PMW Bulletin
Nov. 23, 2014

Fatah MP: For diplomatic reasons Abbas condemned synagogue massacre
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=13081

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org

A Fatah MP is the latest Palestinian official to explain that Mahmoud Abbas'
condemnation of the terror attack that killed 5 in a Jerusalem synagogue was
for diplomatic purposes. She explained that Abbas' movement Fatah "justified
the statements of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned
the Jerusalem operation. Fatah member of PA Parliament Najat Abu-Bakr said
that those statements were made within a diplomatic context.... [he] is
forced to speak this way to the world." [Quds Net News Agency, Nov.19, 2014]

This follows Fatah's posting on its Facebook page a video of Yasser Arafat's
bodyguard saying that Arafat lied when he condemned terror but was forced to
for diplomatic reasons. Fatah wrote that watching that video - which was
taken from the Palestinian Media Watch website and included the PMW
subtitles - explains why Abbas condemned the synagogue massacre.
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=13081

Another senior Palestinian official from Abbas' party, Fatah Central
Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi, likewise explained that Abbas condemned only
for diplomatic reasons, when interviewed on Lebanese TV:

l-Mayadeen TV host:

"Was it [diplomatic] pressure that forced the Palestinian President and the
PA to take his position condemning the operation (i.e., the Jerusalem
synagogue terror attack)?"

Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi:

"First of all, I represent Fatah, not the PA. Brother Mahmoud Abbas is the
President of the PA, and he speaks diplomatically with diplomats, presidents
and leaders, and this is the position of the PA. When I speak, I express
Fatah's position, which in part agrees with the PA's position, and in part
may disagree with it, since Fatah is a mass movement. Its task is to unite
the masses, and to be present among the masses... I want to say that our
brothers in the Palestinian leadership - brother Mahmoud Abbas most of all -
are not acting to satisfy Israel or anyone else...First of all, we want to
satisfy our people. First our God then our people. There are diplomatic
issues international relations and relations with heads of state. These are
the things Mahmoud Abbas is talking about."

[Al-Mayadeen TV (Lebanon), Nov. 18, 2014]

The following is the statement of PA Parliament Najat Abu-Bakr (Fatah)
explaining that Abbas' condemnation was for diplomatic reasons.

"Fatah, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, justified the
statements of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the
Jerusalem operation (i.e. the Jerusalem Synagogue massacre) yesterday. Fatah
member of PA Parliament Najat Abu-Bakr said that those statements were made
within a diplomatic context.

She said that President Abbas' behavior at this time is the height of
diplomacy, since he is not required to speak like everyone else, because he
is responsible for the entire Palestinian people.

Abu-Bakr said today, Wednesday [Nov. 19, 2014], in an interview to Al-Quds
Radio: 'The Palestinian President is forced to speak this way to the world,
(i.e. to condemn murder of four rabbis and one policeman in the Jerusalem
synagogue) and these statements result from [his] responsibility for the
Palestinian People.'" [Quds Net News Agency, Nov.19, 2014]
________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il

For free regular subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

For free daily digest subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe-digest@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

IMRA is now also on Twitter
http://twitter.com/IMRA_UPDATES