Palestinians: We Are Proud of Terrorists

by Bassam Tawil 

• Last year, Abbas paid the family of a Palestinian terrorist who murdered two Jews 30,000 Jordanian dinars ($42,000).

• By rewarding the family of al-Halabi and other terrorists who carried out attacks or murdered Jews, Abbas is also stating that he, too, is proud of those who engage in terrorism.

• Some Palestinian parents, however, are proud to see their children carry out terrorist attacks or murder Jews. For these parents, it is more "honorable" if their son or daughter murders a Jew than becomes a doctor, lawyer or engineer.

• Abbas and his senior officials have repeatedly made it clear that they will continue to pay monthly stipends to families of Palestinian terrorists.

• This is the same Abbas who recently has been telling the Biden administration that he wants to revive the stalled peace process with Israel.

• This is also the same Abbas whose government continues to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to families of terrorists and the same Abbas whose media continues to glorify terrorists by describing them as "heroes" and "martyrs" of the Palestinians.

• The next time a US official arrives in Ramallah to meet with Abbas or any of his senior aides, he or she should ask them about the wild incitement against Israel and Jews, especially in the Palestinian media. They need to ask the Palestinian leaders why the PA educates its youth to admire terrorist murderers and deny Jewish history. It does not matter what the Palestinian leaders say in response; they need to be told that the indoctrination and violence will not improve the living conditions or boost the economy of the Palestinians.

• The top priority of the US officials should be to stop the latest wave of terrorism against Jews in the West Bank and Jerusalem. This can be achieved only if the Americans put pressure on the Palestinian leadership to stop the incitement and glorification of terrorists.

• Mahmoud Abbas and his PA officials Palestinian say (in public, at least) that they want a better future for their people. Their actions and rhetoric, however, suggest otherwise. They pay salaries to families of terrorists and glorify murderers, thus encouraging more Palestinians to become terrorists. A Palestinian leader who wants to see children grow up to become doctors and engineers does not glorify terrorists and encourage young men and women to go on television and talk about their desire to murder Jews.

• The US officials should then tell the Palestinians that... such statements prove that there is no difference between the Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority and Hamas, which also does not recognize Israel's right to exit. They should tell the Palestinian leaders that that the time has come for them to stop the vicious campaign to delegitimize Israel and demonize Jews or else the US will stop providing them with financial aid and suspend all its relations with them.

• The Palestinian leaders were happy to resume their relations with the Biden administration earlier this year. The Palestinians want American money. They want the US to be involved in any future peace process with Israel. They know that they cannot ignore the role of the US as a major broker in any deal with Israel.

• The Palestinians leaders need to hear these questions.... daily -- not only from the Biden administration, but also from all Western countries that fund the PA.

• The Abbas who picks up the phone to congratulate a terrorist upon his release from prison is saying, loud and clear, that murdering or wounding a Jew is a noble act, worthy of the leader's time and attention.

• Is it any wonder, then, that not a single Palestinian dares to speak in public against the murder of Jews? Abbas knows very well that if he ever uttered a negative word about terrorism against Israelis, he would be instantly condemned by his people as a traitor.

Last year, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas paid the family of a Palestinian terrorist who murdered two Jews 30,000 Jordanian dinars ($42,000). Abbas and his senior officials have repeatedly made it clear that they will continue to pay monthly stipends to families of Palestinian terrorists. On July 23, 2018, at a ceremony honoring Palestinian terrorists, Abbas said: "We will neither reduce nor withhold the allowances of the families of martyrs, prisoners, and released prisoners... if we had one single penny left, we would spend it on the families of the martyrs and the prisoners." (Image source: MEMRI)

Normally, parents are proud to see their sons and daughters graduate from high school or university and go on to pursue their lives. This is true of ordinary parents who care about the well-being of their children and want the best for them.

Some Palestinian parents, however, are proud to see their children carry out terrorist attacks or murder Jews. For these parents, it is more "honorable" if their son or daughter murders a Jew than becomes a doctor, lawyer or engineer.

In the past few decades, many Palestinian parents have publicly boasted of the involvement of their children and family members in terrorist attacks against Jews.

Like most Palestinians, the parents consider the terrorists "heroes" and "martyrs" who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Palestinian issue.

Scenes of Palestinians handing out candies to celebrate terrorist attacks against Jews have become the norm in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

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