Mahmoud Abbas honors terror leader with “Star of Honor” decoration

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik | Jul 3, 2013

Mahmoud Abbas honors terror leader
with "Star of Honor" decoration

Abbas has honored terrorists
who have killed hundreds of Israelis

Abbas about terror leader:

"Brother Nayef Hawatmeh (head of DFLP) is decorated with the highest order of the Star of Honor in recognition of his important national role
in service of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people"

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
First published July 3, 2013 by Gatestone Institute

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has awarded the "highest order of the Star of Honor" to arch-terrorist Nayef Hawatmeh. This is a continuation of the policy followed by Abbas and the PA to glorify terrorists responsible for murdering Israelis, as documented by Palestinian Media Watch.

Abbas decorates Hawatmeh with the Star of Honor medal

Nayef Hawatmeh is the leader of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). The DFLP carried out many deadly terror attacks, including the killing of 22 schoolchildren and 4 adults after taking them hostage in Ma'alot, the killing of 9 children and 3 adults in an attack on a school bus, the killing of 7 in a Jerusalem bombing, the killing of 4 hostages in an apartment building in Beit Shean, all of which took place in the 1970's. In addition, the DFLP has participated in and claimed responsibility for dozens of other terror attacks, including a suicide bombing near Tel Aviv that killed 4 in 2003.

Abbas himself signed the PA declaration decorating Hawatmeh with the Star of Honor, which praises Hawatmeh's "efforts to raise the flag of Palestine since the launch of the Palestinian revolution."

Below is the announcement on PA TV News, followed by the ceremony at which Abbas decorated terrorist Hawatmeh with the "Star of Honor":

PA TV newsreader: "President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas decorated Secretary General of the Democratic Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] Nayef Hawatmeh with the highest order of the Star of Honor."

PA official: "By the authority vested in us, and for the public good, we have decreed the following:

'Brother Nayef Hawatmeh is decorated with the highest order of the Star of Honor in recognition of his important national role in service of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people, and in recognition of his efforts to raise the flag of Palestine since the launch of the Palestinian revolution, through the stages of the ongoing struggle. [Signed by] Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine.'"

[PA TV (Fatah), May 28, 2013]

Click to view

After this announcement, Abbas hung a large ribbon with the Star of Honor medal around Hawatmeh's neck. The ceremony was also posted on Abbas' YouTube channel.

Abbas' honoring of terrorist Hawatmeh is the continuation of his policy to glorify terrorists:

Dec. 2012, Abbas honored 6 terrorists responsible for killing hundreds of Israelis and two American diplomats
Jan. 2013, Abbas pledged to follow path of 15 terrorists responsible for killing hundreds
March 2013, Abbas honored murderer of 2 students
April 2013, Abbas honored planner of attacks that killed dozens
May 2013, Abbas refused to condemn or dismiss his advisor who glorified murderer, as requested by 5 members of US Congress

See below for all details and texts.

Abbas' granting the Star of Honor to terrorist Hawatmeh, glorifying the murderers of hundreds, rejecting US Congress' demand to condemn terror glorification, as well as having the PA pay high monthly salaries to Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons, reflect one of the significant PA policies today. The international community has conditioned its contacts with and funding of the PA with the demand that it stop encouraging terror. In response, the PA has found a successful way to both "stop encouraging terror" for the international community, while at the same time continuing to promote terror to its own people. Today, the PA rarely calls directly for killing Israelis and Jews, thereby creating the perception of satisfying the technical requirements set by the world community. However, at the same time the PA glorifies terrorists who have already murdered and pays all terrorists in Israeli prisons a monthly salary, thereby sending a clear message to Palestinians of support for terror.

This policy, led by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, is the PA's solution to continue promoting terror, while simultaneously receiving international funding. Ironically, the Western funding of the PA's general budget in fact pays for PA TV, official PA events, and salaries of the many PA civil servants, which are all actively implementing the PA's terror glorification, as well as the salaries for the terrorists themselves in prison. What remains is the absurd situation that the United States, the EU, and the European countries are funding the very terror-supporting activities that they are condemning.

Details of Abbas' terror glorification cited above:
(descriptions of all terrorists follow at the end)

Dec. 2012, Abbas honored 6 terrorists responsible for killing hundreds of Israelis and two American diplomats

In his speech a day before the celebration of Fatah's anniversary, Abbas singled out as Shahids, Martyrs who according to Islam are rewarded in Paradise for their exemplary Islamic behavior, several leaders of terrorist organizations. They included Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin, PFLP leader Abu Ali Mustafa, Black September leader Abu Iyad and others responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israelis.

Jan. 2013, Abbas pledged to follow path of 15 terrorists responsible for killing of hundreds

In his speech on the occasion of Fatah's anniversary, Abbas pledged to follow the path of numerous terrorists, and others responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Israelis. He also mentioned Hitler's ally the Grand Mufti Haj Amin Al-Husseini, who recruited Muslims to fight with the Nazis in World War II.

March 2013, Abbas honored murderer of 2 students

In March, Abbas sent the Secretary-General of his office, Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim, to honor a terrorist prisoner by visiting his family. In 1984, terrorist Abd Rabbo killed two Israeli university students who were hiking south of Jerusalem. At gun point he tied them up, put bags over their heads and then shot and murdered them. He is currently serving two life sentences for these murders. Abbas sent his representative to speak to the murderer's mother and convey "President Abbas' and the Palestinian leadership's greetings to her." At the meeting, Abbas' official stated that "the best of the Palestinian people's sons are in prison."

April 2013, Abbas honored planner of attacks that killed dozens

Abbas honored another terrorist in April by sending the District Governor of Jenin, Talal Dweikat, to speak on his behalf and glorify arch-terrorist Abu Jihad as "one of the giants and heroes who wrote epics of bravery." Abu Jihad headed Fatah's military wing and planned many deadly Fatah terror attacks. PA and Fatah officials have repeatedly praised Abu Jihad for orchestrating the most lethal attack in Israeli history, the hijacking of a bus and killing of 37 civilians, 12 of them children. The official PA news agency WAFA has credited him with being responsible for the deaths of 125 Israelis.

May 2013, Abbas refused to condemn or dismiss his advisor who glorified murderer, as requested by 5 members of US Congress

Last month, Abbas chose to stand by his advisor's glorification of a murderer who stabbed an Israeli father of five to death in April of this year. Senior PA official and advisor to Abbas, Sultan Abu Al-Einein, praised the killer as "heroic fighter" and added: "Blessings to the breast that nursed Salam Al-Zaghal." Following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of this terror glorification, five members of US Congress wrote a letter to Abbas demanding he condemn the glorification and remove Abu Al-Einein from office. However, Abbas decided to support his official and defied the Congressmen's request, refusing to remove him from office or even condemn him.

Descriptions of terrorists honored by Abbas:

Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir) - Founder of Fatah and deputy to Yasser Arafat. He headed the PLO terror organization's military wing and planned many deadly Fatah terror attacks, including the most lethal in Israeli history, the hijacking of a bus and killing of 37 civilians, 12 of them children.

Abu Iyad (Salah Khalaf) - Founder of Fatah and head of the terrorist organization Black September. Attacks he planned included the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 and the murder of two American diplomats in Sudan in 1973.

Abu Ali Iyad - He was appointed head of Fatah military operations in 1966, and was responsible for several terror attacks.

Omar Al-Qassem - He led a terror squad that crossed the Jordan River into Israel to carry out a terror attack in 1968. Caught by Israeli soldiers, the squad killed two soldiers.

Abu Ali Mustafa - He was the Secretary-General of the terror organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP planned and carried out numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians since its founding in 1967 and throughout the Palestinian terror campaign between 2000- 2005 (the Intifada).

Ahmed Yassin - Founder and former head of the terrorist organization Hamas. The Hamas movement is responsible for numerous terror attacks and the deaths of hundreds of Israeli civilians.

Abu Sabri Saidam - Deputy Commander of operations for Fatah's Al-Asifa military unit.

Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar - He was Arafat's deputy, and commander of operations for the terrorist organization Black September.

Saad Sayel - Senior Fatah commander. He led the PLO forces that were based in Lebanon during the early 1980s.

Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rantisi - Co-founder of the terrorist organization Hamas.

Ismail Abu Shanab - He was senior official in the terrorist organization Hamas.

Fathi Shaqaqi - Founder of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad, which has carried out numerous terrorist attacks, killing hundreds of Israeli civilians

George Habash - founder of the terror organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP planned and carried out numerous terror attacks against Israeli civilians since its founding in 1967 and throughout the Palestinian terror campaign between 2000- 2005 (the Intifada).

Abu Al-Abbas - He headed the terror organization Palestinian Liberation Front. He planned the hijacking of an Italian cruise ship in 1985, in which one passenger was killed.

Haj Muhammad Amin Al-Husseini - Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the British mandate, and spiritual and political leader of the local Arab population. He strongly opposed Zionism and was behind riots and attacks on Jews. During World War II he actively collaborated with Nazi Germany, meeting Adolf Hitler and recruiting Muslims for the Nazi army.

Sheikh Izz A-Din Al-Qassam - He was an influential Islamic preacher in British Mandate Palestine during the 1930s. He led a Muslim terror group. The terror organization Hamas' military wing is named after him.

Issa Abd Rabbo - He killed two Israeli university students, Ron Levi and Revital Seri, who were hiking south of Jerusalem in 1984. At gun point he tied them up, put bags over their heads and then shot and murdered both. He is serving two life sentences in an Israeli prison.

See more examples on PMW's website of PA Chairman Abbas glorifying terrorists or endorsing his PA officials doing it.

Mahmoud Abbas honors terror leader with “Star of Honor” decoration

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