestine.’
“Defiance, power, determination, the appeal to the UN; secrets and hidden [facts].”
Member of Fatah Central Committee Muhammad Shtayyeh proudly recounts the times PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said ‘no’ to the US: “I want to tell you something important. When we went to the [UN] General Assembly this time, President Mahmoud Abbas told the US ‘no’ 12 times. This is the twelfth time he said ‘no’ to the US… when Dick Cheney tried to dissuade him from attending the Arab [League] Summit in Syria. President Mahmoud Abbas told the Americans ‘no’ when the US tried to prevent the Hamas movement from participating in the 2006 elections. President Mahmoud Abbas told the US ‘no’ when it tried to prevent us from entering a National Consensus Government with Hamas.
President Mahmoud Abbas said ‘no’ when the US tried to prevent him from signing the reconciliation – the [Hamas-Fatah] Cairo agreement…
The US tried to prevent us from appealing to the [UN] Security Council, and despite that we appealed. The US tried to prevent us from appealing to the [UN] General Assembly, and despite that we appealed.
The US tried to prevent President Mahmoud Abbas from visiting Iran, and despite that he went.
Therefore, there is a long record of this spirit of defiance found in the President, the Palestinian leadership and the Fatah Movement.” |
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Abbas sends “heartfelt best wishes” to North Korean ruler
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 10, 2013
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“President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated his counterpart, Marshal Kim Jong-un, First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of [North] Korea, First Chairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea, Supreme Commander of the [North] Korean People's Army, on the founding day of the Republic [of North Korea].
In his telegram, the President [Abbas] expressed his most heartfelt wishes to Marshal Kim Jong-un, to his esteemed government and to his friendly nation. He expressed our gratitude and appreciation of the Democratic Republic of Korea’s strong stand, its principled solidarity with our people and with its just struggle for freedom and for establishing its independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
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5- Hate promotion
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Abbas’ advisor compares Netanyahu to Goebbels
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, June 10, 2015
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Official PA TV News report on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement regarding his commitment to the two-state solution, and his holding the Palestinians responsible for the freeze in negotiations.
Political Advisor for President Mahmoud Abbas Nimer Hammad: “[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu tried to implement a propaganda method [which] I say is similar to [Nazi Germany's Minister of Propaganda] Goebbels’ [method]: ‘Lie, lie, lie, in the hope of reinforcing it [the lie] in public opinion.’ Netanyahu doesn’t want to touch the reason for the isolation [of Israel], which is the issue of settlement.”
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Abbas’ adviser: Israel determined “to turn the children into food for the settlers’ cars”
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Source:
Facebook page of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Apr. 6, 2015
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Text and image posted by PA Chairman Abbas’ advisor and Fatah Central Committee member Sultan Abu Al-Einein on his official Facebook page:
Posted text: “Marking Land Day and [the battle of] Karameh at the Irbid refugee camp [in Jordan].
The Palestinian president’s representative and Fatah Central Committee member Sultan Abu Al-Einein said that the month of March and its [historical] events (the battle of Karameh and Land Day) demonstrate that the Jordanian blood is mixed with the Palestinian blood, thereby proving that we are one nation in two homelands…
Abu Al-Einein stressed that according to the signs, there is no peace with the Zionists, since they are an enemy determined to swallow the land and to turn the children into food for the settlers’ cars.”
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Abbas' advisor: Israeli citizenship was “imposed” on Israeli Arabs “as a tax”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 12, 2015
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“Nimer Hammad, political advisor to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas… emphasized that the meetings being held [between representatives from Arab countries and Palestinians] – whether in the West Bank or with our people in the 1948 territories (i.e., Israel) – especially in Nazareth and Baka – are ultimately intended to strengthen this bond, and to correct the erroneous approach taken for many years in an attempt to conceal [the identity of] those of our people who had stayed on their land and hold Israeli citizenship, which was imposed on them as a tax for their adherence to their land.”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
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Abbas says he won't recognize Israel as Jewish state; claims Israel plans to displace Israeli Arabs
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Dec. 24, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, at a press conference held at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“Starting three years ago they [Israelis] came to us with a new invention: The Jewish state. The Jewish state. Of course, now there is a Jewish state, an Islamic State, the state of ISIS, and so on. The atmosphere is highly explosive. We said: "We will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state." We recognize Israel, the State of Israel... [In Israel] there are a million and half Arabs and half a million Christian and Muslim Russians... We ask: "What right do [Russians] have to come to Palestine?" […] Naturally, Israel has its objectives with this (i.e., Jewish state demand) - in general - that a million and a half [Israeli] Arabs will be scattered all over. ‘‘You are not a Jew, what are you doing here?’’ ‘‘This is a Jewish state and you are not a Jew.’’ Likewise, they shut the doors on the right of return, but we will not give up the right of return. I am a refugee, I am a refugee. The President of the State of Palestine is merely a refugee. From Safed.”
Click to view video |
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Fatah official speaking in Abbas’ name: Minister Abu Ein was “eliminated… by the enemies of peace and humanity”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 12, 2014
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“President Mahmoud Abbas and the members of the [PA] leadership received condolences last night [Dec. 11, 2014] for the death as a Martyr of Fatah Revolutionary Council member and Head of the Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall Minister Ziyad Abu Ein at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah… Fatah Central Committee Member Abbas Zaki said: ‘In the name of the President, the PLO Executive Committee and the Fatah Central Committee; in the name of the government and Abu Ein’s family: We are deeply grieved by the death of the Fatah leader and knight of Palestine, who was eliminated at a most sensitive moment by murderous criminals, the enemies of peace and humanity, and the enemies of Palestine.”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
Note: Ziad Abu Ein died on Dec. 10, 2014 at a demonstration in the West Bank that turned violent. Immediately following his death, PA and Fatah leaders claimed that Abu Ein was murdered. Footage from the event shows Abu Ein in an altercation with an Israeli soldier who grabbed Abu Ein by the neck, and later shows Abu Ein on the ground clutching his chest in pain. The autopsy, which was overseen by Israeli and Palestinian pathologists, revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack, but disagreement remains over the extent to which the altercation with Israeli forces may have caused the heart attack. Palestinians have continued to describe Abu Ein's death as a "murder" and "assassination" by Israel.
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Abbas: Ziad Abu Ein’s death was a “savage attack… that cannot be passed over in silence or accepted”
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Source:
WAFA news agency, Dec. 10, 2014
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"Fatah Revolutionary Council member and Head of the Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall Ziad Abu Ein died as a Martyr (Shahid) a short time ago, after he was attacked and beaten by occupation soldiers and tear gas canisters were fired at him during a demonstration in the village of Turmus Ayya north of Ramallah.
Eye witnesses said that Abu Ein was attacked by the occupation soldiers while he and other Palestinian activists were planting olive trees in Turmus Ayya, and that one of the soldiers struck him in the chest with a helmet. In addition, he inhaled tear gas, which made him lose consciousness. He was evacuated to the government hospital in Ramallah, where medical sources confirmed his death as a Martyr.
President Mahmoud Abbas described the savage attack that led to his death as a Martyr... as a barbaric act that cannot be passed over in silence or accepted. His Excellency [Abbas] emphasized: “We will take all necessary measures after learning the results of the investigation of fighter Abu Ein’s Martyrdom-death. His Excellency condemned the continuation of the attacks on the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. The President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, has declared three days of mourning."
Click to view bulletin
Note: Ziad Abu Ein - Fatah Revolutionary Council member and head of the PA Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall. Abu Ein died on Dec. 10, 2014 at a demonstration in the West Bank that turned violent. Immediately following his death, PA and Fatah leaders claimed that Abu Ein was murdered. Footage from the event shows Abu Ein in an altercation with an Israeli soldier who grabbed Abu Ein by the neck, and later shows Abu Ein on the ground |
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6- Abbas on Jerusalem
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Abbas representative: Without Jerusalem “there can be no state, no life, and no honor”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 6, 2015
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“The President [Mahmoud Abbas] participated in a ceremony marking the birthday of the Prophet [Muhammad] at Ramallah’s Palace of Culture yesterday evening [Jan. 5, 2014]. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Supreme Shari’ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on [Religious and] Islamic Affairs, said in a speech on behalf of President Abbas: ‘It is a great honor to stand [here] and speak on behalf of the President, on a day so full of [historic] occasions…’
He added: ‘On the 12th of the [Islamic] month of Rabi' Al-Awwal, his [the Prophet Muhammad’s] noble light broke forth (i.e., he was born), and on this day he prophesied, migrated to Medina and returned to his creator. Therefore, this is the day of the Prophet, and justly so. We celebrate it at the same time we observe the birthday of Jesus, peace be upon Him, and the golden anniversary of the revolution of the [Palestinian] land and man, the revolution of Palestine against the occupation, in order to rescue our immortal right…’
Al-Habbash emphasized that at the end of the road, the meeting place would be there, in Jerusalem, at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque – noble, dignified and liberated – without which there would be no peace or stability for anyone in the region and the world at large, [Jerusalem] being the crown jewel, and without it there can be no state, no life and no honor.”
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Abbas: "Jesus, a Palestinian messenger of love, justice and peace"
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Source:
WAFA news agency, Dec. 22, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: "We celebrate the birth of Jesus, a Palestinian messenger of love, justice and peace."
Click to view bulletin |
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Abbas’ advisor: “Christmas is also a Palestinian holiday because Jesus… was Palestinian”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 22, 2014
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"Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Supreme Shari'ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs... noted that 'We believe in our lord Jesus, peace be upon him, and in his gospel, his prophecy, and his sanctity. In keeping with his creed, we celebrate his birth day just as we do that of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, because all prophets are brothers. In addition, Christmas is also a Palestinian holiday, because Jesus, peace be upon him, was Palestinian. He was born in Palestine; lived and was sent [as prophet] to Palestine. Therefore, Christmas has a special Palestinian flavor.'"
Click to view bulletin
Note: This article was originally published in Ma'an on Dec. 21, 2014. |
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Abbas' advisor: No Muslim will ever accept "non-Muslim sovereignty over even a millimeter of... Jerusalem"
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Nov. 21, 2014
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Abbas’ advisor and Supreme Shari’ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash delivers Friday sermon in the presence of Mahmoud Abbas:
“The [Israeli] violations, arrogance, recklessness, stupidity and foolishness will lead to what we fear - outbreak of a religious war between them [Israelis] and all Muslims... If [war] breaks out, it will not be confined to Palestine’s borders, nor to those of the Middle East. It may spread to the entire world. Wherever there are Muslims, there will be confrontations. Al-Aqsa is a part of the religion, creed and faith of every Muslim, so he will never accept any violation or any attack against it, or any desecration of its sanctity, or any non-Muslim sovereignty over even a millimeter of its land and the land of Jerusalem.”
Click to view video |
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Abbas issues lukewarm condemnation of Jerusalem synagogue massacre, highlighting Israel's supposed “aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque"
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Nov. 18, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “[The] synagogue [attack] in Jerusalem, which led to the murder of several Israelis: Of course, we strongly condemn such incidents, and under no circumstances do we condone acts of terror against citizens. We say here that just as we condemn this aggression, we condemn the aggression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem (i.e., the Temple Mount), against the holy places and the burning of mosques (i.e., an allusion to the firebombing of a mosque in a village north of Ramallah on Nov. 12, 2014) and churches, because none of these serves the common interest in the name of which we are acting toward the establishment of two states – the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel. We call for complete respite from all these actions, in order to allow us to continue the diplomatic route and diplomatic activity, which will bring peace to the Middle East.”
Note: On Nov. 18, 2014, two Arab terrorists, Ghassan and Uday Abu Jamal from East Jerusalem, entered a synagogue in Jerusalem and attacked worshippers with guns, knives and axes, killing 4 worshippers and a police officer. 7 people were injured, 3 of them seriously. The terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli Security Forces that arrived on the scene.
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Abbas: “We must all carry out Ribat at the Al-Aqsa Mosque”
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Nov. 18, 2014
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Official PA TV Live broadcast PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ speech at the opening of the 14th session of the Fatah Revolutionary Council
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “For a while now, Jerusalem has been subjected to the attacks of the settlers, who are aiming to divide the holy compound according to time and place. We know what this means. Numerous attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque have been stopped by those carrying out Ribat (religious conflict/war over land claimed to be Islamic) who were present at the holy compound. I say to our people in Jerusalem and the West Bank: We must all carry out Ribat at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and we will not let the herds of settlers deride the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We are currently taking the necessary international legal steps in this matter.”
Note: The physical division and division according to time refers to a proposed law (May 2013) being reviewed in Israeli Parliament that would allow for both Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount. The law seeks to implement separate prayer times for Muslims and Jews at the site.
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7- Non-recognition of Israel
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Fatah Facebook releases image of Abbas together with map replacing Israel
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Source:
Facebook, Fatah - The Main Page, May 21, 2015
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Text and image published on Fatah’s Facebook page, “Fatah – The Main Page”
Picture of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas next to outline of map of “Palestine”, including the PA areas as well as all of Israel, with the Dome of the Rock in the center.
Text: “We have no homeland but Palestine. We have no land but Palestine.”
Posted text: “We have no homeland but Palestine.”
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Abbas and PA leaders attend Fatah performance presenting Israel as "Palestine"
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Source:
Official PA TV Live, Mar. 13, 2015
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Palestinian singer at Fatah concert in the presence of PA and Fatah leaders Mahmoud Abbas, PA Chairman, Sultan Abu Al-Einein, Fatah Central Committee, Hanan Ashrawi, PLO Executive Committee, Abbas Zaki, Fatah Central Committee, Al-Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim, President's office Sec. Gen., Yasser Abd Rabbo, PLO Sec. Gen., Ahmad Tibi, Israeli Arab Member of Israeli Parliament:
"We commit and promise to stand behind you, oh Mahmoud Abbas, until Judgment Day. I am returning to you, the purest land, oh land of the free. No matter how long the nights of exile, I am returning to you, oh land. From Rafah to Rosh Hanikra (northern Israel) our coast, and Beit Shean (Israeli city). Above your soil, oh my land, is a picture of Garden of Eden. From Rafah to Rosh Hanikra our coast, and Beit Shean. Above your soil, oh my land, is a picture of Garden of Eden. From Rafah to Rosh Hanikra, north and south, are the picture's borders. From Haifa (Israeli city) and Tantura to the [Jordan] valley (i.e., all of Israel). I am returning to you, the purest land, oh land of the free."
Click to view video
Click to view bulletin
Note: This video has been broadcast dozens of times since 2011. |
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Map depicts Israel as “Palestine” at PLO event attended by Abbas
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Source:
Ma’an, independent Palestinian news agency, Mar. 4, 2015
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Image posted on Ma’an’s website (independent Palestinian news agency). The photo, taken at a PLO Central Committee meeting, shows Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials; behind them, in the upper-right corner, is the PLO logo with a map of "Palestine” that includes all of Israel and the PA areas, beneath a Palestinian flag.
Note: Similar images of the meeting, showing Abbas and the PLO logo, were published in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the official PA daily, on March 5 and 6, 2015. Click "full article" to view another photo from the event.
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Abbas says he won't recognize Israel as Jewish state; claims Israel plans to displace Israeli Arabs
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Dec. 24, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, at a press conference held at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“Starting three years ago they [Israelis] came to us with a new invention: The Jewish state. The Jewish state. Of course, now there is a Jewish state, an Islamic State, the state of ISIS, and so on. The atmosphere is highly explosive. We said: "We will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state." We recognize Israel, the State of Israel... [In Israel] there are a million and half Arabs and half a million Christian and Muslim Russians... We ask: "What right do [Russians] have to come to Palestine?" […] Naturally, Israel has its objectives with this (i.e., Jewish state demand) - in general - that a million and a half [Israeli] Arabs will be scattered all over. ‘‘You are not a Jew, what are you doing here?’’ ‘‘This is a Jewish state and you are not a Jew.’’ Likewise, they shut the doors on the right of return, but we will not give up the right of return. I am a refugee, I am a refugee. The President of the State of Palestine is merely a refugee. From Safed.”
Click to view video |
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Abbas refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish state
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Nov. 30, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: "... Netanyahu began saying, ‘You have to recognize the Jewish State.’ We refused, absolutely refused. He directed his demand at us, not any [other country] in the world – in other words, he wanted no recognition from any other country in the world but us. We know why. We know very well why he spoke of a Jewish State. They started speaking about issues that could potentially affect the Arabs of 1948 (i.e., Israeli Arabs). When you say ‘Jewish State,’ they [the Israeli Arabs] are outside of it. This is one of the many reasons [we refused], and therefore, we continue to say: We will recognize the State of Israel. If Israel wants to call itself by a certain name, it should turn to the UN – although we would not agree [to such a move], neither now or in the future, under no circumstances. Now, [regarding] the events in the Palestinian territories, the attack on Al-Aqsa, the attack on the synagogue and then [again] Al-Aqsa. In practice, Israel wants to turn this into a religious war, and we have spoken about this repeatedly, saying: ‘You are giving an excuse to those who speak of an Islamic state – IS and the others.’ All of them give excuses to each other. For us, in the 21st century, this idea is not [relevant] – not an Islamic state, not a Christian state, not a Jewish state. Therefore, [when] you reach this line, you Israelis are leading a religious war which will happen, or is already happening, and will increasingly heat up in the region, in view of your statements and your demand that we recognize a Jewish state. We will not recognize a Jewish state and will not allow any opportunity to be given to [those wishing to] declare an Islamic state in Iraq and Syria..."
Click "Full article" for a longer excerpt
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Abbas’ advisor: The Balfour Declaration was a “historic mistake”
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Source:
WAFA news agency, Oct. 14, 2014
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“Prominent Palestinian leaders, individuals, factions and institutions welcomed today the decision of the British House of Commons to recognize the State of Palestine… Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Supreme Shari’ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, said that [with its decision] today, Britain was correcting, even if only symbolically, the historic mistake it committed against the Palestinian people in 1917, almost 100 years ago, by means of the Balfour Declaration, which called for the establishment of a national home for the Jews on the land of Palestine.”
Note: The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” and is seen as the basis for later international commitments to establish the State of Israel. |
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8- On the peace process
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Abbas’ office condemns Charlie Hebdo’s Muhammad caricature: “No one has the right to… insult the faith of others”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 16, 2015
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“The Palestinian President’s Office condemned the offensive cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, published in the last issue of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. The President’s Office… ‘emphasizes that no one has the right to exploit freedom of opinion to insult the faith or religious symbols of others.’”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
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Abbas condemns IS and says no one has right to murder “any human being"
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 7, 2015
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In his Christmas Eve speech, Abbas strongly condemned IS and stated, “We say to anyone who commits a crime against any human being: Who gave [you] the right to murder any human being?" This statement stands in contrast to the policy espoused by Abbas and his Fatah party, in which Palestinians terrorist murderers are glorified on a regular basis. For examples, see here and here.
“[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas participated in the midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity and in the Christmas celebrations according to the Eastern calendar… I must address the terrorism taking place everywhere, which we are dealing with and which we oppose. We say to anyone who commits a crime against any human being: Who gave [you] the right to murder a Sunni, a Shia, a Christian, an Alawite or a Yazidi? Who gave [you] the right to murder any human being? (i.e., allusion to crimes committed by the Islamic State against people belonging to these faiths.)
We say to them: You have nothing to do with religion or Islam; you are beside the subject. Allah will call you to account for the crimes being committed – [whether] against Sunnis, Shias or Christians – but Praise be to Allah, this issue does not exist among us, for we are fully conscious, and we live in a holy land that respects human beings, sanctifies [human] blood and protects its dignity.”
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Abbas representative: Without Jerusalem “there can be no state, no life, and no honor”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 6, 2015
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“The President [Mahmoud Abbas] participated in a ceremony marking the birthday of the Prophet [Muhammad] at Ramallah’s Palace of Culture yesterday evening [Jan. 5, 2014]. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Supreme Shari’ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on [Religious and] Islamic Affairs, said in a speech on behalf of President Abbas: ‘It is a great honor to stand [here] and speak on behalf of the President, on a day so full of [historic] occasions…’
He added: ‘On the 12th of the [Islamic] month of Rabi' Al-Awwal, his [the Prophet Muhammad’s] noble light broke forth (i.e., he was born), and on this day he prophesied, migrated to Medina and returned to his creator. Therefore, this is the day of the Prophet, and justly so. We celebrate it at the same time we observe the birthday of Jesus, peace be upon Him, and the golden anniversary of the revolution of the [Palestinian] land and man, the revolution of Palestine against the occupation, in order to rescue our immortal right…’
Al-Habbash emphasized that at the end of the road, the meeting place would be there, in Jerusalem, at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque – noble, dignified and liberated – without which there would be no peace or stability for anyone in the region and the world at large, [Jerusalem] being the crown jewel, and without it there can be no state, no life and no honor.”
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Abbas says he won't recognize Israel as Jewish state; claims Israel plans to displace Israeli Arabs
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Source:
Official Palestinian Authority TV, Dec. 24, 2014
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PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, at a press conference held at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“Starting three years ago they [Israelis] came to us with a new invention: The Jewish state. The Jewish state. Of course, now there is a Jewish state, an Islamic State, the state of ISIS, and so on. The atmosphere is highly explosive. We said: "We will not recognize Israel as a Jewish state." We recognize Israel, the State of Israel... [In Israel] there are a million and half Arabs and half a million Christian and Muslim Russians... We ask: "What right do [Russians] have to come to Palestine?" […] Naturally, Israel has its objectives with this (i.e., Jewish state demand) - in general - that a million and a half [Israeli] Arabs will be scattered all over. ‘‘You are not a Jew, what are you doing here?’’ ‘‘This is a Jewish state and you are not a Jew.’’ Likewise, they shut the doors on the right of return, but we will not give up the right of return. I am a refugee, I am a refugee. The President of the State of Palestine is merely a refugee. From Safed.”
Click to view video |
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Abbas calls for respecting all religions: Attacks on “Jewish synagogues or Christian churches are forbidden”
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Source:
Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 8, 2014
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“The following is the text of the speech given by the President [Mahmoud Abbas] at a ceremony held yesterday [Dec. 7, 2014] in Ramallah, on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day:
'The Israeli government has raised [the issue of] the Jewishness of the state, and the government was divided [on this issue], and they agreed to hold elections. This is an internal matter, which has nothing to do with us, but we see that even within Israel there are those - such as the state’s president, MPs and military officers - who oppose what we oppose.
'These decisions, especially the one regarding the Jewish state, are decisions we will not accept under any circumstances. We oppose the Jewish state for many reasons, and oppose turning the conflict into a religious conflict between us and them, because if this does happen, it will never end. Ours is a political conflict between occupiers and occupied, and we respect all religions. The attacks against the Al-Aqsa Mosque are absolutely unacceptable, and we will not accept them. In addition, [attacks] against Jewish synagogues or Christian churches are [also] forbidden.'”
From WAFA, official PA news agency
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Abbas gives his views on land swaps, on return of 6 million refugees, and recognition of Israel as Jewish state
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Source:
Akhbar Al-Youm (Egypt), Nov. 30, 2014
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The Egyptian newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm interviewed PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas: “... [Netanyahu’s] declarations are very similar to those of Hamas (they are both the same) [parenthesis in source], and so the talk of a Jewish state – in the context of this rift, we cannot recognize it. It is inconceivable, and we will stand against this plan, not just out of stubbornness, but because it is against our interests... There is an additional reason [to object to a Jewish state], which is that [under the Nation Law] refugees are forbidden to return. There are six million [Palestinian] refugees still waiting to return – and by the way, I am one of them. Therefore, creative solutions must be [found], because one cannot shut the door in the face of those wishing to return. Israel is striving for a Jewish state and IS is striving for an Islamic state, so we are caught between Islamic extremism and Jewish extremism. After the establishment of a Jewish state, [IS leader] Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi will have an excuse to establish an Islamic state, and this is another story we are suffering from and will continue to suffer from.”
Click "Full article" for more excerpts from the interview
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