Saeb Erekat on imprisoned terrorists:
"Our brave prisoners... We bow our heads in admiration
and honor of the prisoners'... acts of heroism"
The Palestinian Authority often assures its people that among its top priorities is the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel - most of whom are convicted for terrorist crimes including murder.
Chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat recently reiterated this, terming actions of terrorist prisoners as "acts of heroism", and stating that Palestinians "bow [their] heads in admiration and honor of the prisoners' sacrifices, for their acts of heroism":
"Our brave prisoners, who gave and sacrificed their freedom for Palestine and its freedom, are worthy of aid, support, and constant activity by us in order to release them and put an end to their suffering. The prisoners' cause is a national and central cause, and we bow our heads in admiration and honor of the prisoners' sacrifices, for their acts of heroism, and for their ongoing battle with the occupation."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 19, 2016]
Among the prisoners Saeb Erekat would be admiring are:
Abdallah Barghouti
- serving 67 life sentences for preparing explosives for terror attacks in which 67 people were murdered: Sbarro restaurant (15 killed, Aug. 9, 2001, Jerusalem), Sheffield Club (15 killed, May 7, 2002, Rishon LeZion), Moment Café (11 killed, March 9, 2002, Jerusalem), triple attack at Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (11 killed, Dec. 1, 2001, Jerusalem), Hebrew University (9 killed, July 31, 2002, Jerusalem), and Bus 4 in Tel Aviv (6 killed, Sept. 19, 2002).
Ibrahim Hamed- serving 54 life sentences for planning suicide attacks, including the suicide bombings at Hebrew University (9 killed), Cafe Moment (12 killed), Cafe Hillel (7 killed), Zion Square in Jerusalem (11 killed).
Abbas Al-Sayid - serving 35 life sentences for planning two suicide bombings, one at a Passover dinner at the Park Hotel in Netanya (30 killed, March 27, 2002) and another outside a shopping Mall in Netanya (5 killed, May 18, 2001).
Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the PA and PLO reward all imprisoned terrorists with generous monthly salaries and that foreign donor money facilitates them. Click to read more about this in PMW's latest report The PA's Billion Dollar Fraud.
The following is a longer excerpt on the report on Erekat's statement:
Headline: "Erekat: The prisoners' cause is central and the activity for their release continues"
"Crowds of the Jericho and [Jordan] Valley district expressed full solidarity with the prisoners in the occupation's prison and resistance to the steps of oppression against the brave prisoners. They demanded that the international community get involved in order to put an end to the suffering of the prisoners.
A solidarity rally was held opposite the Red Cross building in the center of Jericho, with the participation of Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee [and Fatah Central Committee member] Saeb Erekat and District Governor of Jericho and the [Jordan] Valley Majed Al-Fatiani...
Erekat said: 'Our brave prisoners, who gave and sacrificed their freedom for Palestine and its freedom, are worthy of aid, support, and constant activity by us in order to release them and put an end to their suffering. The prisoners' cause is a national and central cause, and we bow our heads in admiration and honor of the prisoners' sacrifices, for their acts of heroism, and for their ongoing battle with the occupation.'
District Governor Al-Fatiani emphasized that the prisoners' cause is at the head of the priorities of [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas, and that the president and the Palestinian leadership are making every effort in order to put an end to their suffering."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 19, 2016]
