Top PA official: A plot targets the entire Arab world… Israel wants the Arabs divided
Syrian News Channel, an official Syrian TV channel, interview with Supreme Shari’ah Judge, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash
Supreme Shari’ah Judge, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “Honestly, let me say that from the first moment Syria entered the whirlwind of this latest crisis, we had concerns in Palestine – all of the Palestinians, without exception, and possibly [PA] President [Mahmoud] Abbas specifically. He was deeply concerned about Syria. However, along with the concern there was hope, will, and aspiration that Syria would overcome this crisis, and we prayed that Syria would overcome this crisis and defeat the plot, as it was clear that there was a plot to harm Syria – This is the plot that targets the entire Arab nation, that targets the entire region and at its center the Palestinian cause, which is the center of the Arab nation and the Islamic nation at this time in history.”
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Syrian News Channel host: “You had a number of visits and meetings with official parties in Syria. What do you have to say?”
Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “I am here as an emissary of President Mahmoud Abbas, as a representative of President Mahmoud Abbas and of the State of Palestine. I have many things to say. First, I have a personal and special message from His Honor President Mahmoud Abbas to his brother [Syrian] President Bashar Assad, which is connected to the general situation between Syria and Palestine, and the general situation between Syria and Palestine is Palestine and what is happening at this time – the news, plots, conventions, and workshops that mainly harm the Palestinian cause, which harm the heart of the Palestinians’ right.”
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Host: “Doctor, if we look at the Arab world today, we see that there are internal Arab rifts, and there is an attempt by some of the official Arab regimes to go in the direction of public and uncompensated normalization with the occupation entity. Now I will ask about your position today regarding what is happening in the Arab world – how much is the Palestinian cause currently impacted by what some of the Arab regimes are implementing?”
Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “Look, first, all of the internal Arab disagreement will certainly have a negative impact on the Palestinian cause, as srael wants the Arabs divided, wants the Arabs to be caught up in controversy, fighting each other – and it [Israel] feeds off of these internal Arab disagreements. Therefore, it pains us to see Arab disagreements and rifts.”
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Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “In the face of the so-called ‘Islamic State,’ they bring us the Jewish state. It is a justification or an attempt to justify the Jewishness of Israel. Israel is a Jewish state and opposite it is an Islamic state – ‘Why is it the Muslims’ right to have an Islamic state, and not the Jews' right to have a Jewish state?’ That is what they are promoting. Accordingly, whoever made up these names – the Islamic State and the Islamic Movement, all of that – his goal is to justify the existence of Zionism, justification of the plot and its implementation against the Arab nation and Islamic nation.
How will we deal with them?
The West- So-called ‘Islamophobia’ – the fear of Islam – has spread through the world today, and the reason for the fear of Islam, even among the peoples that are being misled, is these criminals. These criminals and terrorists are the reason for the fear of Islam, the reason for the blow to Islam’s image…
We must cooperate – you, Syria, must fight terror and extremism, not only in Syria but throughout the world, everywhere it occurs in the world, because in the end you will pay the price. We are also being burned by the flames of this twisted idea that wants to present Islam- more correctly, wants to use or exploit Islam and the people’s love for Islam in order to create a fraud and lie to people under shiny slogans…
We as Palestinians renounce before Allah and before the nation any extremist that penetrates our ranks, and we will strike him with an iron fist. We will not allow [it]. President Mahmoud Abbas emphasizes this in his words, even in his messages to the Syrian leadership – ‘I am with Syria against terror’ – against the extremist idea, against the plot; and we are with Syria because Syria is with Palestine.”