Yet more evidence of the fact that it is virtually impossible to distinguish moderate Muslims from those more inclined to, or at least approving of, violence. From WND, with thanks to all who sent this in:
JERUSALEM — A Palestinian official who publicly claims to support Israeli-Palestinian peace initiatives this week gave a speech in Arabic in which he praised suicide bombers, blasted “filthy [Israeli] occupation,” and declared Jerusalem is Palestinian land.
Qadura Faras, a Palestinian Legislative Council member and lawmaker from the ruling Fatah party, has been a vocal proponent of the Geneva Initiative, a private peace proposal drafted in 2003 by a group of extreme leftist Israelis, Palestinians and Europeans calling for an immediate Palestinian state in Gaza, Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem.
Faras appears on a video featured on the official Geneva Initiative website with a message of peace toward Israelis:
“It is always asked, do you [Israelis] have a partner on the other side. I am telling you with full sincerity, we are ready to reach an inclusive agreement with you, which will promise us freedom and liberty and statehood, and will promise you the thing we know you are sensitive to, which is your full right to live in peace and security.”
But Israel-based Palestinian Media Watch reports Faras this week conveyed a different kind of message in a speech to a group of Palestinians.
According to the Al-Hayat Al-Jadida Palestinian newspaper, which covered Faras’ Arabic-language address, the Fatah official “emphasized the continuation of the struggle until the freeing of all of the Palestinian territories from the filth of the occupation, and establishing the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Fares blessed the prisoners behind bars, and in particular mentioned the imprisoned fighter, “The Sniper” Tha’ir Hamed, who carried out the … operation that led to the killing and injuring of several of the occupation soldiers.”
Hamed was involved in terror attacks that killed 10 Israelis.