Israel repeats Arafat scenario with Abbas

Senior officials in the Israeli security forces have launched an inflammatory campaign against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which began in the ranks of the settlers, and then moved to various media outlets in the occupying state. This campaign aims to incite Israeli public opinion against him and has reached the central security departments. The Israeli Interior Minister, Gilad Erdan, is not hiding his hostility and inciteful behaviour against President Abbas and has called on Abbas to leave the political arena, even directly and explicitly threatening his life, as long as Abbas continues to oppose the conspiratory deals and orders aiming to liquidate the Palestinian cause and people.

We witnessed the occupation authorities following the same scenario with the late President Yasser Arafat when he refused to obey and give in to the conditions and orders of the Clinton administration and Israeli Prime Minister at the time, Ehud Barack. They demanded that he concede Jerusalem and the sanctities, but he refused to sign off on this in Camp David and Wye River. He preferred to die as a martyr than to concede when he said his famous words, “They want to arrest me, send me into exile or kill me. But I tell them no. I want to be a martyr, a martyr, a martyr.”

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Now the Israelis are trying to repeat the same scenario with President Abu Mazen, who has strongly rejected their liquidation projects, plans, and conspiracies, despite their economic, political, and security pressures. They previously besieged the Mukata’a compound in Ramallah with tanks, while their bulldozers ate at the walls of the building, reaching the office of the martyred President Abu Ammar and removing some of the wall. He held on to his rifle and remained steadfast in his office, and after they failed to force him to leave, Sharon decided to assassinate him with poison. Arafat was martyred by poison and he remained committed to his national and revolutionary principles and constants.

The threats being made by senior Israeli officials should be taken seriously, despite the fact that they do not scare the Palestinian President or any Palestinian official or even child. However, the Israeli occupation enemy and its constant stabbing of Palestinian officials in the back, both secretly and publically, make caution and diligence necessary. The Arab and Muslim leaders, as well as the international community, must carry out their responsibilities as they witness explicit Israeli threats to kill and politically and physically liquidate the Palestinian President. They must launch an intense counter-campaign on an Arab, Muslim, and international level, to explain the dangers of the Israeli threats, which are being repeatedly made by senior Israeli officials and have taken on a serious and inciteful nature. They may prompt extremist and radical right-wing settlers to think seriously about attacking and assaulting the Palestinian president.

It is a very dangerous matter because the Israeli occupation governments, have, throughout their terrorist and criminal history, repeatedly liquidated anyone opposed to their projects and goals, especially when it comes to Palestinian leaders. They have not hesitated to commit the most heinous crimes and violent killings and assassinations against them.

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The Israeli occupation, which is completely protected by the US, considers the occupation of Palestine, the building of Jewish settlements, and the annexing of occupied land to be matters that do not conflict with international law. Since Israeli law permits it, they consider it legal and legitimate. The occupation also considers all of its actions legal and permissible because it has American support and protection on an individual, bilateral, regional and international level and in all international forums.

Addressing the state of Israeli escalation and incitement against the Palestinian President is a matter of national, religious, moral and humanitarian duty, and we cannot take this very real and grave danger lightly.

Translated from Addustour, 20 June 2019

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.