Abbas wants more blood

Following days of intense Palestinian rioting in Jerusalem and a night in which 205 Palestinians and 17 Israeli police officers were injured, instead of calling for calm, Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party yesterday publicized a call for increased rioting and violence.

“The Fatah Movement with all its elements and leadership calls to continue this uprising… [Israeli policy] will lead to a comprehensive confrontation in all the Palestinian lands, including a reexamination of the rules of engagement… Fatah calls on everyone to raise the level of confrontation in the coming days and hours in the Palestinian lands, the points of friction, and the settlers’ roads.”

To be sure Fatah’s call to violence received maximum exposure, it was publicized on numerous Facebook pages including the official Facebook pages of Fatah, the PA Presidential Guard, Fatah Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul, and Fatah Central Committee member Rawhi Fattouh. In addition to Facebook, the announcement was publicized by WAFA, the official PA news agency, and in the official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, as well as in private news agencies.  

Moreover, to turn its attack on Israeli jurisdiction and rule of law in Jerusalem into an Islamic religious war, Fatah opened its statement with a quote from the Quran, and then commented that “Allah’s words are true.”

The following is the full text of the statement of Fatah’s Central Committee:

Posted text: “A statement from the Fatah Movement Central Committee
Ramallah – May 8, 2021

In the name of All Merciful Allah
‘O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful’ [Quran 3:200, Sahih International translation]

Allah’s words are true

O, our noble people in the homeland and in exile, free residents of Jerusalem

In these days of the blessed [Muslim fasting] month of Ramadan we bow to you in admiration and honor before your sacrifice and your stand that are being expressed in this heroic battle in Jerusalem, its Al-Aqsa Mosque, its Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and every grain of soil in [Jerusalem’s] surroundings (refers to ongoing violent Arab riots in Jerusalem -Ed.).

The Fatah Movement with all its elements and leadership calls to continue this uprising and stand against the occupation forces, the settlers, and their terrorist organizations that are working with the support of the right-wing fascist Israeli government.

The continuation of the settlers’ attacks against the Islamic and Christian holy sites, our belongings, our properties, and our people, the expulsion of the residents from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah [neighborhood of Jerusalem] (refers to planned eviction of Arabs illegally living in properties owned by Jews who were expelled in the 1948 Israeli War of Independence -Ed.), and the expansion of the settlements will lead to a comprehensive confrontation in all the Palestinian lands, including a reexamination of the rules of engagement with the occupation and a reexamination of all kinds of connection with the Israeli government.

Based on this, Fatah calls for [the following]:

1. Fatah views Jerusalem as a unifying factor, unifying the ‘Palestinian public,’ the arena of confrontation with the occupation and all its symbols, and emphasizes that the confrontation with the occupation necessitates avoiding all the secondary disagreements (i.e., between the different Palestinian factions, and primarily between Fatah and Hamas –Ed.).
2. Fatah calls on everyone to raise the level of confrontation in the coming days and hours in the Palestinian lands, the points of friction, and the settlers’ roads.
3. Fatah calls on our people in the refugee camps and in the diaspora to come out and demonstrate this Monday [May 10, 2021] in front of the international headquarters and foreign embassies.
4. Fatah calls for Monday to be a day of action and united activity in the Palestinian lands starting after the time of the iftar [Ramadan fast breaking meal], in order to stand against the occupation and support and aid our people in Jerusalem.

Blessings to our people, our Martyrs, our wounded, and our prisoners in the Jerusalem battle.

Mercy on the Martyrs and freedom for our heroic prisoners.

Long live Jerusalem, long live Palestine, and love live our heroic Palestinian people.”

[Official Fatah Facebook page, May 8, 2021;
Facebook page of Fatah Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul, May 8, 2021;
Facebook page of the PA Presidential Guard, May 8, 2021;
Facebook page of Fatah Central Committee member Rawhi Fattouh, May 8, 2021;
 Donia Al-Watan, independent Palestinian news agency, May 8, 2021;
Wattan, independent Palestinian news agency, May 8, 2021;
WAFA, official PA news agency, May 8, 2021;
official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 9, 2021]

Mahmoud Al-Aloul also serves as Fatah Central Committee member.

Rawhi Fattouh also serves as Fatah Commissioner of International Relations