PMW letter to Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs: Fatah promotes terror
PMW SPECIAL REPORT
Open letter to the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs:
Fatah promotes terror
Palestinian Media Watch (PMW)
calls on Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs
to reassess Denmark's relationship to Fatah
due to Fatah's ongoing terror support
- Responding to Palestinian Media Watch documentation, Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Kristian Jensen admitted he "opposes" a Fatah official's terror glorification. However, the minister continues to view Fatah as "moderate" because the official, he believes, did not speak "on behalf of Fatah, the PLO, the Palestinian Authority or the Palestinian government." [Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jan. 22, 2016]
- This PMW report corrects the Danish minister's mistake. It documents that numerous senior Fatah leaders, Abbas' advisors, Mahmoud Abbas himself, the Fatah Central Committee headed by Mahmoud Abbas, and official Fatah media are all actively supporting and glorifying the current terror. Neither Fatah, nor any of its leaders, have condemned even one murder of an Israeli during the last 5 months of terror. To the contrary, they have glorified the terror and the terrorists.
- PMW welcomes the statement by the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs indicating that were Fatah, its leaders and the PA glorifying terror, Denmark would "reassess" its categorization of Fatah as "moderate."
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
The following is an excerpt from the report that Palestinian Media Watch
sent to the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs on March 20, 2016
Click here to read the full report as a PDF
PART 1
1. Letter from Palestinian Media Watch
to Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark Kristian Jensen
Dear Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark Kristian Jensen,
This letter and report is in response to your recent answer to Question S507 asked by MP Søren Espersen in Danish Parliament regarding statements published by PMW made by Abbas Zaki, a member of the Palestinian Fatah Central Committee, in which he glorified terror against Israelis, stating that "Allah loves our young people with rocks and knives." You described Zaki's words as "a sad example of inflammatory rhetoric" that you "oppose," adding, however, that you would not reassess whether Fatah remains a "moderate" partner for Denmark because Zaki is:
"A Fatah member residing in Lebanon, who is not considered to have spoken on behalf of Fatah, the PLO, the Palestinian Authority or the Palestinian government... The statement does not give the government any reason to reconsider the assessment of Fatah and the movement's leader, President Abbas." [Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jan. 22, 2016, the question and answer appear at the end of the report]
However, this report shows that your refusal to "reconsider the assessment" of Fatah as "moderate" is based on wrong information. Not only does Zaki reside in the PA, but more importantly, Fatah has not been a moderating voice during this current terror campaign. On the contrary, Fatah and its senior leadership are actively promoting terror against Israelis, including the unequivocal glorification of those who have killed and injured Israelis in terror attacks.
Accordingly, PMW welcomes your statement implying that Denmark would "reassess" and take action if senior Fatah officials, the PLO, or the PA were shown to engage in hate speech, encourage terror attacks, and glorify terrorists. This document shows that a reassessement by the Danish government is warranted.
2. Documentation of Fatah actively promoting terror - in brief
The following are brief examples of Fatah actively promoting terror (additional and detailed documentation appears later in the report):
Jibril Rajoub, Deputy-Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee promotes terror
Jibril Rajoub is Deputy-Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee. He is also Head of the Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Palestinian Football Association, and Chairman of the Palestinian Olympic Committee. Several times, Rajoub has endorsed and praised the terror attacks against Israelis and lauded the terrorists carrying them out:
Jibril Rajoub: "These are individual acts of bravery, and I am proud of them. I congratulate everyone who carried them out. I say to you, we are proud of you... Whoever confronts, fights, dies as a Martyr, is arrested or injured - his identity is known. What I mean is that the fighter, the prisoner, or the Martyr, they are assets to the entire Palestinian people... The international community does not agree to a bus exploding in Tel Aviv. But the international community does not ask what happens to a settler or soldier in the occupied territories at the wrong time and in the wrong place. No one asks about him! Therefore, we want to fight in such a way that the world and the international community will remain by our side." [Official PA TV, Oct. 17, 2015] 
Jibril Rajoub: "Yesterday in Hebron, they escorted 17 Martyrs to burial. This is of course a source of pride for all of us. I say that whoever carried out individual acts of heroism, we in the Fatah movement bless and encourage them. We consider them heroes and a crown on the head of every Palestinian. At this point, when there is weakening and frustration, there is a group of people, beginning with our brother Muhannad Halabi (i.e., terrorist who murdered 2) and ending with the last Martyr... There is a competition between individuals. This is one of the issues we need to address - are we for or against it? I say that we in the [Fatah] Central Committee have discussed this matter, and we are in favor." [Official PA TV, Jan. 2, 2016]Fatah Central Committee promotes and endorses terror
Very significantly, in the above statement about attacks carried out by individuals, Rajoub expressed the Fatah Central Committee's support for the terror when he stated that "we in the [Fatah] Central Committee have discussed this matter, and we are in favor." It must be stressed that the Fatah Central Committee is Fatah's governing body and headed by Mahmoud Abbas.
Official Fatah TV promotes murder
Official Fatah TV broadcast a music video calling for murder of Israelis: "Besiege them in all their neighborhoods, Drown them in a sea of blood, Kill them as you wish" 
"Pick up your weapon and advance, Jerusalem is calling in pain
Come on, strike them, you have the strength
Turn your anger into the fire of Hell...
Besiege them in all their neighborhoods
Besiege them in all their neighborhoods
Drown them in a sea of blood
Kill them as you wish"
[Fatah-run Awdah TV, Jan. 4, 2016]
Fatah's official Facebook page and Twitter account promote terror
Fatah's official Facebook page and Twitter account have been a central part of this terror campaign, glorifying the terror almost daily. From the outset, Fatah has been glorifying murder using numerous posts, including the following examples which visually express Fatah's explicit promotion of stabbing murders:
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| Text: "We'll be victorious or die" [Official Fatah Facebook page, Oct. 23, 2015] | Text on photo: "#so_what" [Official Fatah Facebook page , Nov. 7, 2015] |
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Jew screaming in pain with a knife stuck in his shoulder. PA flag on the blade of the knife and Jerusalem in the background. Text: "Here is Jerusalem, you crazies, beware!" [Official Fatah Facebook page, Oct. 4, 2015] | A masked man plays a knife as a violin, with Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock in the background. Posted text: "A symphony of love for Jerusalem." [Official Fatah Twitter account, Oct. 12, 2015] |
Fatah has also glorified several murderers on its Facebook page, among them Muhannad Halabi who stabbed 2 to death in the Old City of Jerusalem, Nashat Melhem who shot and killed 3 in Tel Aviv, and Bashar Masalha who killed 1 in Tel Aviv-Jaffa:
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Soil in yellow bags at murderer's grave |
Fatah brought soil from the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the grave of terrorist Muhannad Halabi, who murdered two in the Old City of Jerusalem "so that the dead body of Martyr Muhannad Halabi can hug the soil for which he died a Martyr." [Fatah Twitter account, Oct. 8, 2015]
Fatah glorified Tel Aviv murderer of 3: "Congratulations and may Allah receive you in Heaven"
Abbas' Fatah movement posted an uncensored version of the picture of dead terrorist Nashat Melhem lying in a pool of blood. It also praised the killer of 3 as a "Martyr" and congratulated him on its official Facebook page. Nashat Melhem was a 29-year-old Israeli Arab terrorist who carried out a shooting attack, killing 3 Israelis and wounding 8 others in Tel Aviv on Jan. 1, 2016:
Text: "Nashat Melhem died as a Martyr (Shahid) after an armed confrontation in the courtyard of a mosque in Umm Al-Fahm on blessed Friday, congratulations and may Allah receive you in Heaven"
[Official Fatah Facebook page, Jan. 8, 2016]
Fatah honored murderer who killed 1 and injured 11 in an attack in Tel Aviv-Jaffa
Fatah's official Facebook page posted a drawing of a knife held over the PA map of "Palestine" that includes all of Israel and the PA areas, with the name of the murderer written on it.
Text on arm: "The heroic Martyr (Shahid)"
Text on map is name of murderer: "Bashar Masalha"
[Official Fatah Facebook page, March 9, 2016]
Official Fatah anniversary celebrations in Bethlehem promote terror
Another example of Fatah showing itself as a terror promoting organization was seen in January this year, when Fatah held a march in Bethlehem to mark its 51st anniversary. To celebrate, Fatah had children parade in the streets of Bethlehem wearing suicide belts and carrying knives, guns and RPGs, alongside Fatah flags. [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 8, 2016] (All photos are from Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, Jan. 7, 2016)
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Fatah Central Committee members promote and glorify terror
As was shown above, in the words of Deputy-Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub, the Fatah Central Committee is "in favor" of "attacks by individuals" against Israelis. The following are statements by three members of the Central Committee corroborating this Fatah support for terror. (More statements by these and additional members of the Central Committee appear later in the report.)
Sultan Abu Al-Einein, Fatah Central Committee member and advisor to Mahmoud Abbas, promotes terror
One Fatah Central Committee member who also serves as an advisor to Mahmoud Abbas, Sultan Abu Al-Einein, likewise promotes terror. Abu Al-Einein blessed the terrorists from the current terror campaign, saying: "We bow before every drop of blood that has dripped from our children and women... and every... Martyr's mother, who... when they notified her of his death as a Martyr, she let cries of joy loose to the Heavens." [Falestinona, website of Fatah's Information and Culture Commission in Lebanon, Jan. 16, 2016] Abu Al-Einein also glorified a terrorist who killed 1 and wounded 11 as "Martyr": "We loved you, while you sowed life for all Palestinians" [Sultan Abu Al-Einein's Facebook page, Oct. 19, 2015] He has openly declared his total support for the terror campaign, saying that he "supports, with all his might, the uprising and intifada... aimed at defending the Al-Aqsa Mosque" from "defilement" and "Judaization." [Falestinona, Oct. 14, 2015]
Abbas Zaki, Fatah Central Committee member and advisor to Mahmoud Abbas, promotes terror
Abbas Zaki is a member of the Fatah Central Committee. He is close to Mahmoud Abbas and has travelled internationally as Abbas' personal emissary. Zaki stated that the murderers of four Israelis are "giants and leaders" and went on to say that "whoever succeeded in killing, this is a big thing." He added that such a terrorist should have "an institution named after him, and a statue [made] of him."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 31, 2015]
Mahmoud Al-Aloul - member of Fatah Central Committee and Commissioner for Mobilization and Organization encourages terror
Fatah official Al-Aloul encouraged Palestinian youth to "make the country a hell for the enemies"
Shortly after the murders of 4 Israeli civilians in two separate attacks on Oct. 1 and 3, 2015, Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud Al-Aloul addressed Palestinian youth on his Facebook page, encouraging them to "rise up against the enemies":
Mahmoud Al-Aloul: "#Resist_boycott_rise up (literally "make intifada")
"More resistance and escalation against the occupation everywhere. Let us make the country a hell for the enemies... all the members of the Shabiba (i.e., Fatah youth and student movement) are potential Martyrs for the beloved Palestine."
[Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud Al-Aloul's Facebook page,
Oct. 5, 2015]
Oct. 5, 2015]
Al-Aloul called to "continue attacks" against Israelis
In another post, Al-Aloul stated that "whoever loves the Shahada (Martyrdom death) is not afraid of the settler herds." He ended with the following words of encouragement: "and #let's_continue_the_attacks."
[Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud Al-Aloul's Facebook page,
Oct. 5, 2015]
Oct. 5, 2015]
Fatah glorifies and honors the terrorists of the current terror campaign
Fatah leader sponsors sporting event after murderer of twoAs an unequivocal expression of support for murder, Fatah continues to honor and glorify the killers of the current terror campaign. For example, Jibril Rajoub, Central Committee member mentioned above, who is also Head of the Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the PA Olympic Committee, sponsored a table tennis tournament, named after murderer Muhannad Halabi, who murdered two people and stabbed a woman and her baby in October 2015. Rajoub mentioned Halabi by name when he described the "heroes" who constitute "a crown on the head of every Palestinian." [Official PA TV, Jan. 2, 2016]
Mahmoud Abbas denies murdering Israelis is wrong. Terror campaign is a "popular peaceful uprising"
Finally, Abbas himself has not been a moderating influence. Abbas has not condemned even one terror attack during this entire violent period, and worse still, he has justified these attacks by claiming they were part of a "popular peaceful uprising": "We want peaceful popular uprising, and that's what this is. That's what this is." [Official PA TV, Nov. 16, 2015] Abbas made this statement after Palestinians had carried out 65 stabbing attacks, 8 shooting attacks, and 8 car ramming attacks, in which a total of 14 Israelis were murdered and 167 were wounded.
Not even when US Vice President Joe Biden urged Abbas to condemn a terror attack in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, where a Palestinian stabbed a US citizen to death and injured 11 Israelis, did Abbas comply. He "offered condolences," but never condemned the attack. [The Jerusalem Post, March 10, 2016]
Abbas' frequent referral to all the terror attacks as part of the Palestinian "peaceful" or "nonviolent" "uprising" may have been what has led the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs and other international spectators to wrongly conclude that Abbas is against the current wave of terror attacks against Israelis.
PLO leader: Murdering Israeli civilians is "national duty"
A statement which expresses the Fatah and PLO leaders' attitude towards the current terror campaign was made by PLO Executive Committee member Mahmoud Ismail, who defined the killing of Israelis as a "national duty." In a conversation about the murder of a young Israeli couple, which took place while their 4 children watched from the back seat of the car, Ismail said the following: "There is no need to return to the argument and dispute about who carried out the operation (i.e., the killing)... There is no need to announce it and boast of having done it. One fulfills his national duty voluntarily, as best as one can." [Official PA TV, Oct. 6, 2015]This attitude is representative of the PA's and Fatah's approach throughout this terror campaign. The Fatah leadership has not condemned the terror, but has presented it as patriotic and a legitimate part of the Palestinian "struggle" and "resistance." Killing soldiers or civilians anywhere is presented as a "national duty."
Fatah proud of its leading role in the current terror campaign
Finally, Fatah is proud of its leading role in the current terror campaign. Several Fatah leaders have specifically mentioned Fatah's central role in the terror campaign.
Fayez Abu Aita, Fatah Spokesman, stated that Mahmoud Abbas is leading the "blessed popular uprising":
"Fatah Spokesman Fayez Abu Aita... emphasized in a press statement published by the [Fatah] Information and Culture Commission today [Jan. 7, 2016]... that it is necessary to take into account the difficult and sensitive situation our people is experiencing, as it fights the battle for independence and an [independent] state, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, through the blessed popular uprising and the unlimited political confrontation with the occupation in the UN corridors and the International Criminal Court.'"
[WAFA (the official Palestinian news agency), Jan. 7, 2016]
Amal Hamad, Fatah Central Committee member:
"I say that if one has a responsible national feeling, on is supposed to thank Fatah for its resolve, and for its ability to say 'No!' to the Americans, 'No!' to the occupation, 'No!' to all regional, Arab and international pressures... We are still leading the popular uprising, with true resistance, 80 percent of the Martyrs (Shahids) are Fatah people. If so, the movement is deeply rooted..."
[Official PA TV, March 1, 2016]
Jamal Muhaisen, Fatah Central Committee member, Commissioner for Diaspora Branches and PLO Central Council member:
"They [Hamas] talk about resistance. What is happening today? Today there is a struggle on two fronts. There is the struggle in the field, by the popular resistance, and I say that 90 percent of the Martyrs (Shahids) are from Fatah. I say to Abu Marzouq (a senior member of Hamas -Ed.) that 90 percent of the Martyrs are from Fatah, and I would like Hamas to be present in the popular uprising in the field, matching its size. Hamas' presence does not match its size."
[Official PA TV, Feb. 14, 2016]
Abbas Zaki, Fatah Central Committee member and Commissioner of Arab and China Relations:
"The Fatah movement draws its strength from its people, and noted that its fingerprints are clearly evident in the popular Palestinian uprising... Fatah is carrying the flag of victory, through the national measures and that the fact that it is currently leading the mass uprising is the best proof of this."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 30, 2015]
3. Summary and conclusions
In summary, it is imperative that this hate speech, violence promotion and terror glorification be condemned - by you, the Danish government, and other members of the international community who wish to see peace in the Middle East. Denmark and other supporters of the PA have a unique position as financial donors to the PA to demand that the PA, including Fatah as the ruling party in government, honors the commitments it has made in the past: to stop incitement and to renounce terror. The PA's donors have tremendous potential influence to demand a change in the messages and policies that PA and Fatah leaders transmit to Palestinians.
When Rajoub, the Deputy-Secretary of Fatah's Central Committee, which is headed by Mahmoud Abbas, refers to the the murder of Israelis as "individual acts of heroism" and publicly says on official Palestinian Authority TV that the Fatah Central Committee supports them, it must not be ignored by the international community.
In your answer to MP Søren Espersen, you indicated that if "Fatah, the PLO, the PA, or the Palestinian government" were actively supporting the terror campaign, the Danish government would reassess its attitude toward them.
The documentation in this letter and report shows that the Danish government must "reconsider its assessment" of Fatah, the PA, and Mahmoud Abbas, and take the necessary steps when dealing with a political governmental body that openly supports terror as Fatah does.
Click here to read the rest of the report as a PDF