Arafat: Jerusalem Isn't Jewish, Israel Is Satan

The following quotation from Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was distributed recently by the Israel Government Press Office.

Jason and Leiah Elbaum

IRIS

<http://come.to/israels.security/>

Arafat Calls Israel "Satan" PA Chairman: Jerusalem is not Jewish (communicated by the Israel Government Press Office)

THE OBLIGATION

Under the terms of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is obligated to refrain from incitement against Israel.

The Interim Agreement (Oslo 2) of September 28, 1995 (Article XXII) states that Israel and the PA "shall seek to foster mutual understanding and tolerance and shall accordingly abstain from incitement, including hostile propaganda, against each other and, without derogating from the principle of freedom of expression, shall take legal measures to prevent such incitement by any organizations, groups or individuals within their jurisdiction."

In the Note for the Record which accompanied the Hebron Protocol of January 15, 1997, the Palestinians reaffirmed their commitment regarding, "Preventing incitement and hostile propaganda, as specified in Article XXII of the Interim Agreement."

THE VIOLATION

Following are excerpts from an interview given by PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to Al-Jezira television on June 28, 1998.

"Question: What will you do, or what have you done, to prevent him [Prime Minister Netanyahu] from implementing the Jerusalem plan?

Arafat: Let me tell you something. The issue of Jerusalem is not just a Palestinian issue. It is a Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and Christian issue.

Q: Can one also say that it is Jewish?

Arafat: No. Allow me to be precise - they consider Hebron to be holier than Jerusalem.

Q: More than the Western Wall?

Arafat: More than the Western Wall... until now, all the excavations that have been carried out have failed to prove the location of the Temple. It is 30 years since they [the Israelis] captured the city and they have not succeeded in even giving one proof as to the location of the Temple.

...Q: For the sake of Jerusalem and the problem...

Arafat: For the sake of Jerusalem, we have received very, very little [funding]. We are tightening our belts to save money for the struggle against this Satan, the Satan of money, the Satan of influence, the Satan of discord, the Satan of the robbery which the Government of Israel is attempting to commit."

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