The Palestinian use of lies and disinformation has been well known for many years but, in recent days it has reached new heights, the likes of which we have not seen before.
The false reports published in the Palestinian media, or by their spokespeople in the international media, have a double purpose: on the one hand, to delegitimize Israel and, on the other hand, to distract world attention from the Palestinian Authority's deep involvement in terrorism. The Palestinian collection of lies is particularly disturbing in light of the well-known phenomenon that when a lie is repeated often enough it becomes the truth, even if it has no basis.
Even more disturbing is the willingness of the international media to serve as the instrument for publicizing the Palestinian claims, without checking their veracity and knowing that in many cases they are without foundation. The denials, if they are published later, receive much less publicity; by then, the damage has been done. Below are a few examples of fabrications disseminated by the Palestinians: "The Arafat is in danger" lie
One of the most popular themes, arising from the restrictions placed on Arafat, is the fear for the life of the president. On March 31, Yasser Abed Rabo said, in an interview to the Al Jazeera television station, that a warning was received that the IDF would enter the compound in Ramallah, and that this step was planned by Sharon with the intent to kill Yasser Arafat. The same day, Hassan Asfor said to BBC radio that the IDF had broken into Arafat's offices and that the situation was dangerous, "on the brink of disaster". Also on the same day, Saeb Erekat said on Egyptian television that he was unable to make contact with Arafat and that he feared for his life. Erekat repeated this in an interview he gave to CNN on April 6. These fears were all proven to be unfounded.
Denying Jewish connection to the Land of Israel
According to a statement issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Information, December 10, 1997: 'There is no tangible evidence of any Jewish traces/remains in the old city of Jerusalem and its immediate vicinity' (). 'The Al-Buraq Wall [Western Wall] and its plaza are a Muslim religious
property ? [It is] part if the Al Aqsa Mosque. The Jews have no relation
to it' (Arafat-appointed Mufti of Jerusalem, Al Ayyam [PA newspaper],
November 22, 1997). 'The Al-Buraq wall is Muslim property and it is part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque'
(Arafat's Minister of Religious Affairs, Hassan Tahboob, Interview with
Israeli Jews Agency IMRA, November 22, 1997) 'That is not the Western Wall at all, but a Moslem shrine' (Arafat,
Ma'ariv, Oct. 11, 1996). 'All the events surrounding Kings Saul, David and Rehoboam occured in
Yeman, and no Hebrew remnants were found in Israel, for a very simple
reason -because they were never there' (Arab historian Jarid al-Kidwa, on
PLO education program, June 1997 (quoted in Ha'aretz, July 6, 1997). 'Jerusalem is not a Jewish city, despite the Biblical myth implanted in
some minds ? There is no tangible evidence of Jewish existence from the
so-called 'Temple Mount Era' ? The location of the Temple Mount is in
question ? it might be in Jericho or somewhere else' (Walid Awad, Director
of Foreign Publications for the PLO's Ministry of Information, interviewed
by the IMRA news agency, Dec. 25, 1996). 'Abraham was neither Jewish nor a Hebrew, but was simply an Iraqi. The
Jews have no right to claim part of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron,
Abraham's resting place, as a synagogue. Rather, the whole building should
be a mosque' (Arafat, quoted in the Jerusalem Report, Dec. 26, 1996).
- Denial of the Holocaust
'The persecution of the Jews is a deceitful myth which the Jews have
labeled the Holocaust and have exploited to get sympathy' (PA newspaper
Al-Hayat AL-Jadeeda, July 2, 1998).'The Nazis probably killed less than one million Jews and the Zionist
movement was a partner in the slaughter' (Quote from a book written by Abu
Mazen, Arafat's number 2 man and senior Oslo negotiator). '[The Holocaust] is a forged claim by the Zionists regarding the alleged
acts of slaughter perpetrated against the Jews' (PA newspaper, Al-Hayat
Al-Jadidah, Sept. 3, 1997). 'It is a well-known fact that every year the Jews exaggerate what the Nazis
did to them. They claim there were 6 million killed, but precise
scientific research demonstrates that there were no more than 400,000' (PA
Television, Aug. 25, 1997).
The "massacre" lie
Almost every battle wherein terrorists are killed, is called a "massacre".
Jibril Rajoub (March 30, on MAHAD TV, a local television station in Ramallah) accused Israel of carrying out a "massacre," executing 30 Palestinians in Ramallah. The announcement was also broadcast on Al Jazeera and other stations. The reality, of course, is different: in battles which took place on that day in Ramallah, 9 Palestinians were killed - all of them armed.
The "several priests were killed" lie
Palestinian television reported on April 2, on the basis of an official announcement by the Palestinian leadership, that a priest named Jacques Amathis had been killed and dozens of monks wounded in an IDF action in Bethlehem. The announcement was published prominently in the Italian and French media and prompted a storm of protest. The following day the 'late" priest was interviewed by the MINSA agency and confirmed that he and the monks in the monastery were safe and well.
The "attack on holy places" lie
Arafat, in an interview to Al Jazeera television on April 3, claimed that Israel had "burned the mosque" opposite Santa Maria Church in Bethlehem and "destroyed many churches and mosques." He called upon the Christian and Muslim world to take action. MAHAD TV reported that a fire had broken out in the Omar el-Hatib Mosque in Bethlehem and that the IDF was preventing the fire brigade from reaching the site to extinguish the flames. None of these charges has any factual basis.
The WAFA (Palestinian News Agency) Internet site reported on April 2 that the IDF had shelled the new mosque in Tulkarm after the muezzin called people to noon prayers. In fact, no such incident took place.
The "wanted terrorists are innocent civilians" lie
Jibril Rajoub claimed, in an interview with Syrian television network ANN on March 30, that the only people in the compound of the Preventive Security Services in Betouniya were people working for the service, women and civilians, and that there were no wanted terrorists there. The truth, of course, is somewhat different. On April 2, a number of wanted terrorists were captured in the building, including senior members of Hamas involved in many terrorist activities.
The "attack on ambulances" lie
On the WAFA Internet site, it was reported on April 2 by the Palestinian Minister of Health, Riyad Al Zanoun, that the IDF had taken control of five Palestinian ambulances in Ramallah, forced their teams to strip, and taken them to an unknown site, in order to prevent them from treating the wounded. In reality, ever since an explosive belt was discovered in a Palestinian ambulance underneath a stretcher on which a small child was lying (end of March, at the A-Ram check post), the IDF has been forced to act with extreme caution.
A similar charge, incidentally, was made on April 5 by Al Kuds newspaper, which reported that a Red Crescent ambulance was seized in El Bireh, and that IDF soldiers attacked its driver and the paramedics traveling with him. No such incident has ever taken place.
The "attack on international aid workers" lie
In an interview with Abu Dhabi television on March 29, Arafat claimed that "there was also that incident in Hebron, that insolent and criminal incident; they even attacked and killed in the Hebron area three members of the international force: two from Turkey and one of the nurses from Switzerland." In fact, in the incident in question, one of the Turkish members of the force was rescued, and he said, in a radio interview, that the attack was carried out by an uniformed Palestinian.
The "systematic torture of prisoners" lie
The Al Kuds newspaper reported on April 5 that the prisoners in Ofer Camp, near Givat Ze'ev, undergo torture, including breaking their fingers. This allegation too has no basis.
Accusing Israel when terrorist actions fail
Two examples:
The WAFA news agency reported on April 6 that a person named Ali Mustafa Abu Razek, aged 30, was shot and killed by the IDF close to the Sufa Crossing. In fact, Abu Razek was a terrorist who was trying to place an explosive device and was blown up together with the device. The WAFA agency reported on April 5 that the IDF shelled the Um Nasser neighborhood, the Al Udeh towers and the residential areas near the Salah a Din road in the northern Gaza Strip. The reality was somewhat different - the mortar shells were fired by the Palestinians themselves, but landed in their own territory.
The "spreading of pornography" lie
At the beginning of the events, IDF soldiers were accused of broadcasting pornographic films on Al Watan television in Ramallah. This claim was thoroughly investigated by the IDF and found to be baseless.
The "use of radioactive weapons" lie
Arafat has accused Israel several times of using radioactive shells. Never was any radiation measured.
The "forging of documents" lie
On April 5 Nabil Sha'ath claimed in the Saudi 'Okaz' that Israel had forged the document seized from Arafat's office in Ramallah indicating that the Palestinian Authority was funding the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade. The document is of course authentic, and in the meantime other documents have been found indicating the involvement of the Palestinian Authority and of Arafat in terrorism and in its funding.
The "Jenin massacre" lie
The most famous Palestinian lie of the year 2002 (up till now!) is no doubt that on the number of Palestinian casualties as a result of the fighting in the Jenin refugee camp during Operation Defensive Shield. After the capture of the Jenin refugee camp in April 2002, Palestinians claimed a massacre had occurred in in the camp, with up to 3000 deaths. Also Arafat's Chief Liar Saeb Erekat accused Israel of a "massacre" and published the number of 520 deaths, a lie happily repeated by the media.
Israel claimed that about 52 Palestinians were killed, of whom the majority were terrorists. Afterwards, independent teams of the United Nations, Human Right Watch, Cordaid and Amnesty International confirmed the Israeli estimations and concluded that no massacre had taken place. The UN reported that the number of Palestinian fatalities can be estimated at around 55. Of those, a number were civilians, four were women and two children.
This did not prevent BBC and CNN to continue repeating these claims.
The "total devastation of Jenin" lie
The damage and destruction of buildings in the Jenin refugee camp in April 2002, as a result of the fierce fighting between Palestinian terrorists and Israel Defense Forces, was described by the Palestinians as "total destruction of Jenin". Western media used terms like 'Hiroshima', 'moonlandscape' etc. The Israel Air Force published aerial pictures proving that about 6 % of the Jenin camp was destroyed.
Organizing fake funerals
Pictures have been taken by remote cameras of Palestinians organizing fake "funerals" in preparation for the UN committee's visit to Jenin. It is not difficult to guess how the UN committee's conclusions could have been influenced by these lies.
More PALESTINIAN LIES can be found at the IDF site on this subject.
These are just a few examples of the Palestinian well-planned lie-campaigns and mass misinformation being supplied to the leading world media networks. This campaign creates a picture of Israel as a cruel and inhumane country, which damages holy sites, persecutes first aid agencies in contravention of the Geneva Convention and so on.
Where is the western media's moral responsibility ? How can they air such misinformation without any proper check? |
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