Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who the West often claims is a “peace partner” for Israel, on Wednesday night hosted families of terrorists from Jerusalem, some of whom carried out deadly attacks against Jews.
The meeting, which took place at Abbas’s headquarters in Ramallah, was held just hours after three Palestinian Arab terrorists carried out a shooting and stabbing attack at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, killing one Border Police officer, Hadar Cohen, and wounding a second one.
In attendance at the meeting were family members of 11 terrorists who carried out attacks during the last four months and whose bodies are still being held by Israel.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways to return the bodies of the terrorists to their families. Abbas told the families that he is making great efforts to have the bodies returned and claimed that the burial of "shahids" (martyrs) is a right and as such he is opposed to the conditions set by Israel for the release of the bodies.
The meeting was attended among others by the family of Baha Alian, one of two terrorists who carried out a shooting and stabbing attack on a bus in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in Jerusalem which killed three people.
Also in attendance were family members of terrorist Ala Abu Jamal, an employee of Bezeq who ran over civilians standing at a bus stop in the capital city's Malchei Yisrael Street just minutes after the Armon Hanatziv attack. He then got out of the car and proceeded to stab others nearby.
The fact that Abbas met with families of terrorists should come as no surprise, as he has refused to condemn attacks against Israelis and, in fact, has justified the attacks by claiming that Palestinians are driven to carry them out due to their frustration with the “difficult conditions” under which they live.
Abbas, officials who are close to him and PA media have all been responsible for much of the incitement to terrorism against Israelis.
One example of Abbas’s incitement is his infamous call on Palestinian Arabs to “liberate” the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem from Jews and their “filthy feet”.
He also was revealed to have made shocking statements on Palestinian TV, where he publicly stated that the murder of dozens of Israelis and the wounding of hundreds others is part of a "peaceful uprising."