PA daily: Israel's goodwill is really "scheme" to profit by "the enemies of Allah"

"The enemies of Allah from among the Children of Zion
wish, through their cunning schemes,

to open new channels for their economy,

by opening the gates of Jerusalem"

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

Israel's goodwill gesture to grant additional permits to Palestinians to enter Jerusalem and the rest of Israel during the month of Ramadan was interpreted in the official PA daily as nothing more than a selfish way to boost the Israeli economy.

In an op-ed entitled "Al-Aqsa is calling you," a columnist for the paper called on Muslims to come to Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque "every day, with all our strength, if we are able to do so." This to counter what the writer interpreted as an Israeli plot to profit financially from the additional Palestinians entering Jerusalem during Ramadan - a "scheme" carried out by "the enemies of Allah from among the Children of Zion":

"In the month of Ramadan, when our footsteps crave the mosques, let us come to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque every day, with all our strength, if we are able to do so -for the enemies of Allah from among the Children of Zion wish, through their cunning schemes, to open new channels for their economy, by opening the gates of Jerusalem. However, we are those who support the economy of our people and its homeland, and this is an opportunity for us to pray in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 24, 2015]

Earlier in the article, the writer described how in the past, the land of Al-Aqsa Mosque has needed Muslims "to stand by its side" when "the corruptors defiled it, caused devastating corruption (i.e., term used about Jews in the Quran), desecrated its honor and sanctity, and killed, attacked, and spilled pure blood."

Palestinian Media Watch recently exposed a similar statement by a preacher on official PA TV referring to the same Quranic verse about Jews. The preacher claimed that Jews are behind all that is wrong in the world:

"Humanity will never live in comfort as long as the Jews are causing devastating corruption throughout the land. Humanity will never live in peace, or fortune, or tranquility as long as they are corrupting the land. An old man told me: If a fish in the sea fights with another fish, I am sure the Jews are behind it. As Allah says: 'Every time they kindled the fire of war [against you], Allah extinguished it. They strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allah does not like corruptors.'" (Sura 5:64) 
                                                           [Official PA TV, Feb. 27, 2015]

The accusation that Israel only issues the extra permits to gain financially is not new. PMW reported on similar claims in 2013:

"The senior Israeli army general... ordered his soldiers at 550 checkpoints to smile at Palestinian citizens and to refrain from eating or smoking near them, out of respect for their feelings, and to encourage them to use their [entry] permits [issued] in honor of Ramadan to whet their consumer appetites [in Israeli stores] - at the expense of local [Palestinian] merchants."      
                                       [Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 1, 2013]

"The highest PA officials claimed that the purpose of the [entry] permits issued to Palestinian citizens by Israel was mainly economic gain, because in this way it (Israel) enabled thousands of [Palestinian] citizens to reach the main cities and stores in Israel. Nevertheless, the truth and the conclusions reached by most people with whom Al-Hayat Al-Jadida met and spoke, show a great deal of resentment and shock in view of the low prices of items in stores [in Israel] compared with products in our local markets, especially in Ramallah and El-Bireh."

[Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 5, 2013]

The following is a longer excerpt of the article in the official PA daily, describing Israel's extra entry permits as a "scheme" to better the economy:

Op-ed by Taleb Al-Silwadi, columnist for official PA daily

Headline: "Al-Aqsa is calling you"

"O, people of the fast and people of the Quran: Palestine is the cradle of civilization, mother of emissaries, and center of prophecy. It was the first direction of prayer (i.e., Jerusalem) for the Muslims, from which the true Prophet [Muhammad] ascended to Heaven, and where resurrection of the dead will begin. On its pure land, stands the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the true Prophet prayed, leading the emissary prophets. It [Palestine] has been given great honor by the Lord of the Worlds, but when the corruptors defiled it, caused devastating corruption (i.e., term used about Jews in the Quran), desecrated its honor and sanctity, and killed, attacked, and spilled pure blood, it needed us to stand by its side...

In the month of Ramadan, when our footsteps crave the mosques, let us come to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque every day, with all our strength, if we are able to do so -for the enemies of Allah from among the Children of Zion wish, through their cunning schemes, to open new channels for their economy, by opening the gates of Jerusalem (as a goodwill gesture in honor of the Ramadan, Israel wanted to allow residents of the West Bank to enter Jerusalem -Ed.). However, we are those who support the economy of our people and its homeland, and this is an opportunity for us to pray in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 24, 2015]