The "Palestinian" Authority has asked Israel, which gave refuge to nearly 200, and gave free medical care to two dozen wounded, members or supporters of Fatah who had fled Gaza, not to keep them, nor to transfer them to the Arab-occupied "West Bank," but to send them back to Gaza.

The reason, as given by a "Palestinian" member of the Slow Jihad (Fatah) quoted in a Jerusalem Post article, is this: "Everyone knows that if we allow people to leave the Gaza Strip, almost all the residents living there would try to cross the border into Israel," said a senior PA official. "We don't want to leave the Gaza Strip to Hamas."

They would -- "almost all" of them, "try to cross the border into Israel."

You know -- into Israel, to which every Arab who can, whenever faced with Arab enemies -- as the members of Black September were by Jordanian King Hussein's men (they waded crossed the Jordan, their hands raised, knowing that the Israelis would not harm them but would take them in) or the Fatah supporters now fleeing into Israel -- that country, the country routinely denounced as "Nazi-like" or even "worse than the Nazis" (we all remember how the Nazis offered free medical care to Jews and other benefits, so that they would always flee to Nazi-held territory whenever they could). That country.

Don't forget this kind of telling display, and the even more telling comment by a Fatah official. Don't forget it, and don't forget to remind others, when they go into their Guardian-or-BBC or World-Council-of-Churches or Amnesty-International or Human-Rights-Watch or United-Nations slander-and-rant against Israel. Remember not to forget.

Posted by: Hugh at August 4, 2008 9:09 AM

"Everyone knows that if we allow people to leave the Gaza Strip, almost all the residents living there would try to cross the border into Israel," said a senior PA official. "We don't want to leave the Gaza Strip to Hamas."

They would -- "almost all" of them, "try to cross the border into Israel."
-by Hugh

But why wouldn't the PA cheer such an outcome? It's a backdoor method of repatriation of all those "poor refugees". Sounds like the jihad has found a new way of regaining the lost territory of Israel. Israel would cease to be a Jewish state.
As someone (Golda Meir?) once said: they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Posted by: PMK at August 4, 2008 9:25 AM

somewhat OT, but did anyone catch 60 Minutes last night and the interview of the leader of Dubai? I could only stomach the fawning interview for a few minutes, but wonder if Steve Kroft ever asked Sheik Mohammed bin whatever, why not send some of the money your spending on building artificial islands, indoor ski slopes, etc to your poor Muslim brothers, The "Palestinians?"

Looks like some Fatah Palestinians could use a little help right about now...

Posted by: HOV Dummy at August 4, 2008 9:48 AM

"But Israel, sensibly, is not playing along on this one."

Israel already has.
The fact that they were photographed naked down to their knickers is considered a humiliation in the Arab mindset (nevermind that was done for security reasons!), not only to the people involved but for the Fatah and palestinians in general.
"Citizen Rights" (aka Arab rights) groups in Israel are already going to the highest legal jurisdictions to prevent them going back to Gaza. And then what, they will stay in Israel? Ridiculous.

Golda Meir also said "There are no Palestinians. We were all citizens of Palestine, and I can prove it I still have the old passport!".

Posted by: Mosh at August 4, 2008 9:54 AM

Ha,ha!, HOV Dummy. Yup, saw that retread (oops; rerun) last night, and wondered at the absence of many questions, such as you've posed, that Steve Kroft missed.

Loved the glossing over of the "other wife", who's rarely seen in public.

But Kroft was certainly tough on the plight of imported laborers, wasn't he?

BTW, notice that Islam wasn't mentioned at all?

Posted by: Vee at August 4, 2008 9:54 AM

Robert sez:

" But Israel, sensibly, is not playing along on this one"

But Israel does. And it looks like Israel is stuck with these Fatah thugs. Abbas, 'Abu Mazen' doesn't want them in Judea and Samaria, which they call the 'West Bank'.

JP is totally sympathetic:

Jewicidal Jews support terrorists: ‘returning Fatah ‘refugees’ to Gaza violates their human rights’

Abbas stood his ground, with aides explaining that he felt his embattled Fatah group must maintain a presence in Gaza. The escape posed a dilemma for Abbas. After the Hamas takeover of Gaza last summer, he had agreed to resettle some 250 of his Gaza loyalists in the West Bank.

http://sheikyermami.com/2008/08/03/jewicidal-jews-support-terrorists-returning-fatah-refugees-to-gaza-violates-their-human-rights/

Posted by: sheik yer'mami at August 4, 2008 10:03 AM

Vee and HOV Dummy,
I commend you for even watching Sixty Minutes. I'd rather mow the lawn.

Posted by: PMK at August 4, 2008 10:06 AM

Vee:

Shows you how often I watch 60 Minutes - didn't realize it was a retread...

PMK: Don't commend me for watching it. Didn't change the channel from local news in time before 60 Minutes came on.

Posted by: HOV Dummy at August 4, 2008 10:17 AM

What a dilemma:

"Should we kill you by deportation, or detain and imprison you for our own safety ?"

Why Olmert revived a moribund Abbas is beyond understanding, except in the total context of what a liberal fool is Olmert.

Difficult politics, but Israel should lock down the border to muslims, followers of Mohammed, as should we.

Posted by: dgene at August 4, 2008 10:18 AM

Where are they going to run to if they get their wish and Israel is destroyed?

Posted by: Mr Ape Pig at August 4, 2008 10:58 AM

Secular Fatah?!!

Posted by: Crusader at August 4, 2008 11:35 AM

Secular Fatah?!!

Posted by: Crusader at August 4, 2008 11:35 AM

Leave them to the tender mercies of their fellows who will certainly be more benevolent than the filthy JOOOOOOOOOS.

Tough luck Chump....

Posted by: Kuffar at August 4, 2008 1:02 PM

God is an iron. If a felon is someone who commits a felony, then God must be an iron, since God commits irony.

- Spider Robinson

Posted by: tanstaafl at August 4, 2008 3:18 PM

I recently read some interesting articles about young Arab homosexuals who were living under the radar in Tel Aviv to escape familial attempts to murder them for their sexuality.

Akko/ Acre is also a town known for taking in people from the territories who are escaping blood feuds and vendettas.

I can not imagine living under such conditions.

Posted by: ikonklast29palms at August 4, 2008 3:38 PM

Herd Fatah and Hamas into the same area of let them thin each other out. Who says we need to stop Muslim on Muslim violence, sounds like a pure Islamic issue they need solve with their barbaric manner.

Posted by: SoteriA at August 4, 2008 4:27 PM

To what purpose could Israel possibly allow these people across the border?

What's that you say Abdul? You want to come into Isreal for protection from Hamas? You want apes an pigs to protect you from your muslim brothers? Ha! Go back and fight for allah, you worthless piece of camel dung.

Just when I think Ohlmert has stooped to the lowest possible level of appeasement, he does somthing like this. Un-freakin-believable.

Posted by: walterc at August 4, 2008 4:28 PM

Mosh, above, mentioned humiliation:

"The fact that they [the Fatah gang members?] were photographed naked down to their knickers is considered a humiliation in the Arab mindset".

There's a whole lotta humiliation going on. For sidesplitting details of which, see the following article by the redoubtable Khaled Abu Toameh, from JPost:

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331148935&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

the headline says it all: "Fight between Hamas-Fatah spreads to upper lips in mustache war".

Read. Enjoy the images that it produces in your mind.

Memo to all kafir forces who capture jihadists: read this article and be inspired. They long for martyrdom - but they DO fear losing that facial hair!

I only wish I'd thought to add it to the discussion thread of the 'exploding underwear' article that caused much black humour here, some days ago.

Posted by: dumbledoresarmy at August 4, 2008 6:12 PM

Palestinians fleeing to Israel???

Yep, no doubt about it--they gotta be islamophobes.

Posted by: PorkFatRules at August 4, 2008 8:52 PM

Pro-Fatah Palestinians flee to Israel to escape Hamas
...........................

This, of course, has happened before. A year ago, when Hamas first took over Gaza, many Fatah members fled to Israel. Exactly the same criticisms came up, also--rather than Israel being praised for its humanity in letting in potentially violent Palestinians, they were derided for making them wait in the hot sun while they did at least cursory security checks (just enough to know they were not letting in the very worst terrorists); for giving those waiting bottled water, but feeding them only after they had been waiting a few hours; for rushing severly wounded Palestinians directly to Israeli hospitals, but only providing on-site EMS services to those who were lightly wounded (until they passed said light security check).

What other nation is expected to be so solicitous to enemies who have sworn to destroy them? (Well, besides the United States, I mean).

The Associated Press story puts a slightly different spin on this story:

"Abbas denies asylum to supporters fleeing Gaza"

RAMALLAH, West Bank--Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday refused to grant West Bank asylum to forces who fled weekend faction fighting in Hamas-ruled Gaza, despite fears for their safety.

Abbas ordered nearly 200 fighters back to Gaza from Israel, insisting a Fatah presence must be retained in the territory..."

So maybe it's not Israel sending them back.

Here's a description of the scene at the Israeli border, from a Fatah fighter fleeing Hamas attackers:

"We crawled to the border, that was our solution, and I think wes stayed at the border two or three hours until the (Israeli) army let the injured enter," said Shadi Hilles, one of the wounded [Hilles] clan members hospitalized in Israel.

Col. Ron Ashrov, an Israeli military commander in the area, said that when Israeli soldiers went to open the gate, heavy fire erupted from Hamas forces. He said 22 of those who crossed were injured."

In other words, Hamas knew their Fatah rivals would flee to Israel for safety, and lay in wait until they were most vunerable. Disgusting. Imagine if Israel had done such a thing? The international outcry would have been deafening. With Hamas and the Palestinians, it's business as usual.

more from great peacemaker Abbas:

"...Abbas called for dialogue to solve the dispute. He said the Palestineans must "continue to hope, even if we fight between each other or have differences".

Posted by: gravenimage at August 5, 2008 12:22 AM