Abbas admits reports of rabbi calling for poisoning Palestinian wells false
June 25, 2016 4:58 P.M. (Updated: June 25, 2016 8:53 P.M.)
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772000

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas back peddled on
controversial statements he made during a speech in front of the European
Union parliament on Thursday that alleged Israeli rabbis had incited to
poison Palestinian water wells.

A statement released by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) late
Friday evening admitted that the reports on which Abbas had based his
statements were inaccurate.

“After it has become evident that the alleged statements by a rabbi on
poisoning Palestinian wells, which were reported by various media outlets,
are baseless, President Mahmoud Abbas has affirmed that he didn't intend to
do harm to Judaism or to offend Jewish people around the world,” the
statement said.

The PLO also affirmed that Abbas “rejected all claims that accuse him and
the Palestinian people of offending the Jewish religion,” adding that he
“also condemned all accusations of anti-Semitism.”

While the main thrust of Abbas’s speech to the EU parliament centered on
condemning the international community’s complacency with Israel’s illegal
occupation, his off-transcript remarks regarding the alleged incitement by
Israeli rabbis made headlines and sparked outrage in Israel.

"Only a week ago, a number of rabbis in Israel announced, and made a clear
announcement, demanding that their government poison the water to kill the
Palestinians," Abbas reportedly said. "Isn't that clear incitement to commit
mass killings against the Palestinian people?"

Various media outlets, including Gulf News and Turkish state news agency
Anadalu reported that a rabbi or group of rabbis had issued such an
advisory, though the reports were later debunked by Reuters and other
Israeli media sites.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted to the speech, accusing
Abbas of anti-Semitism for spreading a medieval-era “blood libel.”

"Israel awaits the day when (Abbas) stops spreading lies and dealing in
incitement. Until then, Israel will continue to defend itself against
Palestinian incitement, which motivates acts of terrorism," the statement
said.

The statement also slammed Abbas for refusing to meet with Israeli President
Reuven Rivlin for direct negotiations in Brussels, a meeting that had
reportedly been proposed by President of the European Parliament Martin
Schulz and subsequently welcomed by Rivlin.


Abbas has rejected Netanyahu's demands for bilateral peace negotiations, and
has instead pushed for the EU-endorsed French initiative for a multilateral,
international conference to restart the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.


In the retraction of the statements made during the EU parliament speech,
Abbas for his part also “condemned all illegitimate practices and policies
by the Israeli occupation authorities and settlers against the Palestinian
people, which have included incitement against the Palestinian people and
their rights.”

Both Palestinian and Israeli leadership have accused each other of inciting
and encouraging the current wave of upheaval in the occupied Palestinian
territory and Israel that began in October.