Palestinian Media Watch published a recent report, where they claimed that PA leader Mahmoud Abbas described the 1,900 Palestinian terrorists who are set to be released, among them murderers of women and children, as “heroic role models” at a recent event celebrating the 60th anniversary of his Fatah party.
By Rachel Avraham
In the framework of the ceasefire deal that may lead to the Palestinian Authority taking over the Gaza Strip, Israel has agreed to release 1,900 Palestinian terrorists. While the West hopes that PA President Mahmoud Abbas will be better than Hamas, Palestinian Media Watch published a recent report, where they claimed that the same Abbas described these 1,900 Palestinian terrorists who are set to be released, among them murderers of women and children, as “heroic role models” at a recent event celebrating the 60th anniversary of his Fatah party.
As the official PA Daily Al Hayat Al Jadida reported, “[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas emphasized that the Palestinian revolution, which was launched by the Fatah Movement in 1965 to restore the legitimate rights of our Palestinian people under the auspices of the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of our people, was the most important event in our modern history.”
According to the report, “On the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Palestinian revolution (the intifada of Fatah) [parentheses in source] (i.e., the anniversary of “the Launch” of Fatah, counted from its first terror attack against Israel), he noted that the revolution reunited the Palestinian people, preserved its Palestinian identity, and sacrificed tens of thousands of heroic Martyrs, prisoners, and wounded for Jerusalem, the identity, the heritage, and the holy sites…”
Al Hayat Al Jadida concluded, “[PA] president [Mahmoud Abbas] saluted with admiration and honor the Martyrs of the Palestinian revolution and the Palestinian people… He saluted with appreciation the heroic prisoners in the occupation’s (i.e., Israel) detention facilities and the families of the Martyrs and the prisoners. He also emphasized that their sacrifices will not be in vain, and that the Palestinian people will continue the journey of struggle until its legitimate goals are achieved, and until they win their freedom and national independence.”
At the same event, Palestinian Media Watch reported that Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs Director and Fatah member Amin Shuman stated: “On behalf of all of you, we send a blessing to our prisoners (i.e., terrorists) in the prisons of the occupation (i.e., Israel), to the proud upright ones, to the leaders who do not bow down, to you our brother Marwan [Barghouti] (i.e., terrorist) … To you the heroes of the prison cells… to you Zakariya Zubeidi (i.e., terrorist) … and all the heroes of the Jenin [refugee] camp, the camp of Martyr ‘Abu Jandal’ (i.e., terrorist), who all the [Palestinian] lawbreakers need to learn from him that the Palestinian rifle should only be directed towards the chest of the occupation.”
While the West likes to portray the Palestinian Authority as moderate, in reality, their rhetoric is no different from Hamas. Palestinian Authority officials have been praising terrorists for some time. Prior to that event celebrating the 60th anniversary of Fatah, Palestinian Media Watch noted Salfit District Governor Abdallah Kmeil proclaimed: “The prisoners (i.e., terrorists) are a model of nobility, honor and purity. They are the most noble among us all, after the Martyrs. We feel all the love and appreciation for them.” These statements were broadcast live on PA TV.
According to Palestinian Media Watch, Chairman of the Palestinian National Council (the legislative body of the PLO) Rawhi Fattouh likewise praised and “blessed” the terrorist prisoners, singling out Marwan Barghouti, who planned attacks in which 5 people were murdered, and Ahmad Sa’adat, who is convicted of heading the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror organization in a statement on his Facebook page: “We send our blessings to every male and female prisoner in the [Israeli] prisons… led by Fatah Central Committee member fighter leader Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist, orchestrated three attacks in which 5 were murdered) and Popular Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] (PFLP) Secretary-General leader Ahmad Sa’adat, who represent a model of resolve and willpower…”
As Israel’s Defense and Security Forum stated, “As the notion of coronating a “revitalized Palestinian Authority” (PA) in Gaza gains momentum among international decision-makers, Israel rightfully remains opposed to this idea. The PA and Fatah were unfit and unable to rule Gaza before the horrific atrocities of October 7th, and after the attack they are even much less suitable for assuming that role. They took part in the attack, and have not only refused to condemn it but have celebrated it. They are ready and interested in forming a partnership with Hamas and call for more terror and violence against Israel while blaming Israel for the crimes of Hamas and for future violence by the Palestinians. This only demonstrates the detrimental nature of the existing Palestinian leadership to any future arrangement with Gaza, and by extension, in Judea and Samaria (“West Bank”) as well.”
They concluded, “Israel should resist any attempt to replace Hamas in Gaza with the PA, which is committed to and actively promotes, just like Hamas, the Palestinian narrative and ethos of victimhood and struggle against Israel until its demise, including through terror. The euphemism of the “revitalized Palestinian Authority” is vague and hollow, and unless it refers to a profound change in the Palestinian narrative to one that negates terror and supports coexistence with Israel as the state of the Jewish people, which is improbable, the PA should not be allowed to govern Gaza.”
