by Itamar Marcus
A senior adviser to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has accused Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization of intentionally sending Gaza residents to “go and die” for the sole purpose of providing Hamas with stories of dead Palestinians to tell the media.
Mahmoud Al-Habbash, Abbas’ Advisor on Islamic Affairs and Supreme Sharia Judge, delivered a sermon on Friday from the PA headquarters in Ramallah, in the presence of PA leader Mahmoud Abbas. The video clip has been translated by the media watchdog organization, Palestinian Media Watch.
He accused Hamas of deliberately encouraging civilians to endanger themselves: “You Palestinians, our people, go and die so that we’ll go to the TV and media with strong declarations.”
Al-Habbash claimed that the Palestinian Authority population are not being fooled by Hamas anymore, and “sides with the PLO.” (Official PA TV, April 6 2018)
While Abbas’ adviser was criticizing Hamas for sending Gazans to their death, Abbas’ Fatah Movement celebrated the participation of an infant in the Gaza demonstrations. Fatah posted a photo of a six-month-old baby who had been placed on a pile of tires. The tires would eventually be burned at the Gaza demonstrations.
Translation of Arabic text: “A child no older than six months was among the participants in the demonstrations today (Friday) [April 6, 2018] and in the March of Return events on the eastern border of the Gaza Strip” (Official Fatah Facebook page, April 6, 2018)