Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA) has launched a worldwide campaign to nominate jailed Fatah Jew killer Marwan Barghouti for the Nobel Peace Prize. Barghouti, who is horrifyingly, a popular Palestinian Arab figure, is serving five life terms for his role in terrorist attacks which claimed the lives of five Israelis. He is also founder of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a U.S.-listed terrorist group responsible for numerous acts of terrorism targeting Israeli civilians. In 2004, he was convicted of five counts of murder, including a 2002 attack at a Tel Aviv seafood market in which three civilians were killed. Barghouti was arrested by the Israel Defense Forces in Ramallah in 2002 and sentenced two years later to five consecutive life terms in prison for his role in terrorist attacks.
The five victims of Barghouti’s terrorism are:
- Yoela Hen, a 45-year-old Israeli woman who was murdered at a Jerusalem gas station in January 2002;
- Eli Dahan, Yosef Habim and police officer Sgt.-Maj. Salim Barakat, who were killed during a shooting and stabbing attack at a restaurant in Tel Aviv in March 2002;
- Tsibouktsakis Germanus, a Greek monk who was gunned down in his car on June 12, 2001.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “We are naturally appalled and disgusted that the Nazi-like Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority would nominate a multiple murderer of Jews as its preferred candidate for the receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize.
“But, this is a regime which glorifies and honors suicide bombers in its officials speeches, mosque sermons and school curricula; which names streets, schools, and sports teams in honor of dead terrorists; which pays stipends to the families of suicide bombers and pensions to jailed, blood-soaked Palestinian terrorists; and which teaches its children to murder Jews as a national and a religious duty.
“That being the case, it is almost understandable that this terrorist Nazi-like regime would nominate for the Nobel Peace Prize a leading terrorist whose acts of murder are institutionally encouraged and applauded by the PA regime.
“This campaign on Barghouti’s behalf is intended among other things to indirectly glorify other, jailed Palestinian terrorists, no doubt as a prelude for a campaign for their release.
“Let us remember that the PA regards those who murder Jews as heroes, and has campaigned relentlessly for the release of those Palestinians who have been jailed by Israel for their terrorist acts.
“In fact, the PA and Hamas have kidnapped Israelis in the past in order to procure the release of dozens or even hundreds of such jailed terrorists. Naturally, they will try other avenues, including this one, to help bring about their release.
“If Abbas and the PA were genuine peacemakers and sincerely committed to reaching a peace agreement with Israel, the very last thing they would be demanding is the freedom of the most dangerous and bloodthirsty terrorists. If they were genuinely peaceful men, the last thing they would want would be more Palestinian terrorists walking the streets of the Palestinian Authority. This is clearly not the case and is, thus, a the reminder that the PA is pro-terror and anti-peace, and should be condemned and isolated by the community of nations. And, where are the calls to stop U.S. aid to the Palestinian monsters? They now receive $500 million a year.