Abbas’ Fatah praises murder of 7: “The war has begun in Palestine… we greet and bless these heroic operations”
Fatah’s “message”:
- “The intifada has begun, and the war has begun in Palestine, all of Palestine”
- “We greet and bless these heroic operations in Jerusalem by the heroes of Jerusalem”
After a bloody weekend in Jerusalem where 6 Israelis and 1 Ukrainian national were murdered and 7 were wounded in two terror attacks, the secretary of the Jenin branch of Abbas’ Fatah Movement, Ata Abu Rmeileh, announced that “the war has begun in Palestine, all of Palestine.”
Referring to two attacks in Jerusalem on Friday and Saturday, Abu Rmeileh announced Fatah’s appreciation of the murders: “We greet and bless these heroic operations in Jerusalem by the heroes of Jerusalem.” Abu Rmeileh made this statement while leading a military procession in the Jenin refugee camp during which he and others shouted “Allahu Akbar” - “Allah is greatest” – while carrying automatic rifles. Others were seen distributing sweets in celebration of the two attacks in Jerusalem:
Posted text: “[Fatah] Jenin Branch Secretary Ata Abu Rmeileh, and Fatah’s message”
Fatah Jenin Branch Secretary Ata Abu Rmeileh: “We are saying that the intifada has begun, and the war has begun in Palestine, all of Palestine. It will not stop until [there is] revenge for every pure drop of blood of our righteous Martyrs in the Jenin [refugee] camp, in Jerusalem, and in all areas of Palestine. We are defending the site of our [Prophet] Muhammad’s [Night] Journey. On behalf of all the fighters, we greet and bless these heroic operations in Jerusalemby the heroes of Jerusalem (i.e., 7 murdered and 7 wounded).”
Abu Rmeileh and crowd: “Allahu Akbar (i.e., “Allah is greatest”)!”
Abu Rmeileh: “Our people is a living and resisting people that is defending itself, and it will take revenge for the blood of the Martyrs.”
Visual: People are seen distributing sweets in celebration of the two terror attacks in Jerusalem, in which a total of 7 were murdered and 7 were wounded.
[Fatah Movement – Bethlehem Branch, Telegram channel, Jan. 28, 2023]
The two terror attacks in which 7 were murdered and 7 were wounded were carried out by two young Palestinian terrorists, a 21-year-old and a 13-year-old:
Khairy Alqam - 21-year-old Arab terrorist and resident of Jerusalem who shot and murdered 6 Israelis and 1 Ukrainian national - Asher Natan, 14, Ilya Sosansky, 26, Natali Ziskin Mizrahi, 45, Eli Mizrahi, 48, Rafael Ben Eliyahu, 56, Irina Korolyova, 60, and Shaul Chai, 68 - and wounded 5 others outside of the Ateret Avraham Synagogue in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov on Sabbath eve, Jan. 27, 2023, as some of them were coming out from prayers in the synagogue. Alqam fled the scene in a car and then opened fire on Israeli police officers, who shot and killed him. The attack took place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Muhammad Aliwat - 13-year-old Arab terrorist and Jerusalem resident who shot and seriously wounded an Israeli father and son, aged 47 and 22 respectively, as they were walking to Sabbath prayers near the City of David archaeological site, just south of the Old City of Jerusalem, on Jan. 28, 2023. An armed Israeli civilian at the scene shot and wounded Aliwat, who was then arrested.
Teen terrorist Muhammad Aliwat was filmed by security cameras as he waited in ambush and attacked Jews walking by. Palestinian media reported that Aliwat had written a message for his mother in his school notebook, indicating his intention of carrying out an attack and seek “Martyrdom”-death: "Allah, either victory or Martyrdom. Forgive me mother, you will be proud of "me".
Despite the footage of the teen, the PA denied his involvement in the attack, claiming he was arrested “on the pretext that he was the one who carried out the shooting operation.” Calling the attack an “operation” is a common and clear indication of the PA’s approval:
Official PA TV newsreader: “The occupation forces closed off the town (sic., neighborhood) of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem and prevented the civilians and journalists from approaching the site, after they said that two settlers were wounded in a shooting operation in the area (refers to attack by terrorist Muhammad Aliwat, 2 wounded -Ed.). The occupation forces arrested 13-year-old youth [Aliwat] on the pretext that he was the one who carried out the shooting operation.”
[Official PA TV News, Jan. 28, 2023]
Palestinian sources indicated that the two attacks were a “response” to a gun battle in Jenin on Thursday, in which terrorists opened fire on Israeli soldiers while they were conducting a counter-terror operation, and in the ensuing exchange of fire 9 Palestinians were killed, 8 of them terrorists who had shot at the soldiers:
“At least seven settlers were killed in a shooting that took place yesterday evening, Friday [Jan. 27, 2023], outside of a synagogue in a settlement neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, which was carried out by an armed man [Khairy Alqam] (i.e., terrorist, murdered 7) who died as a Martyr, according to the occupation police.
The operation (i.e., terror attack) came a day after the massacre committed by the occupation forces in Jenin and its refugee camp, which led to the deaths as Martyrs of 9 civilians (sic., refers to Palestinian terrorists shooting at Israeli soldiers during a counter-terror operation, see note below).”
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 28, 2023]
The PA blamed Israel for everything, stating that the “Palestinian leadership holds the Israeli government fully responsible for the escalation on the ground.” [WAFA, official PA news agency, English edition, Jan. 28, 2023; official PA TV, Jan. 28, 2023]
This cartoon printed in the official PA daily apparently refers to the gun battle in Jenin and the two terror attacks:
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 29, 2023]
The cartoon shows Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir depicted as a soldier falling out of an Israeli military vehicle, which is driving away from Jenin as indicated by a sign marked “Jenin” pointing in the opposite direction. Ben Gvir is falling out of the vehicle because the spike of the Dome of the Rock, representing Jerusalem, is protruding from the ground and lifting the vehicle in the air. The Dome of the Rock possibly symbolizes terrorist Khairy Alqam who murdered 7 and wounded 5 outside of a synagogue in Jerusalem the following day, and terrorist Muhammad Aliwat who wounded 2 in Jerusalem the day after.
Jenin gun battle, January 2023 - Palestinian terrorists opened fire on Israeli soldiers while they were conducting a counter-terror operation in Jenin on Jan. 26, 2023. In the ensuing gun battle 8 terrorists, including PA police officer and Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (Fatah's military wing) member Izz Al-Din Salahat, were killed, as was 1 Palestinian civilian. The soldiers were in Jenin to arrest a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist and prevent an imminent terror attack.
The following are longer excerpts of the reports cited above:
Headline: “Washington hurried to condemn despite its silence over the massacre of Jenin and its refugee camp!
Seven settlers were killed in an operation in the Neve Yaakov settlement and Khairy Alqam who carried it out died as a Martyr”
“At least seven settlers were killed in a shooting that took place yesterday evening, Friday [Jan. 27, 2023], outside of a synagogue in a settlement neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, which was carried out by an armed man [Khairy Alqam] (i.e., terrorist, murdered 7) who died as a Martyr, according to the occupation police.
The operation (i.e., terror attack) came a day after the massacre committed by the occupation forces in Jenin and its refugee camp, which led to the deaths as Martyrs of 9 civilians (sic., refers to Palestinian terrorists shooting at Israeli soldiers during a counter-terror operation, see note below).”
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 28, 2023]
Izz Al-Din Salahat – Palestinian terrorist, PA police officer, and member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (Fatah’s military wing) who shot at Israeli soldiers during a gun battle in the Jenin refugee camp on Jan. 26, 2023. The soldiers returned fire, killing Salahat. The soldiers were in Jenin to arrest a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist and prevent an imminent terror attack. Salahat’s father is a colonel in the PA Presidential Guard.
Headline: “Palestinian leadership holds the Israeli government fully responsible for the escalation on the ground”
“In continuation and follow-up of its emergency meetings, the Palestinian leadership met today, Saturday, under the chairmanship of President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, at the presidential headquarters, where they reviewed the latest events, political developments, and international contacts conducted by the Palestinian leadership at all levels, including what happened in yesterday's Security Council meeting. The leadership emphasized the following:
• The Palestinian leadership holds the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the dangerous escalation that the situation has reached due to its crimes, which amounted to 31 martyrs during the current month, and its continuation of its colonial settlement practices, land annexation, house demolitions, arrests, policies of ethnic cleansing and apartheid, and the desecration of Islamic, Christian holy sites, and storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque. These policies are a result of the Israeli occupation government's evasion of its commitment to implement the signed agreements and its violation of the resolutions of international legitimacy. The leadership warns the occupation government against continuing this approach, which will lead to further deterioration, threatening security and stability in the entire region.
• The Palestinian leadership calls on the international community and the American administration to call on the Israeli occupation government to stop its unilateral actions, which constitutes the practical entrance to re-consider the political path leading to the end of the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, including East Jerusalem, affirming its adherence to the international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.
• The Palestinian leadership confirmed the continuation of the implementation of the decisions it took in its meeting last Thursday, and it will continue to work with the Arab and international community in order to provide support, backing, and international protection, in order for our people to achieve their full legitimate rights.
• The Palestinian leadership emphasized the importance of an urgent response to the president's call for a comprehensive national dialogue in order to fortify the home front, strengthen the political position, and unify it to face the challenges that afflict our cause and our people.
• The Palestinian leadership salutes our Palestinian people in all places of their presence for their steadfastness, peaceful popular resistance, and their adherence to their legitimate national rights and to the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people, the leader of our struggle for freedom and independence.”
[WAFA, official PA news agency, English edition, Jan. 28, 2023;
official PA TV, Jan. 28, 2023]