Abbas Calls for Peace Talks Yet Denies Israel's Right to Exist

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas continues to deny Israel's right to exist by referring to the entire Jewish state as an "occupation," reports Palestinian Media Watch.

"We have been under occupation for 67 or 68 years (i.e., since Israel's establishment in 1948). Others would have sunk into despair and frustration. However, we are determined to reach our goal because our people stand behind us," said Abbas on official PA TV on March 11.

Click here to watch the video clip.

Abbas' latest comments come amid reports that the Palestinian president is willing to resume peace negotiations with Israel.

Abbas is notorious for double speak – saying two completely different messages to different crowds. While he consistently denies Israel's right to exist to the Palestinian street, Abbas claims to support the two-state solution to international audiences.

"We strive for peace through the establishment of the Palestinian state, which will live in peace and stability alongside Israel...despite all that is happening, we still hold our hand out to you, in order to establish peace and put an end to the loathing and [spilling] of blood between us. Therefore, we are trying to hold dialogue with all groups of the Israeli society," Abbas told a Jewish delegation, reported by official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida on March 29.

However, Palestinian Media Watch extensively reported on Abbas's consistent referral to all of Israel as "Palestine."

In addition, this month's edition of Zayzafuna, a PA-funded youth magazine, features notable Palestinian symbols, including the PA map of "Palestine" that all of Israel represented by the Palestinian flag. The cover also includes a cartoon slingshot and a stone, as well as a key symbolizing the "return of Palestinian refugees" to Israel.

Zayzafuna often demonizes Israel, glorifying jihad and encouraging martyrdom operations against Jews for Allah.

Palestinian officials, including Abbas, systematically praise terrorists who kill Israelis and actively incite others to follow suit, fueling the ongoing Palestinian terrorist campaign over the last half year.

Reader comments on this item

You go first

Submitted by Mongoose, Apr 16, 2016 16:24

And we have been putting up with your murderous ways for 1400 years.

Since you and your islamic violence are the senior members (through time on job) maybe you should take the lead and stop your killing and hate first.

And will you call for compensation for property seized from Jews by arab nations?

They surely don't want right of return, that would mean death.

Still not sure how anyone thinks that they can negotiate with someone (like you) who says they have no right to exist.

"others would have sunk into despair and frustration"

Submitted by ron, Apr 6, 2016 13:30

No, others --certainly by now--would have renounced their goal of ultimately destroying the occupying state, because it is patently obvious to any unbiased observer that until the Palestinians do that, the occupying state would be suicidal to assist them in creating a state from which they could operate to bring about their former occupier's destruction.

This is logic 101, but the Palestinians majored instead in Islamism 101.

Comment on this item