Adnan A'it, head of the Jerusalem unit of the Tanzim terror group - the armed wing of Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah terror group - asserted Thursday that his ostensible boss had no authority over what was happening in Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem.
A'it, the “neighborhood enforcer” for the Tanzim gang in Arab villages around Jerusalem, told Israel Radio, Ynet, and other outlets that Jews and Arabs in the city were on a “slippery slope,” and that “no one has any control over what is happening.
"Things are getting worse, and will continue to get worse,” he stressed
According to A'it, the current round of tension, in which ten Israelis have been killed, mostly in knife attacks, is the fault of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
“No one but him is responsible for this situation. The Palestinian Authority does not have the resources to rule properly, and that makes Netanyahu responsible.”
Over 40 Arabs have been killed attempting or in the midst of carrying out terror attacks in the past weeks - and according to A'it, it's because Israeli security forces have a “light trigger finger,” ready to shoot even when shooting is not justified.
“What do you expect our children to do – give the soldiers who are oppressing them flowers?”
He added that the situation could get even more tense unless “real progress was made on a diplomatic solution,” and not just coming to a compromise or agreement on access to the Temple Mount.
“All Israeli governments have one objective - to keep the Palestinian Authority in charge, to keep the current situation going indefinitely, and that Abbas remain in charge to protect Israel. This will not be. Abbas believes in peace but not in being Israel's 'border guard.' Anyone who thinks this situation will last is fooling themselves.”
A'it spoke to the media outlets from his office in the Arab village of A-Ram, within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. As head of the Tanzim, he is likely to have been “very involved” in the recent rash of terror and rioting that is centered on Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem.
The nterviews with A'it sparked anger in right-wing circles over the state-funded radio's presenting a free platform for a top terrorist to present his views on why terror against Israelis is a good idea.
“Instead of arresting him they give him center stage to espouse his hate and terror,” said one right-wing activist. “Then we wonder why they feel confident and safe enough to carry out their attacks.”