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Palestinian Arabs

Abbas doesn?t oppose terror on moral grounds


By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
December 17, 2004

PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday indicated the “Palestinians” still do not view the mass murder of Jewish men, women and children as morally wrong, a sentiment Israelis feel is necessary before true peace can take root.

In interviews and press conferences this week, Abbas stated that “at this stage” the PA leadership felt shooting and bomb attacks should stop because such atrocities were starting to have a negative impact on efforts to birth a “Palestinian” state.

While international media hailed Abbas for purportedly calling an end to the violence, his suggestion that the Palestinian Arabs return to the stabbing and firebomb attacks that characterized the first intifada was largely ignored.

Lack of morality

In an interview with the London-based Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat published Tuesday, Abbas urged the Palestinian Arabs to stop using “live weapons” in their attacks against Israeli Jews.

Abbas said the introduction of firearms and explosives into the struggle against Israel had resulted in a negative impact on efforts to birth an Arab state on ancient Jewish lands.

He did not denounce the terrorist murder of Jewish men, women and children as a moral injustice.

In fact, Abbas suggested “the intifada should continue, but that it should return to the use of tactics employed in the first such uprising from 1987 to 1993,” the Washington Times reported.

The Palestinian Authority has traditionally labeled the killing and wounding of Israeli Jews with stones, knives and firebombs as “non-violent protest.”

Hamas backlash

Abbas’s remarks elicited a harsh reaction from Hamas officials.

"I believe the consensus of the Palestinian people contradicts these statements," Gaza-based Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters.

Backing up Abu Zuhri’s assessment are years of “Palestinian” public opinion polls, which consistently show at least 50 percent support for armed attacks against Israelis.

Overall Hamas leader Khaled Mashal said from his Damascus headquarters that the terror group would only agree to halt shooting and bomb attacks if a majority of Palestinian Arabs voted for such a move in a referendum.

Temporary ceasefire

Following the Hamas backlash, Abbas sought to clarify his statements by pointing out his call for an end to armed violence was only a temporary measure.

"We, at this stage, are against the militarization of the intifada because we want to negotiate. And because we want to negotiate, the atmosphere should be calm in preparation for political action," Abbas said during a news conference in Saudi Arabia.

But even a temporary cessation of terrorism, Abbas insisted, would require Israel to stop defending itself by targeting known terrorists and erecting a security fence.

Peace partner?

Zionist Organization of America President Morton Klein responded to the PA’s dilemma over how to kill Jews in an acceptable manner by challenging the notion that the post-Arafat “Palestinian” leadership was a true peace partner.

“Eleven years ago, the world was fooled by Yasser Arafat's words of peace, which he never translated into action against terrorists; now the world is being fooled again, by the words of Arafat's senior deputy, which, once again, are not backed by any meaningful action against the terrorists,” Klein said.

“If Abbas was sincerely interested in ending Palestinian Arab violence against Israel, he would tell the Palestinian Arabs, via PA television, radio, and newspapers, that murdering Jews is morally wrong,” he explained.

The PA’s signed agreements with Israel obligate it to do just that.

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