Abbas stands by PA official who glorified a murderer, despite letter from US Congressmen
On May 2, 2013, Abbas advisor Sultan Abu Al-Einein glorified a murderer who killed an Israeli father of five. In response, five members of US Congress wrote a letter to Abbas demanding Abu Al-Einein be removed from office. Ma'an reports on the letter and on Abbas' response:
"In a letter [to Mahmoud Abbas], the American Congress demanded that the Palestinian Authority deport Sultan Abu Al-Einein, the Head of the Non-Governmental Organizations Authority, and President Mahmoud Abbas's advisor for local authorities. This was done after his recent statements were described [by Congress] as incitement against Israel.
Abu Al-Einein's bureau chief, Raafat Alayan, told Ma'an that American Congress sent an official letter protesting Abu Al-Einein's visit to the family of the person who carried out the operation at the Za'atara check-point south of Nablus during which a settler was killed.
He went on to say that the Americans documented Abu Al-Einein's statements that called for the killing of settlers and for struggle, and demanded that the Palestinian Authority expel him from Fatah and banish him from the Palestinian territories to a foreign country.
Alayan stressed that President Mahmoud Abbas and the PA responded to the letter with a letter [of their own] in which it was emphasized that Sultan Abu Al-Einein is the chosen leader of a major organization, and that he is a PA employee working in the Fatah movement."
[The English version of the article added:]
The congressmen were identified by the JTA as Democrats Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey, Brad Sherman, and Ted Deutch and Republican Ed Royce.
Their letter said that 'allowing this type of incitement and hate mongering to take place within your ranks is intolerable if you are truly dedicated to non-violence. We ask that you publicly and officially denounce and condemn Mr. Al-Einein's remarks at once and remove him from his position in your government.'"
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Note: In the above, Ma'an falsely claims that the Congressmen demanded that Abu Al-Einein be deported. Deportation was not mentioned in the letter from the Congressmen, which can be viewed here. Despite the letter from the Congressmen, Al-Einein was not removed from office.
"In a letter [to Mahmoud Abbas], the American Congress demanded that the Palestinian Authority deport Sultan Abu Al-Einein, the Head of the Non-Governmental Organizations Authority, and President Mahmoud Abbas's advisor for local authorities. This was done after his recent statements were described [by Congress] as incitement against Israel.
Abu Al-Einein's bureau chief, Raafat Alayan, told Ma'an that American Congress sent an official letter protesting Abu Al-Einein's visit to the family of the person who carried out the operation at the Za'atara check-point south of Nablus during which a settler was killed.
He went on to say that the Americans documented Abu Al-Einein's statements that called for the killing of settlers and for struggle, and demanded that the Palestinian Authority expel him from Fatah and banish him from the Palestinian territories to a foreign country.
Alayan stressed that President Mahmoud Abbas and the PA responded to the letter with a letter [of their own] in which it was emphasized that Sultan Abu Al-Einein is the chosen leader of a major organization, and that he is a PA employee working in the Fatah movement."
[The English version of the article added:]
The congressmen were identified by the JTA as Democrats Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey, Brad Sherman, and Ted Deutch and Republican Ed Royce.
Their letter said that 'allowing this type of incitement and hate mongering to take place within your ranks is intolerable if you are truly dedicated to non-violence. We ask that you publicly and officially denounce and condemn Mr. Al-Einein's remarks at once and remove him from his position in your government.'"
Click to view bulletin
Note: In the above, Ma'an falsely claims that the Congressmen demanded that Abu Al-Einein be deported. Deportation was not mentioned in the letter from the Congressmen, which can be viewed here. Despite the letter from the Congressmen, Al-Einein was not removed from office.
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