Palestinian leader to Al-Qaeda:"We hate the Americans more than you!"

Palestinian leader to Al-Qaeda:"We hate the Americans more than you!"

Posted in Israel / Palestine | 04-Jan-07 | Author: Itamar Marcus and Barbara Croo| Source: Palestinian Media Watch

"Do to Bush whatever you want and we wish you success."
[Palestinian Authority TV]

A former Palestinian Authority (PA) Minister from Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party has wished Al Qaeda success in its attacks against the US, and in its targeting of President George W. Bush. The Fatah leader, Abu Ali Shahin, said in an interview on official PA TV: "Do to Bush whatever you want, and we wish you success... We are fighting the Americans and hate the Americans more than you!"

Shahin was responding to a statement by Al-Qaeda's deputy leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, criticizing Palestinian Fatah leaders for contacts with the US.

It is noteworthy that Shahin's statement that Palestinians hate the US and wish Al-Qaeda success in terror is in line with the sentiments of the Palestinian population even before the Hamas election victory. According to a December 2005 public opinion poll, "65% of Palestinians support Al-Qaeda actions in the US and Europe." [Fafo – Institute for Applied International Studies – Norway, Survey Dec.

To see the interview, click here

The following is the relevant text from the Shahin interview:

"Oh [Al-Qaeda] brother, leave us and focus on your business. You have Bush! Do to Bush what you want, and we wish you success with Bush, even more. I, Abu Ali Shahin, wish you success with Bush...

Whoever is interested in creating a split in the Palestinian camp, is not serving anyone but the Americans and their protégé, the Zionist Imperialist Project. We are fighting the Americans and hate the Americans more than you!

We know we are described as enemies of the Americans. About Americans, we say, publicly: the central, head enemy to the Arab Palestinian people and to the national struggle, is this American leadership embodied by the White House and this George Bush sitting there.”
[PA TV, January 1, 2007]

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