Rami Hamdallah
Rami HamdallahFlash 90

The Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, has criticized Israel's alleged "extremist" policies, which it claims include calls for revenge, collective punishment against the Palestinian people, and incitement against the Palestinian leadership.

In an official statement, the PA condemned the closure imposed on the town of Yatta near Hevron following last week's deadly terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, saying that it is an example of collective punishment that has become official Israeli policy and is a "flagrant violation" of international law.

The two terrorists who carried out the recent attack in Tel Aviv came from Yatta, and Israel only surrounded the city after information about the attack came to light. Earlier this week the IDF loosened the closure significantly.

The message emphasized that the Palestinian people, "like other nations under occupation", have the right to fight and defend themselves using any means permitted under international law. Unfortunately, it did not show what statutes in international law permit the murder of innocent civilians trying to eat dinner.

The governing body further emphasized its opposition to the "settlement policy," "war crimes," and "extrajudicial executions" of Palestinians. The PA and other pro-Palestinian groups have consistently pursued a contradictory policy of hailing terrorists killed while trying to kill Israelis as heroes, while simultaneously claiming they were killed by Israel for no reason whatsoever.

Finally, the PA demanded that Israel evacuate the special police forces stationed on the Temple Mount complex, remove the metal barriers spread around the complex's gates and cease all police presence at the entrance to the Old City, in order to make it easier for Muslim worshipers to reach the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The statement did not suggest any concern for Israelis or Jews, who are often targeted for harassment and violence by Muslims on the Temple Mount.