Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
On the anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, several Palestinian leaders have called on the Palestinian people to support and uphold the goals of the deceased Palestinian leader.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of instigating a religious war.
Speaking in Ramallah at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Yasser Arafat, Abbas stated that the Palestinians would continue to press their draft resolution to the Security Council stating that, “The Palestinian territories are no longer in all of the 67 disputed land because Israel is constantly trying to impose its illegal settlements.”
The draft resolution calls for Israel’s withdraw from the West Bank to 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capitol city of a future Palestinian state.
Abbas not only accused Israel of inciting a religious war, he also called for a “Palestinian Jerusalem” criticizing Israeli security forces presence and closing of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Dome of the Rock) in light of heavy violence and an assassination attempt last week on Rabbi Yehuda Glick.
He stated that, “The Muslim and Christian world will never accept Israeli claims that Jerusalem is theirs. Jerusalem is our capital and we will never give this up; Jerusalem that was occupied in 1967 is our Jerusalem. We will safeguard and protect our holy places” adding that “Israel’s leaders are making a huge mistake if they think they can now establish facts on the ground and divide prayer times at the al-Aqsa Mosque as they did at the Cave of the Patriarchs. By doing these things they are leading the region and the world into a devastating religious war.”
Fatah leader Marwarn Barghouti who is currently incarcerated serving a life sentence after for his participation in several deadly terror attacks on Israel, called for the Palestinian Authority to “put an immediate end to the security cooperation” and for the Palestinian people to use “armed resistance.” He called on the Palestinian people to “be faithful to the legacy of Arafat” in resistance.
Several Fatah faction leaders have voiced support for Arafat’s goals for the Palestinian people, speaking in ceremonies commemorating Arafat.
Riots and violence escalate, Israeli forces increases security through out the country. Police and border police units have been increased in the West Bank and Tel Aviv following yesterday’s terror attacks. The IDF has deployed Golani Brigade soldiers in the West Bank to protect Israeli communities from possible future attacks.
On Monday, two Israelis were killed, a 26 year old, Dalia Lemkus in the West Bank close to the settlement of Alon Shvut and a 20-year old soldier Almog Shiloni, who was waiting for a train in Tel Aviv.
Over 100 Israelis have been injured in terror attacks in the past month, eleven Israelis killed by acts of terror, all originating from terrorists in the West Bank.
Photo credit: “Barack Obama meets with Mahmoud Abbas in the Oval Office 2009-05-28 1” by Pete Souza – http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Images-of-Abbas/. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish Christian, is the founder and president of Behold Israel, a news site to correct the scarcity in trustworthy reportage on issues and events impacting Israel, and to resolve the uncertainty about who or what to believe.
