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Abbas’ Fatah to gangs: Attack Israelis; Don’t attack the Palestinian Authority

Ephraim D. Tepler and Itamar Marcus  |

The way that the Palestinian Authority Security Forces are fighting armed gangs in cities such as Jenin is being misrepresented by the media, as if the PA is fighting terrorism.

The PA has made it clear that the purpose of its crackdowns is not to prevent terror activity against Israel, rather it is to ensure the PA's own rule of law and political survival.

A spokesman for PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, openly welcomed anyone who wishes to perpetrate terrorist attacks, so-called "resistance," to go ahead and do so but in the areas where Israelis live. "The option to resist is open to whoever wishes to resist. They can go to Area C. The Palestinian people respect the right to cast off the occupation through all means."

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Fatah Spokesman in Europe and Fatah Revolutionary Council member Jamal Nazzal: "We do not want to be ruled by thugs. We do not want to be ruled by people who accuse others of heresy. We do not want to be ruled by people who obey the commands of foreign states. The option to resist is open to whoever wishes to resist. They can go to Area C. The Palestinian people respect the right to cast off the occupation through all means."

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Facebook page, Jan. 11, 2025]

Moreover, the PA believes that all attacks on Israelis, such as last week's shooting near Al-Funduk that killed three and injured six, are not the fault of Palestinians but Israel's fault – literally just because it exists. As articulated by the PA's Security Forces spokesman, "the occupation was responsible because when the occupation leaves our land, there will be no more operations [terrorist attacks]" [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, January 10, 2025]. The Palestinian Authority routinely defines Israel's existence as the occupation of "Palestine" since 1948.

Area C

"All means"

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