PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas
PA Chairman Mahmoud AbbasIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Twice in the past two weeks, official Palestinian Authority TV has broadcast a song which expresses longing for a world without Israel.

The lyrics of the song express a desire for the Israeli cities of Haifa, Jaffa, Akko, Ramle and Nazareth to be part of “my country,” which is Palestine, where all cities would be accessible “with no borders.”

The music video, which aired on January 30 and again on February 9, was translated by the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) research institute and presented on its website. The official PA TV is run by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction, who has often been described as more moderate than the Hamas terror group, whose charter states that Israel must be destroyed.

The following is the transcript of the song as translated by the PMW and which includes places such as Nazareth, the Galilee, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Akko, and Haifa, all of which are Israeli cities and places:

“I wish I could enter my country with no borders...
I will go about in Bethlehem and in Al-Aqsa [Mosque], which is held captive
I will eat lunch in Nazareth and eat dinner in Beit Sahour...
I do not forget Jenin nor Nablus [Shechem], and the Galilee
I do not forget you, Jaffa, your long sea [shore]
I will never forget the olives of the Galilee
Even if our path has grown long, one day we will return:
To Jerusalem, to Gaza, to Acre, to Haifa, oh Lord.
To Jerusalem, to Ramle, to Acre, to Haifa, oh Lord...
I wish I could enter my country with no borders.”

PMW often exposes such instances of “double talk” by the PA’s official media. These incidents occur despite Abbas often telling international media that he is in favor of peace with Israel.

Recently, PMW exposed statements made by the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, against Jews.

At an event marking the 47th anniversary of the Fatah movement, Hussein said that the killing of Jews by Muslims is a religious Islamic goal.

He cited the Hadith (Islamic tradition attributed to Muhammad) saying that “the Hour [of Resurrection] will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones or trees will call: ‘Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’”

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein later requested that a criminal investigation on suspicion of incitement to violence and racism be opened against the Mufti.

The statements were condemned by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as well as by President Shimon Peres. The Mufti denied that he called for genocide of Jews, saying that “sentences were cut from my speech” and added that “Islam calls for respect of all human beings. I am amazed that these comments were attributed to me.”