Cong. Wilson: Abbas No Moderate

WASHINGTON — Congressman Addison “Joe” Wilson, Republican of South Carolina, recently criticized PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s statements of Jan 11, 2007 when the Palestinian leader declared to thousands of his supporters that Palestinians, “have a legitimate right to direct our guns against the occupation [Israel].” Congressman Wilson placed comments in the Congressional Record citing the Abbas statement and warned his colleagues that such comments are not “moderate” as many claim Abbas to be.

“The ZOA commends Congressman Wilson for calling attention to the Jan 11 statement by Abbas,” said Morton A. Klein, the National President of the Zionist Organization of America, “and for calling into question this flawed idea of Abbas as a moderate leader.”

Congressman Wilson inserted into the Congressional Record on January 30, 2007 the statement by Abbas, including Abbas’s declaration that Fatah’s “fighting” stance is a “model for liberation.” Wilson then added, “I find it disheartening and deeply troubling that Abbas would sanction violence against Israel instead of calling upon his people to support peaceful compromise with Israel.”

Said Wilson, “Palestinian leaders must understand that they can no longer support peace when speaking to Western audiences while advocating violence against Israel when addressing their people. Abbas’s statements suggest that he is not the ‘moderate’ Palestinian leader that many claim he is. Unless he renounces violence once and for all and takes steps to disarm terrorists, Abbas may not deserve additional U.S. aid.”

Said Klein, “Palestinian Authority president Abbas and his political party Fatah is often labeled ‘moderate’ by the Western press, European governments, and the Bush Administration. It is vital that Members of Congress continue to have the courage to speak out and question this inappropriate designation.”