Palestinian Media Watch – Abbas: “We are the Canaanites!… [Israel is] the enemy”
In a firebrand speech on Aug. 10, 2019, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared that the Palestinians are “the Canaanites,” the “land belongs to the Canaanites”, and every Israeli house “built on our land” will end up “in the garbage dump of history.”
The PA leadership often falsely declares that today’s Palestinians are descendants of the biblical Canaanites in order to imagine they have an ancient historical connection to the land of Israel. Here Abbas went even further, declaring that every Israeli home built on “Canaanite land,” meaning all of Israel, will be destroyed. His reference to “settlements” is consistent with the PA often referring to all of Israel as “occupied” or “1948 lands” and Israeli cities all through the state of Israel as “settlements”:
We will enter Jerusalem as fighters by the millions. We will all enter it, all of the Palestinian people and all of the Arab and Islamic and Christian nations! Everyone will enter Jerusalem! We will not agree that they consider our Martyrs terrorists – our Martyrs, the homeland’s Martyrs! And we will not agree that they [Israel] deduct one penny from their money (referring to Israel’s Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law; see note below -Ed.). All of their money will return to them – because for us the Martyrs, the wounded, and the prisoners are the most sanctified… Give us our [money by] right or we will take it by all means (i.e., Palestinian term that includes use of terror)… I turn to our people in Gaza and I say to them: Enough! Enough of this rift! Who benefits from this rift? It only benefits the enemy; and the Hamas leadership is acting for the enemy.”
[Facebook page of the PA Presidential Office, Aug. 10, 2019]
Abbas referred to Israel as “the enemy” and promised a Muslim world war against Israel the end of which will be:
“We will enter Jerusalem as fighters by the millions. We will all enter it, all of the Palestinian people and all of the Arab and Islamic and Christian nations! Everyone will enter Jerusalem!”
In another promise of violence Abbas threatened to use “all means” an Abbas/PA euphemism for violence and terror, to force Israel to release the money it is deducting from the tax revenues that the PA uses for financial support for terrorists.
Finally, calling to the Gazans, Abbas accused Hamas of “acting for the enemy [Israel] and not for Palestine” while stressing that they the PA/his Fatah party just seeks unity.
Abbas gave the speech after laying a wreath on the monument for Jalazone “Martyrs.” The monument has on its side the Fatah logo that includes a grenade, crossed rifles, and the PA map of “Palestine” that presents all of Israel as “Palestine” together with the PA areas.
The message that ALL of Israel is Palestine, belongs to the Palestinians and will one day All be part of the Palestinian state, is a message promulgated by the PA in various ways. PMW recently reported on an exhibit in a PA school including a discussion with the teacher and the principal who affirmed that anticipating the end of Israel is a message they are teaching the students.
Abbas’ reference to millions of Muslims entering Jerusalem was echoing the doctrine of Yasser Arafat, who also called on millions of Martyrs to march on Jerusalem. Abbas believes that the way to mobilize Palestinians is to rally them around Jerusalem.
Rejecting the fact that the so-called “Martyrs” – who include, suicide bombers, and Palestinians killed during the act of killing or attempting to kill Israelis – are terrorists, Abbas added:
“We will not agree that they consider our Martyrs terrorists – our Martyrs, the homeland’s Martyrs! And we will not agree that they deduct one penny from their money. All of their money will return to them – because for us the Martyrs, the wounded, and the prisoners are the most sanctified.”
Referring to Israel’s Anti Pay for Slay Law and the decision to deduct the sum that the PA spends on paying salaries to terrorist prisoners and released prisoners and to wounded terrorists and the families of dead terrorists (so called Martyrs) from the tax revenues Israel collects and transfers to the PA, Abbas added:
“For months we have been rejecting their [Israel’s] statements about cutting this money. It can be paid in full – down to the last penny, as they say – or we will not accept their money from them. And we say to them there is no choice but to pay us our money despite [what you want]. We will not allow a deduction here and a deduction there; we will not be inferior to you. Either you will agree to credit- Give us our right or we will take it by all means.”
Finally, in an attempt to portray that he still in some way cares for the Palestinians resident in Gaza, Abbas even tried to portray Hamas, the internationally recognized terror organization that controls the Gaza Strip – has fired hundreds of rockets and missiles at Israel’s civilian population and constantly attempts to send its operatives to infiltrate Israel to kill Israelis – as acting “for the enemy” – i.e. Israel:
“I turn to our people in Gaza and I say to them: Enough! Enough of this rift! Who benefits from this rift? It only benefits the enemy; and the Hamas leadership is acting for the enemy and not for Palestine. They must change their minds; we seek unity – since today, since yesterday, and since 10 years ago. We seek unity and unity must include Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank for there to be a State of Palestine whose capital is East Jerusalem…”
The following is a longer text of Mahmoud Abbas’ speech:
“I say to [Israel]: Every stone you have built on our land and every house you have built on our land – there is no escaping that they will disappear, Allah willing. And the more they announce houses here or settlements there – they will all disappear, Allah willing, and will be in the garbage dump of history . And [Israelis] will remember that this land belongs to its people; this land belongs to its inhabitants; this land belongs to the Canaanites who were here 5,000 years ago – and we are the Canaanites!…
We will enter Jerusalem as fighters by the millions. We will all enter it, all of the Palestinian people and all of the Arab and Islamic and Christian nations! Everyone will enter Jerusalem! We will not agree that they consider our Martyrs terrorists – our Martyrs, the homeland’s Martyrs! And we will not agree that they deduct one penny from their money (referring to Israel’s Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law; see note below -Ed.). All of their money will return to them – because for us the Martyrs, the wounded, and the prisoners are the most sanctified. And therefore for months we have been rejecting their statements about deducting this money. Either it will be paid in full – down to the last penny, as they say – or we will not accept their money from them. And we say to them there is no escaping paying us our money despite you. We will not allow a deduction here and a deduction there; we will not be inferior to you. Either you will agree to credit- Give us our [money by] right or we will take it by all means (i.e., Palestinian term includes use of terror). Almighty Allah said while addressing you: ‘O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful’ [Quran, Sura 3:200, Sahih International translation]. In other words, you will succeed, Allah willing! I turn to our people in Gaza and I say to them: Enough! Enough of this rift! Who benefits from this rift? It only benefits the enemy; and the Hamas leadership is acting for the enemy and not for Palestine. They must change their minds; we seek unity – since today, since yesterday, and since 10 years ago. We seek unity and unity must include Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank for there to be a State of Palestine whose capital is East Jerusalem…
[Facebook page of the PA Presidential Office, Aug. 10, 2019]
Israel’s Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law – Israeli law stating that the PA payments to terrorists and the families of dead terrorists is a financial incentive to terror. The law instructs the state to deduct and freeze the amount of money the PA pays in salaries to imprisoned terrorists and families of “Martyrs” from the tax money Israel collects for the PA. Should the PA stop these payments for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
The law was enacted by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018, and its first implementation was approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet on Feb. 17, 2019, when it decided to withhold 502,697,000 Israeli shekels (approximately $138 million) from the PA. In response, the PA announced it would not accept any of the tax money collected by Israel unless it also included the frozen amount.
During the initial parliamentary vote in 2018, the law’s sponsor Avi Dichter said: “The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations… from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
The terms “all means,” “all means of resistance,” “all forms,” are used by PA leaders to include using all types of violence, including deadly terror against Israeli civilians such as stabbings and shootings, as well as throwing rocks and Molotov Cocktails.
