The former chief editor of the official Palestinian Authority (PA) daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida recently called on Palestinian Arab terrorists to time their attacks to avoid international condemnation, indirectly linking the terrorism with that of Islamic State (ISIS).
Hafez Al-Barghouti, a regular columnist in the PA daily, made the statements in an article in the paper last week that were revealed by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) on Thursday.
Following the ISIS attacks in Paris last month that left 130 murdered, Al-Barghouti called to “keep a low profile so that we are not charged with the crimes of ISIS…we must learn our lessons and wait.”
“After the events of September (2011) in New York, (then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon copied the term ‘terror’ used to refer to those attacks, to our national struggle (i.e. the intifada terror war),” wrote Al-Barghouti. “I warned about this at the time, and called to keep a low profile until the New York turmoil had passed, but the concept of ‘Palestinian terror’ later spread, instead of (the general term) ‘terror.'”
“Now, after the Paris attacks, we must keep a low profile so that we are not charged with the crimes of ISIS and its ilk, because the world is in a coma, and it may not wake up from it anytime soon. We must learn our lessons and wait,” he said, advising craftiness in timing the attacks.
Al-Barghouti’s comments echo those of Jibril Rajoub, Head of the PA Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs, who in mid October called for discretion in choosing targets for the wave of terror attacks so as to avoid international condemnation.
“I congratulate everyone who carried them out (i.e. the terror attacks). I say to you, we are proud of you,” said Rajoub.
However, he advised that “the international community does not agree to a bus exploding in Tel Aviv. But the international community does not ask what happens to a settler or soldier in the occupied territories at the wrong time and in the wrong place. No one asks about him! Therefore, we want to fight in such a way that the world and the international community will remain by our side.”
Despite Rajoub’s words numerous attacks have taken place in Tel Aviv and other coastal cities without notable international condemnation, although fortunately no bus explosions have yet occurred.
