“Of course, Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with anyone who is dedicated to its destruction. But while I know you have had differences with the Palestinian Authority, I believe that you do have a true partner in President Abbas…” — Barack Obama, March 21, 2013
Here is that “true partner” for peace honoring a Communist terrorist and several Islamic jihadists: “PA honors terrorist who planned murder of Israeli minister Ze’evi for ‘heroic sacrifice,'” by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik for Palestinian Media Watch, March 6:
Despite the ongoing peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, PA leaders persist in their glorification of killers of Israeli civilians. Recently, the PA’s Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs chose to honor the families of several terrorists imprisoned in Israel “out of appreciation for their heroic sacrifice.”
Among the terrorists honored at the ceremony were Ahed Abu Gholmeh, who is serving a life sentence for planning the murder of Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze’evi (“Ghandi”) in 2001, and Ahmad Sa’adat, who is serving a 30-year sentence for heading the PFLP terror organization. A song played at a PFLP event praised Sa’adat for planning the murder of the Israeli minister, but he has not been tried for this crime.
A few months ago, PA Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake visited Sa’adat’s family and glorified the terrorist leader as:
“A symbol of freedom and a conscience for all humanity, who spent his life in the service of his people’s freedom and independence.”
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 27, 2013]
Karake also said that “Ahmad Sa’adat represents all free men, honorable people and fighters and that he has been distinguished by his bravery, honesty and deep faith in the justice of his cause; [he] carried out acts of bravery and adopted fundamental and revolutionary positions during his path of struggle,” the official PA daily reported.
At a recent Fatah event, chief PA negotiator and Fatah official Saeb Erekat also talked about Ahmad Sa’adat, promising his quick release. He also included terrorist Marwan Barghouti in his statement, who is serving 5 life sentences for orchestrating terror attacks against Israeli civilians:
“Any self-respecting nation wages battles for its prisoner sons… Wait, Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa’adat and the [rest of the] prisoners; the release is near. We will not rest until we see you free among your people, so that you will take up your roles in building the independent State of Palestine on all of the homeland’s territory.”
[Al-Ayyam, Jan. 6, 2014]
Palestinian Media Watch has documented that PA Chairman Abbas himself on more than one occasion has chosen to honor terrorist leaders Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Sa’adat, wishing for their release. He has also praised Hamas military leader Ibrahim Hamed, who is serving 54 life sentences, and Abbas Al-Sayid, who is serving 35 life sentences. In April last year, Abbas singled out Sa’adat and Barghouti among “all these heroes,” calling the arrest of terrorist Barghouti, jailed for the murders of at least 5 civilians, a “kidnapping”:
“We will continue the fight for [the prisoners] until all these heroes, the prisoners of freedom, are freed. In a few days there will be a rally for brother Marwan Barghouti, who is a brother, prisoner and commander. We must mark the day of his [arrest] and salute him in his prison 11 years after he was kidnapped. Likewise, we cannot forget brother Ahmad Sa’adat and the rest of the leader prisoners, such as the MPs and the veteran [prisoners.]”
[Official PA TV News, April 19, 2013]…