PMW Bulletin
Oct. 18, 2016
Abbas' Antisemitic advisor's duplicity: With Israeli President last week, he
is for: "eradication of religious hatred"
Yet to Palestinians he preaches religious hatred: Jews represent "evil,"
"falsehood," "the devils," and "the satans" and Israel is "Satan's project"
[Official PA TV, Oct. 23, 2015]

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

Earlier this month, Israel's president Reuven Rivlin met with Mahmoud Abbas'
Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, at a meeting
with Israeli rabbis and Palestinian religious leaders. [The New York Times,
Oct. 13, 2016]

The meeting was "intended, according to organizers, to forge a joint effort
against religious violence, and to promote peace and coexistence," the New
York Times wrote, citing a statement released by the participants:


"We believe the deliberate killing of or attempt to kill innocents is
terrorism, whether it is committed by Muslims, Jews or others. In this
spirit, we encourage all our people to work for a just peace, mutual respect
for human life and for the status quo on the holy sites, and the eradication
of religious hatred."
[The New York Times, Oct. 13, 2016]


This example of Al-Habbash participating in a "co-existence" event with
Israelis and presenting himself as a peace-seeking moderate is typical of
the Palestinian Authority leadership's duplicity. To his Palestinian
audience, Al-Habbash does not ever try to "eradicate religious hatred," but
just the opposite. He promotes religious hatred and even preached that
according to Islam it's prohibited to recognize Israel's existence of even a
millimeter of land.



In addition to being Abbas' advisor, Mahmoud Al-Habbash serves as the PA's
Supreme Shari'ah Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah
Justice.


Palestinian Media Watch is re-publicizing PMW's report on Al-Habbash. It
documents his demonization of Israel as "Satan's project" and of Jews as
cooperating with devils and satans throughout history and representing "evil
and falsehood." Al-Habbash teaches Palestinians that the conflict between
Israel and the Palestinians is "the historic conflict between truth and
falsehood, between good and evil," thereby promoting and cementing religious
hatred rather than eradicating it:

Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "The conflict here in Palestine between us and the
criminal occupation and its criminal leaders, is a further manifestation of
our trials, a further manifestation of the historic conflict between truth
and falsehood, between good and evil. Throughout history, there has been a
conflict between good and evil. The good is represented by the prophets and
their supporters. The evil is represented by the devils and their
supporters, by the satans and their supporters. We are not inventing
anything new here. This is a conflict between two entities, good and evil,
between two projects: Allah's project vs. Satan's project, a project
connected to Allah, which is his will - true and good - and a project
connected to oppression and Satanism, to Satanism and animosity, occupation
and barbarism."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 23, 2015]

Click to view
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=16057

PMW's report also includes examples of Al-Habbash's denial of Israel's right
to exist and his dismissal of any Jewish ties to Jerusalem in general and
the Western Wall specifically.


Just this week, Habbash expressed these denials again:

Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian land. Jerusalem is
the property of the Palestinians. The UNESCO resolution yesterday [Oct. 13,
2016] is a victory for the truth. It is a victory for justice. It is a
victory for the true history of this land and for all of humanity. UNESCO's
resolution confirms what we think and believe in, that Jerusalem and the
Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, and the Al-Buraq Wall (i.e., Western Wall) and
the Al-Buraq [Wall] plaza are all purely Islamic and Palestinian assets and
no one has the right to be our partner in that. No one has the right. We are
the owners and we have the right to it. Only the Muslims have the right to
the Al-Aqsa [Mosque] and the Al-Buraq [Wall] and the Al-Buraq [Wall] plaza
which is purely Islamic waqf property... This is a message to Israel from us
(i.e., the Palestinians) that we have the right and from all of the
international community. [The message] from us is that we will not renounce
our right as long as we live. And even if we die, future generations will
follow us from our sons and grandchildren who will adhere to this right."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 14, 2016]
Click to view
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=18917

PMW originally released the report and sent it to the Hebrew University and
its students, when Al-Habbash was scheduled to speak at the university - a
talk he cancelled due to alleged "threats to his life," after PMW publicized
the report.

Al-Habbash has since repeated the PA claim that Jews have no historical
rights to Jerusalem and the Western Wall, stating that Jews are "thieves who
stole the land, and who want to steal the history," [Official PA TV, June 3,
2016] and that "Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque plaza are Islamic waqf
(i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law) land that cannot
be denigrated and conceded. We cannot allow or agree to it being under
sovereignty that is not Muslim sovereignty." [Official PA TV, July 2, 2016]
In this statement, Al-Habbash did not include demonization of Israel and
Jews, presenting the conflict as a conflict "of narratives."

Al-Habbash is constantly denying Israel's connection to Jerusalem, and
denying fundamental Jewish religious and historical rights:

"Jerusalem is Arab Palestinian land, and only Muslims, Arabs, and
Palestinians have a right to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, with all of its
components and plazas that reach 148 dunams (around 36.5 acres -Ed.), and
the Jews have no right to it under any circumstances."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 17, 2016]

The following is PMW's report on Abbas' advisor Al-Habbash from February
2016:

Abbas' advisor

Promotes Antisemitism: Jews represent "evil," "falsehood," "the devils" and
"the satans"
Israel is "Satan's project"

Preaches that Islam prohibits recognizing Israel: "According
to Islamic Shari'ah law, the entire land of Palestine is Waqf" (i.e., an
inalienable religious endowment)... it is prohibited to sell, bestow
ownership or facilitate the occupation of even a millimeter of it."

Glorifies terrorists: We show "our respect, honor, and appreciation for
those who are more honorable than us, the Martyrs"
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=16057

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

Palestinian Media Watch has reported at length on Al-Habbash and his
messages to Palestinians. At the beginning of the terror wave (Sept. 2015 -
mid-2016), Al-Habbash preached Antisemitism in a sermon broadcast on
official PA TV, explaining that Jews represent "evil," "falsehood," "the
devils" and "the satans" and that Israel is "Satan's project."

Al-Habbash has on several occasions presented all of Israel as the "land of
Ribat" and a "Waqf" - meaning all of Israel is Islamic land and an
inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law. He also stressed that this
means that Palestinians are prohibited under Islamic law from accepting
Israel's existence in any borders, because they are prohibited from giving
up Palestine - "even a millimeter of it."

Al-Habbash has also defended the terrorist murderers of the last terror
wave, explaining that they are "more honorable than us," and glorified them
as "Martyrs" - Shahids - the highest honor a Muslim can achieve. During a
similar upsurge in terror attacks in 2014, Al-Habbash specifically stated
that the PA leadership supported the terrorists.

Antisemitic hate speech by Abbas' advisor: Jews represent "evil," Israel is
"the project of Satan"
According to Al-Habbash, Jews throughout history have represented
"falsehood," "evil," "the devils," and "Satan," and therefore Israel is
"Satan's project," whereas the Palestinians constitute "the good" and
"Allah's project":


Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "The conflict here in Palestine between us and the
criminal occupation and its criminal leaders, is a further manifestation of
our trials, a further manifestation of the historic conflict between truth
and falsehood, between good and evil. Throughout history, there has been a
conflict between good and evil. The good is represented by the prophets and
their supporters. The evil is represented by the devils and their
supporters, by the satans and their supporters. We are not inventing
anything new here. This is a conflict between two entities, good and evil,
between two projects: Allah's project vs. Satan's project, a project
connected to Allah, which is his will - true and good - and a project
connected to oppression and Satanism, to Satanism and animosity, occupation
and barbarism."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 23, 2015]

Click to view
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=16057


Denial of Israel's right to exist by Abbas' advisor: "According to Islamic
Shari'ah law, the entire land of Palestine is Waqf" (i.e., an inalienable
religious endowment)"
According to Al-Habbash, Palestinians must not recognize Israel in any
borders simply because Islam prohibits it. He has explained that it is
"prohibited to sell, bestow ownership or facilitate the occupation of even a
millimeter" of "the entire land of Palestine" - which for Palestinians
includes all of Israel:


"Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the Supreme Shari'ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas'
advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, said that selling or handing over
lands and real estate in Jerusalem and all of Palestine to the Israeli
occupation or settlers constitutes treason and a violation of Islamic law.
He emphasized that anyone committing this crime - whether as a [real estate]
agent or seller - is not part of the nation, and must be responsible for his
crime. In addition, he issued a call to fight the groups of traitors - to
isolate and boycott them in any way possible.
Al-Habbash emphasized that according to Islamic Shari'ah law, the entire
land of Palestine is Waqf (i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in
Islamic law) and is blessed land, and that it is prohibited to sell, bestow
ownership or facilitate the occupation of even a millimeter of it."

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 22, 2014]

For comparison, Article 11 of the Hamas Charter says exactly the same:

"The Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] believes that the land of Palestine
is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement
Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it,
should not be given up."

Al-Habbash has included the Western Wall, the holiest place in Judaism, as
part of the "Islamic Waqf," and stated that it is "a property of the
Muslims... an Islamic right... This property belongs to me and all Muslims."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 28, 2015]

Glorification of terrorists by Abbas' advisor: We show "our respect, honor,
and appreciation for those who are more honorable than us, the Martyrs"
Defending the incessant glorification of terrorists and murderers by PA
leaders, as well as the terrorist crimes themselves, Al-Habbash has during
the terror wave proclaimed that: "We do not incite," and justified the
praise for terrorists as showing "our respect, honor, and appreciation for
those who are more honorable than us, the Martyrs":

"Some accuse us of incitement against others. What incitement? Are we
inciting? ... If by incitement they are talking about our insistence on
holding on to our principles, and our respect, honor, and appreciation for
those more honorable than us, the Martyrs who fall for Palestine - if that
is what they call incitement - we do not deny this, and are not ashamed of
it, and we do not renounce it. Indeed - we cling to our right, our land, our
holy sites, our Jerusalem and our Al-Aqsa Mosque... We adhere to our right
to defend ourselves."

[Official PA TV, Dec. 11, 2015]

Click to view
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=17143

During the two months of terror attacks in October-December 2014, Al-Habbash
expressed the PA leadership's unequivocal support for the attackers, stating
that: "We are behind them in every movement, in every action and every
deed."


"First of all, allow me to say that we kiss every forehead, every hand and
even every foot that carries out Ribat (religious conflict/ war over land
claimed to be Islamic) at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and in Jerusalem... I am not
talking about strengthening their resolve; I am talking about participating
in their resolve... We are behind them. The leadership is with them. A few
days ago, President [Mahmoud Abbas] greeted them, reinforced them and
requested more Ribat from them. This statement may have angered the Israelis
and the occupation, that the President is inciting the Palestinians from
Jerusalem to [perform] Ribat. Yes, we are inciting the people in Jerusalem
to [perform] Ribat.
Ribat means to protect and to hold on to your ground. We are with them in
every movement, in every action and every deed, and we welcome what they are
doing at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."

[Official PA TV, Nov. 5, 2014]

Click to view
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=860&fld_id=860&doc_id=13076

Al-Habbash's referral to dead terrorists as "Martyrs" - Shahids - is
crucial, and another sign of the high esteem in which Palestinians hold
anyone who died while attacking, injuring, and murdering Israelis. When he
served as PA Minister of Religious Affairs, Al-Habbash explained in a sermon
broadcast on official PA TV the value of Shahada - Martyrdom-death for
Allah:


"After prophecy and righteousness there is no status Allah has exalted more
than Shahada (Martyrdom)... ''And think not of those who have been killed in
Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from
their Lord.'
Allah forbade us to consider them [the Shahids (Martyrs)] (as dead or to
speak of them as being dead... They went smiling to their deaths... The
Shahid has merit with Allah, a merit that no one else has... No one - not
even the righteous - yearns to return to this world after death. Only
Shahids. Why? Because they see the great honor Allah has prepared for them.
One of them aspired to return to this world in order to be killed again, in
order to die as a Shahid yet again... Allah spoke with one of them (a
Shahid), Jabir ibn Abdullah... After all he saw in Paradise, he wanted to
return and be killed [again] in order to taste the pain of death a second
time. Abdullah said to Him:
'Lord, then tell those who follow us about what we have found.'
Allah Himself is conveying to us the message from the Shahids. The prophets
convey Allah's message and Allah conveys the message of the Shahids. What
kindness!
'The Shahid - his sins are forgiven with the first gush of his blood from
his wound...
The Shahid advocates on behalf of 70 members of his family, and saves them
all from hell. The Shahid lives together with the prophets and the righteous
ones.'
When they threatened Yasser Arafat, [he said] 'You threaten me with death?
I yearn to die! I come only to it; I seek only it.'
We will never reach the level of the prophets. We won't. So let us reach the
level of the Shahids. I say to you, brothers, as the Prophet [Muhammad]
said: 'He who honestly seeks Shahada, Allah will give him the status of the
Shahids, even if he dies in his bed.'"

[Official PA TV, Nov. 8, 2013]


In 2014, when Al-Habbash was invited to speak at Ben Gurion University about
"religious tolerance," PMW reported on his promotion of religious war.

Click to view more statements by Al-Habbash on PMW's website.

The following is a longer excerpt of Al-Habbash's defense of glorification
of terrorists:


Official PA TV, Friday sermon by Supreme Shari'ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas'
advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council
for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash at the Muqata'a mosque in Ramallah

Al-Habbash talks about the accusations of incitement against the
Palestinians and says that the Palestinian culture, religion, and values
prevent them from spreading hate and attacking, and that they will continue
to honor 'Martyrs.'

"The whole world... everyone knows the truth, knows that we are a people
subject to aggression, oppression and persecution, whose rights have been
denied, and land taken, and has been denied a dignified humane life. And
yet - only a few speak the truth and take a just stand. Some accuse us of
incitement against others. What incitement? Are we inciting? Originally, our
culture, religion, and values prevent us from spreading the culture of hate,
and prevent us from attacking others - neither with actions, nor with words.
Our religion and our Quran tell us: 'Do not attack... Allah does not love
aggressors.' If by 'incitement' they are talking about our insistence on
holding on to our principles, and our respect, honor, and appreciation for
those who are more honorable than us, the Martyrs (Shahids) who fall for
Palestine - if that is what they call incitement - we do not deny these
standpoints, and are not ashamed of them, and we do not renounce or retreat
from them. Indeed - we cling to our right, our land our holy [sites], our
Jerusalem and our Al-Aqsa Mosque... we adhere to our right to defend
ourselves and thrust off the oppression from our people... and we continue
to honor our Martyrs and to respect them and to raise them above our heads."
[emphasis added, Official PA TV, Dec. 11, 2015]