Palestinian violence is ‘in the national cause’
Palestinian officials have justified violence in Israel, arguing attacks were committed in the “national cause”.
Palestinian government officials have justified violence in Israel, arguing the attacks are committed in the “national cause” because Palestinians have “lost hope”.
The officials told The Weekend Australian the Palestinian community celebrated as martyrs those who committed attacks on Israelis.
In interviews from the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organisation spokesman Xavier Abu Eid said recent stabbing attacks were a reaction from the Palestinian people who had lost hope because of their living conditions.
“Our people have been living under denied rights for decades so when someone goes out as a consequence of having lost hope, you don’t have to read the Koran to do it,” he said.
“You cannot just kill hopes in the minds of people and expect these people not to react. Those people have been denied their basic rights and then you tell me they go to stab someone because of religion?”
Former Palestinian government spokeswoman Nour Odeh said Palestinians who had carried out attacks were celebrated as martyrs.
Asked how they were depicted on state-owned Palestine television, she said: “Like any country would depict people who died for their national cause.
“How would you depict someone who dies for their country?
“You can’t be Palestinian and against the occupation and then suddenly vilify someone who dies, in his or her opinion, for the sake of the national cause.
“You could disagree with their tactics, and that is done in very lively discussions in Palestinian media, but that does not mean that they’re vilified in any way, shape or form.
“They’re a terrorist in your world. Palestinians depict Palestinians in a good light.”
Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas has refused to condemn the recent knifing attacks which have claimed 19 lives and injured 172 Israelis since October 1.
Mr Eid confirmed the president would condemn only the “situation”.
“He commented. He condemned the situation,” Mr Eid said.
The spate of attacks in Israel began on October 1 after Palestinian leaders and the Palestinian media claimed that Israel had threatened the Al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem.
“We bless every drop of blood that has been spilled for Jerusalem … blood spilled for Allah,” Mr Abbas was quoted as saying.
“Every martyr will reach paradise and everyone wounded will be rewarded by Allah.”
Since October 1, there have been 66 stabbings, nine shootings and eight car rammings.
The attacks began on the Temple Mount, or Al-Aqsa Mosque, in east Jerusalem, spreading to other areas of Israel, including Tel Aviv, Kiryat Gat in the south and Raanana in the country’s centre.
When Mr Eid was asked why Palestinians involved in the attacks had appeared on posters and were celebrated on national television, he could not answer the question and accused the Australian journalists interviewing him of having
spent “a few days on the Israeli side”.
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