The chickens of Western-backed 'Palestinian' intransigence come home to roost
The chickens created by years of Western-backed 'Palestinian' intransigence are coming home to roost.
In the 23 years since the 'Palestinian Authority' was created, we continually heard the claim that they had to be armed in order to be the only law enforcement authority in the 'Palestinian territories.' But the 'Palestinian Authority' never chose to assert control, instead allowing all kinds of lawless gangs to arm themselves and inflict terror on Israelis. Now, those armed gangs are turning their guns on the 'Palestinian Authority.' And like in Gaza in 2007, Abu Mazen is losing control.
Hours after his security officers lynched a detainee, Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urged Palestinian businessmen living
abroad to support the Palestinian economy by investing in the
Palestinian territories. The Palestinian Authority (PA), he asserted,
was "working to provide security and safety to encourage investment."
According
to Abbas, "The Palestinian territories are living in a state of
security stability, which we are working to provide for residents and
investors alike by enforcing the rule of law and enhancing transparency
and accountability."
Funny that he never speaks that way in front of the 'international community.' And this time it's really a lie.
In his speech before the businessmen, Abbas neglected any reference
to the latest wave of "security chaos" in PA-controlled areas in the
West Bank, specifically Nablus, the largest Palestinian city.
Five Palestinians, including two PA police officers, were killed in
the worst scenes of internecine violence to hit the West Bank in recent
years. Abbas was either playing the businessmen for fools or hoping that
they share his deaf and blind state.
The violence in Nablus did not come as a surprise to those who have
been monitoring the situation in the West Bank in recent months.
In fact, scenes of lawlessness and "security chaos" have become part
of the norm in many Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps -- a
sign that the PA may be losing control to armed gangs and militias.
Palestinians refer to the situation as falatan amni, or "security chaos." An article published in Gatestone
in June referred to the growing instances of anarchy and lawlessness in
PA-controlled areas in the West Bank, first and foremost Nablus.
The chickens of years of Western-backed 'Palestinian' intransigence and weapons supplies are coming home to roost. And the 81-year old 'Abbas' - the 'moderate' hope of the Leftist West - may not last much longer.
The Palestinian Authority is now paying the price for harboring,
funding and inciting gang members and militiamen who until recently were
hailed by many Palestinians as "heroes" and "resistance fighters."
Unsurprisingly, most of these "outlaws" and "criminals" (as the PA
describes them) are affiliated in one way or another with Mahmoud
Abbas's Fatah faction.
Nablus, the so-called Mountain of Fire, is now threatening to turn
into a volcano that is set to erupt in the face of Abbas and his PA
government.
The situation in Nablus the past few days raises serious questions
about the ability of the PA to perform basic security measures and rein
in armed gangs and militiamen.
Moreover, the unprecedented violence has
further shattered Palestinian confidence in the PA and its leaders ahead
of the local and municipal elections, scheduled to take place on
October 8.
And guess who is stepping into the vacuum....
Hamas's dream of extending its control to the West Bank now seems more
realistic than ever. Under the current circumstances, Abbas would be
offering the West Bank to Hamas on a silver platter -- unless he wakes
up and realizes that he made a big mistake by authorizing the local and
municipal elections.
At the beginning of the Oslo war (on Rosh HaShanna), a 'Palestinian' mob attacked Joseph's
tomb and destroyed it. An IDF soldier, Mahdat Yusuf, bled to death in
that attack. Ehud Barak was
the Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) then and refused to let the IDF go in to rescue the soldiers who were trapped there. Former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz was the Judea and Samaria commander at the time. The tomb was closed for nearly ten years after that incident, and was officially reopened in 2010.
Around 5:00 am on Friday, 'Palestinian' terrorists torched the tomb - now under 'Palestinian' control with access supposedly guaranteed to Jews - once again.
According to available details about the Joseph's Tomb
incident, at around 5 a.m. Friday some 100 Palestinians rioted outside
the compound and at some point began hurling firebombs onto the
premises, setting the main access to the tomb, its courtyard and part of
the building on fire.
Defense officials told Channel 2 News that Palestinian
security forces were able to extinguish the flames and disperse the riot
by the time Israeli forces had arrived.
A second, smaller riot, erupted when Israeli
security forces arrived at the holy site.
Rioters pelted the troops with
rocks and threw firebombs at their vehicles. The soldiers use crowd
control measures to disperse the riot.
Security forces have remained on the premises to prevent Palestinian rioters from vandalizing the site further.
Joseph's Tomb is under the Palestinian
security forces' control. Jewish prayer in the compound is allowed, but
worshippers are required to coordinate their visits with the military,
which escorts them in and out of the area.
Jewish access to the compound is often restricted for security reasons.
Following the incident, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner
of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, tweeted, "IDF will bring perpetrators to
justice, restore the site & ensure that freedom of worship returns
to Joseph's Tomb."
Even UPI's headline said that the tomb had been set on fire by 'Palestinians.' But not CNN's. Their headline reads:Joseph's Tomb site catches fire in spate of Palestinian-Israeli violence. That's right, it just 'caught fire' (was it reaching up to catch it?) spontaneously. And it was in a spate of 'Palestinian'-Israeli violence - note that in the Yisrael HaYom account quoted above, there were no Israelis at the tomb when the 'Palestinians' set it on fire - the IDF arrived later.
Here's CNN's report, which is only slightly better.
Let's go to the videotape.
And the written report is not much better.
Fire broke out at the compound housing Joseph's Tomb overnight, a
religious site venerated by Jews, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Palestinian forces dispersed alleged Palestinian arsonists and put out
the fire.
Unless you get to the second sentence, you might think there was a gas leak or an electrical failure. The initial report is 'fire broke out.' I have to wonder whether the words 'dispersed illegal Palestinian arsonists' were added later because other people saw the report.
CNN lies.
UPDATE 3:49 PM
I meant to add this, which I received by email:
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council: "As a Jew I must
voice my deep shock over this terrible act. I believe that there's
nobody from the free world who would not see this act as barbaric
and criminal. To set on fire one of the holiest sites of the Jewish
people - A historical asset to the whole world!
"This is the barbarity of the Palestinian Authority and the person
heading it. Another act that proves that we cannot rely on this
'partner'. I call on the Prime Minister to immediately bring back
IDF forces to Joseph's Tomb, because it's clear that if he doesn't,
there will be nobody to guard this inalienable asset for us. Again,
the responsibility belongs to Abu Mazen, the Holocaust denier, and
he has to answer for it.
"Leaders of the enlightened world: Where are your condemnations???
John Kerry, Ban Ki Moon, Mogrini - such a gang of hypocrites! What
would you have done if an important Islamic mosque were burned down?
You should be ashamed of yourselves!!!
"In the face of such Arab barbarity in Shechem and the political
hypocrisy overseas, I call on the Prime Minister to order IDF forces
to return Israeli control to Joseph's Tomb (something that is called
for even in the accursed Oslo accords).
The cat cannot guard the cream! He'll burn it!
Only the IDF can protect this holy site. We must put an end to this
disgrace. This is the only real and correct response - THIS VERY
MORNING is the time!
Seven Israelis were arrested on Saturday night for trying to enter Nablus (Shchem) without permission from the IDF.
The right-wing activist and a Hilltop Youth leader Meir Bertler was arrested on Saturday along with six other activists who attempted to enter the city of Nablus with no approval from security forces.
Another right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir talked about the arrest saying the blame should rest "with the government of Israel, who should have allowed free entrance to Nablus." He added: "One can't prevent the Israeli people from walking around the State of Israel."
The last Israeli to try to enter Shchem without an IDF uniform or an IDF escort was Hillel Lieberman HY"D (may God avenge his blood - pictured). That didn't work out too well. I'm all in favor of Jews being able to go anywhere anytime in Israel, but I'd be afraid to try something like what those seven did, and while I would hope that the IDF would be willing to escort them in, I would not suggest trying this on your own.
The 'Palestinian Authority arrested several members of Hamas' Izzadin Kassam Brigades who were planning a suicide bombing in Jerusalem according to the Maan ('Palestinian') news agency.
The operatives had planned to undermine political stability and Fatah control in the West Bank, in addition to carrying out an assassination plot on a West Bank mayor.
The Palestinian officials who informed Ma'an of the arrests claimed the Hamas cell was based in Nablus with a support network stretching throughout the northern part of the West Bank. They said that the PA forces had raided the group's headquarters in Nablus, confiscating weapons and cash belonging to the men.
PA officials alleged that the terror cell members had also planned to kidnap Israeli West Bank residents and assassinate the Palestinian governor of the West Bank city of Nablus
Ma'an reported that a booby-trapped car intended to be used in a suicide bombing was also found in the raid.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
