Sunday December 6, 2015

I've Been Thinking:

Let's all agree that terror is evil -- it is simply wrong and there is no excuse and no justification for terror. Especially, when the terror is perpetrated by members of the police or security forces.

On Thursday when a Palestinian security intelligence person stopped his car at Hizma junction, exited his car and opened fire wounding Israelis and a Palestinian, just north of Jerusalem. We should all agree that it was wrong.

The terrorist was killed on the spot. His name was Mazen Hassan Orbia. In 1992 his father stabbed an Israeli. In 2002 his nephew was killed stabbing an Israeli on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. Orbia carried out his terror attack the day after the anniversary of his cousin's attack in 2002.

This is clear cut.

What is not clear is why Saeb Erakat, chairman of the Palestinian National Committee and chief Palestinian negotiator with Israel, visited the Orbia family on Saturday together with the governor of Jericho.

Palestinian leadership often visits terrorist's families - but this is the first time such a high ranking official visited a terrorist's family.

I read about the visit in MA'AN news which is a Palestinian news agency. They were very clear as to the sequence of event - the shootings and the death of the terrorist. They were very clear that Erekat visited and showed a wonderful picture of him sitting in the family living room.

Why did Saeb Erekat make this very public visit to the family of a man - a man whose job it was to protect others - a man who, unquestionably, committed a blatant act of terrorism?

The only reason I can formulate is that Erekat came as a representative of Palestinian leadership and Palestinian leadership openly agrees with and supports this kind of terror - not just stabbings, but shootings. Not just actions taken by ordinary citizens, but also actions taken by their security members.

There is no other explanation.

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