Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud AbbasIssam Rimawi/Flash 90

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas issued condemnations of two terrorist attacks within the span of a month - an investigation of the texts reveals there is a world of difference between apparently sincere condemnations he makes, and insincere ones when Jews at prayer are the victims.

In the first of the two cases, both of which were reported on by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), Abbas responded to the gruesome slaughter of four Jews at prayer in a Jerusalem synagogue in Har Nof committed by two Arab terrorists from Jerusalem armed with hatchets, knives and guns.

"The President's (Abbas's) Office has always condemned the murder of citizens on any side, and today, it condemns the murder of the worshippers in the synagogue in West Jerusalem," Abbas said at the time. In the same breath he justified the attack, saying "in addition, it condemns all acts of violence regardless of their source, and demands an end to the invasions of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the provocations of the settlers, and the incitement on the part of several Israeli ministers."

Leaving absolutely no doubts as to the insincere nature of the condemnation, an MP in Abbas's Fatah movement explained it was made for "diplomacy" and that Abbas "is forced to speak this way to the world." Abbas's PA celebrated the "heroic" attack and explained the condemnation was a lie, going on to warp the attack to be an "Israeli attack."

So what does it sound like when Abbas sincerely condemns terror?

An example was given on Tuesday when Abbas wrote to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to condemn an attack by an Islamist terrorist, who took a Sydney cafe hostage and ended up murdering two citizens before being killed.

Abbas wrote "it is with great anxiety that we learned of the loathsome terror attack in Sidney in which dozens of innocent civilians from among your nation, our friend, are being held (hostage). In the name of the State of Palestine and its people and in my name personally, we condemn such loathsome and criminal acts, and (hereby) express our absolute rejection of them."

Continuing, he added "(such acts) are contrary to all human values, conventions and morals, as well as to monotheistic religions. We emphasize to your country, government and nation that we stand beside you in these difficult circumstances, which we hope will be resolved through the liberation of the hostages and their return to their families in full health."