Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Behind the Headlines: Palestinian incitement - 

An obstacle to peace

23 Feb 2014

Incitement to hatred and terrorism must end. Terrorists should not be glorified, Jews should not be demonized and Israel's existence should not be called into question. [...] 

Examples of Incitement since 30 July 2013

A.    Glorification of terrorists

• Ramadan campaign honoring terrorists:

During last year's Ramadan period (July-August 2013), the Palestinian Authority (PA) focused on the glorification of terrorists and their attacks. Twenty-two murderers of 238 Israelis were honored. Officials, in particular PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake, made almost daily visits to the family homes of terrorists. [...]

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Abbas holds ceremonies honoring terrorists released from Israeli prison:

After each release of convicted terrorists in the framework of Israeli measures to advance the negotiations, PA President Mahmoud Abbas has held televised public ceremonies honoring the terrorists, the vast majority of whom were convicted of murder. For example, on 30 October 2013, Abbas congratulated 21 terrorists from the West Bank after their release from prison. In a ceremony broadcast on official PA TV, he called them "our heroic brothers" and is seen embracing them. In the final shot, he is shown raising the hand of Issa Abd Rabbo, who in 1984 murdered two Israeli students who had been hiking near Jerusalem.  

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Abbas honors terrorist leader with PA's highest award:

President Abbas posthumously awarded the terrorist leader Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir) the Palestinian Authority's highest award, the Star of Honor. Abu Jihad was the head of the PLO's military wing and planned attacks that murdered 125 Israelis, including the 1978 bus hijacking that killed 37 civilians, including more than a dozen children. The ceremony was broadcast on official PA TV news on 27 November 2013, during which the Secretary-General of the Presidential Office read a decree signed by Abbas that called Abu Jihad "the model of a true fighter and devoted leader." The terrorist's wife, Um Jihad, was then handed the award by Abbas.   

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Jibril Rajoub praises a terrorist at a memorial ceremony:

While PA President Mahmoud Abbas was in New York in September 2013 to speak at the UN General Assembly, the Palestinian Olympic Committee Chairman Jibril Rajoub (a highly-popular official who is also a member of Fatah's Central Committee) delivered a speech on behalf of Abbas at an official memorial for Ahmad Jabara Abu Sukka. Abu Sukka was the terrorist who planned the 1975 bombing in Jerusalem that killed 15 Israelis and wounded more than 60. Abbas' speech praised Abu Sukka as a "hero," "legend" and "giant." Rajoub is the same official who threatened Israel with nuclear destruction, when in April 2013 - this time using his own words - he said in an interview to PA television that "we as yet don't have a nuke, but I swear that if we had a nuke, we'd have used it this very morning."  

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized Rajoub's reading of Abbas' speech eulogizing the terrorist as "a beacon" and "a giant"

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized Rajoub's statement about using a nuke on Israel

B.    Promoting violence and terrorism

• Rajoub on armed "resistance" and conflict:

In an interview to Al-Alam TV (3 February 2014) during a recent visit to Iran, Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rajoub, stated: "We have never given up our arms. We have never left the battlefield [...]

• Fatah Facebook page posts terrorist group's video threatening Israel:

On 17 November 2013, Fatah published a video on its main Facebook page made by its internationally-recognized terrorist wing, Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. [...]The song that accompanies the video includes the following lyrics: "Detonate your revolution of rage in their [the Israeli's] midst. Bombard them with your fire and shoot them.... Death is in your cup - make them drink!"
Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• PA minister calls for jihad in Jerusalem:

In a speech given on 13 January 2014 and broadcast on official PA TV, the PA Minister of Religious Affairs, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, criticized the jihadists fighting in Syria and called instead for a jihad on Jerusalem. [...]  

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Children "kill Israelis" in an officially sponsored play:

Official PA TV broadcast an ad on 9 December 2013 announcing an event by Ramallah's Youth Club, under the auspices of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The young Palestinians put on a play which praises martyrdom ("In life, it's either victory or martyrdom death for Allah") and glorifies violence. During the play, Fatah and Hamas supporters unite to shoot and kill the "Israelis." They then find a Palestinian "spy," who is forced to kneel down and is then shot in his head, to the cheers of the audience. After the play, PA Minister of Culture Anwar Abu Aisha invited real-life terrorists released by Israel onto the stage and awarded them PA plaques of honor.

Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

C.    Falsehoods about threats to Muslim holy sites

• PA falsely accuses Israel of planning to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque:

Palestinian accusations falsely claiming that Israel is trying to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem are highly dangerous. On 28 September 2013, a Palestinian Authority daily newspaper published a cartoon showing Orthodox Jews destroying the Temple Mount foundations.

Link to PMW website section on PA libel about Israel's destruction of the mosque

D.    Demonization and antisemitism

• Antisemitic cartoon series:

An official PA television station broadcast an antisemitic cartoon series daily during Ramadan 2013 (July-August). The series, directed at children, portrays ugly hook-nosed Jews as evil, warmongering followers of the devil.
Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Israel and the US depicted as devils:

A cartoon published in late August 2013 on Fatah's main Facebook page depicts Israel and the US as green-faced devils in a cemetery digging a grave for the "Arab conscience."
Link to PMW translation and cartoon 

• PA TV dehumanizes Jews and Israelis:

"Sights of Jerusalem," an official PA TV program broadcast on 18 October 2013, included statements and visuals that dehumanized Jews and Israelis. On the background of Orthodox Jews climbing a staircase, the narrator said "the crows pass by and caw," while he states "the rats are armed" while pictures of Israeli soldiers were broadcast. In addition the broadcast denied the thousands of years of Jewish presence in Jerusalem, calling Israelis "foreigners." 
Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Palestinian use of Nazi symbols:

Palestinians frequently use Nazi symbols and gestures. Fatah activists were photographed giving the Nazi salute in Abu Dis, near Jerusalem in November 2013, while in the same month students at Al Quds University were pictured making the identical salute.

 
E.    Denying Israel's existence

• Official PA TV teaches children that Israel is Palestine:

On 20 December 2013, "The Best Home," an official PA TV show for children broadcast children singing "Oh flying bird," a song which falsely defines cities in Israel as part of Palestine. [...] There are at least seven versions of this song and they have been broadcast to children on official PA TV dozens of times since 2011.
Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

• Israel presented as Palestine during Barcelona football team visit: 

During a news broadcast on the visit by the FC Barcelona football team, a PA TV commentator described Palestine as reaching "from Eilat [in Israel's south] to Rosh Hanikra [in Israel's north]." At the Barcelona event in Hebron (3 August 2013), a song was performed by the popular "Arab Idol" winner that portrayed the Israeli cities of Haifa, Safed and Acre as Palestinian cities.

 Link to PMW bulletin that publicized this story 

[...]

 [http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Issues/Pages/Palestinian-incitement-An-obstacle-to-peace-Feb-2014.aspx, Feb. 23, 2014]