Press release from www.theisraelproject.org

Washington, D.C. - In remarks to reporters today at the White House, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said he and his new government have been working towards peace and claimed a successful policy of organizing a ceasefire among all recognized Palestinian factions. Yet he failed to acknowledge that he hasn’t disarmed the terrorist group Hamas and that the armed faction of his own party murdered three Israeli civilians just days ago.

“Although I’m heartened to hear Palestinian President Abbas’s words of peace, now is the time for him to follow it with deeds” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, founder & president of The Israel Project, a non-profit organization devoted to educating the public about Israel. “This summer Israel made painful sacrifices for peace - relocating more than 9,000 people and closing schools, businesses, places of worship and farms so that the Palestinians can have all of Gaza.”

“What have the Palestinians done in return? They have responded with rockets, hate-filled TV and schools and murder,” Mizrahi said. “Peace takes a lot more than smiles and sound-bites. We look forward to a time when Palestinian children are raised to become doctors and teachers, not indoctrinated to become suicide bombers. We also look forward to a time when Palestinian terrorists’ actions don’t necessitate the closing of borders, resulting in Palestinians penalizing their own brethren. We hope instead for a time when there can be a free flow of goods and services that will benefit both sides in a secure and safe environment.”

Just days ago, the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade, a faction of Abbas’ own Fatah party, claimed responsibility for two drive-by shootings in the West Bank. The attacks resulted in the murder of three Israelis; six more were injured. The attacks were the bloodiest since Israel’s disengagement from all of Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank (Judea and Samaria) in August. The gunmen first targeted a hitchhikers’ stand at the Gush Etzion junction south of Jerusalem and later fired shots as they sped by the West Bank community of Eli.

The victims of the Oct. 16 shootings were two women, Kinneret Mandel, 23, her cousin Matat Rosenfeld-Adler, 21 and Oz Ben-Meir, 15. Mandel and Rosenfeld-Adler were from the community of Carmel and Ben-Meir was from Ma’on, near Hebron. Both areas are south of Jerusalem in the West Bank.

Three weeks ago Abbas refused a request by the Quartet of international peace mediators to crack down on militant groups. “We [Palestinians] know more and are more capable than others in dealing with our brothers,” Abbas was quoted as saying in a Sept. 21 al-Jazeera report. The gunmen were from the PA-controlled city of Bethlehem.

The deaths of the three Israelis occurred one day before the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Israeli security had received 40 warnings about possible terrorist attacks over the Jewish holiday. Although the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade claimed responsibility for the shootings, the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz reported Oct. 17 that Israel Defense Forces officials believe Hamas may have perpetrated the attacks but isn’t taking credit so that Hamas can appear to be honoring its ceasefire agreement and get financial support from the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Israel officials have cautioned that Palestinian terror operations would shift from Gaza to the West Bank following the Gaza disengagement.

Since he was elected President in January 2005, Abbas has made progress on some reforms but has faltered on others. Abbas continues to disarm terrorist organizations and plans to allow them to participate in upcoming legislative elections. The United States has designated Hamas a terrorist organization. Australia, the European Union, Canada and Israel also have declared it a terrorist organization and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has condemned it as a racist organization.

Additional Background

Abbas campaigned for the PA presidency on a platform that denounced Palestinian violence and an end to the Intifada. He also promised to rid the PA of corrupt officials and allocate money to revive the Palestinian economy. In a Sept. 27, 2004 interview with the Jordanian daily newspaper Al-Rai, Abbas admitted that the Intifada was a mistake because it cost lives, drained the economy and damaged public opinion towards the Palestinians. Although Abbas has been willing to denounce the violence that the Intifada brought about, he has yet to act against or disarm terrorist groups such as Hamas.

The issue of Hamas, its militant posture and its desire to join the Palestinian democratic process is a primary concern to the Bush administration. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has adamantly protested Hamas’ participation in the Jan. 2006 elections if the group remains armed. Fatah is finding Hamas a competitive challenger in parliamentary elections. In addition, Hamas has clashed violently with Fatah members, sometimes to the extent of gun battles. Although Abbas in March 2005 managed to arrange a hudna (temporary ceasefire), with Egypt’s help, among all of the armed Palestinian factions, he has refused to confront Hamas.

Abbas also insists that Israel must depart from all of the West Bank and retreat to the 1967 armistice line (Green Line). His other demands include making East Jerusalem the capital of a future autonomous Palestinian state and granting Palestinians the right of return to land inside Israel proper.

 Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, is married to Amina and has three sons, Mazen, Yaser and Tareq. He has seven grandchildren.

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The Israel Project is an international non-profit organization devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel.

Board of Advisors: Senator Evan Bayh (IN), Senator Saxby Chambliss (GA), Senator Norm Coleman (MN), Senator Ben Nelson (NB), Senator Rick Santorum (PA), Senator Arlen Specter (PA), Senator Ron Wyden (OR), Congressman Rob Andrews (NJ), Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (NV), Congressman Tom Davis (VA), Congressman Eliot Engel (NY), Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ), Congressman Jon Porter (NV), Congressman Jim Saxton (NJ), Congressman Brad Sherman (CA), Congressman Joe Wilson (SC), Actor and Director Ron Silver

Contact: Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi at 202-857-6644 or jenniferm@theisraelproject.org or Jennifer Packer at 202-857-6657 or jenniferp@theisraelproject.org. In Israel, contact Calev Ben-David at 011-972-2623-6427 or calevbd@theisraelproject.org.

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Related: Palestinians

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