Jibril Rajoub, Secretary of the Fatah Central Committee, said recently in an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is a “pragmatic, patriotic, and realistic man” and that Israel is attempting to demonize him.
Rajoub also accused Israel of “demonizing” Iran and preventing it from being admitted into international society. He stated that Israel’s “unilateral attacks” on “Palestine”, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and the whole world are threatening the stability of the region and world peace.
The comments, which were made on August 6, were translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
Fatah is the faction of Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and is often presented by Western countries as a “peace partner” for Israel, even as its officials continue to incite against Israel. These countries distinguish between Fatah and Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist organization.
Rajoub regularly incites against Israel. He has in the past said that Jews deserved the genocide inflicted on them by the Nazis.
Prior to that, he declared that if the PA had a nuclear bomb, it would use it against Israel.
In one incident, Rajoub was filmed as he verbally confronted Border Police officers at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, telling one of them to "shut up, go to hell."
Rajoub has also tried to use his position as head of the PA’s soccer federation and Olympic Committee to get Israel banned from international competitions.
Most recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused the PA’s request to bar Israel from taking part at the Paris Games. In response, Rajoub criticized the IOC and accused it of “double standards”.