Abbas: Aim guns against occupation

[furman]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1167467711961&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

an. 11, 2007 14:37 | Updated Jan. 12, 2007 1:16
Abbas: Aim guns against occupation
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH JPOST.COM STAFF
RAMALLAH, West Bank

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called on Palestinians to refrain from internal fighting and to direct their guns only against Israeli "occupation."

Abbas, speaking during a rally marking the 42nd anniversary of the founding of his Fatah party, told thousands of supporters that the Palestinian struggle would continue until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. He also expressed opposition to the idea of establishing a Palestinian state with temporary borders.

...

"When Fatah was established, it was accused of treason and we were chased in every place," Abbas told the crowd. "But with the will and determination of its sons, Fatah has and will continue. We will not give up our principles and we have said that rifles should be directed against the occupation."

Appealing to Palestinians to avoid civil war, Abbas said: "We are all one people regardless of differences of opinion. My top priority is to preserve national unity, because Palestinian infighting and blood are a red line that must not be crossed."

Defending his call to use weapons against Israel, he added: "We have a legitimate right to direct our guns against Israeli occupation. It is forbidden to use these guns against Palestinians. The occupation has perpetrated brutal attacks in Jenin, Beit Hanun and Ramallah."

...

--------------------------

So much for the fiction that Abbas is a "moderate" as being portrayed by the media, except maybe compared to Hamas.

[burythehatchet]

1. Moderate = allow IDF tanks to roll over the skulls of your children

How is the view in your colon?

[atreides1]

2. Maybe he's not a moderate

But he's doing the same thing that anyone who was under occupation would be doing, even here in the US, calling for internal peace by giving all sides a common enemy to fight against.

Not moderate, but pragmatic.

[furman]

3. On the contrary, it is self-destructive to Palestinian society and the peace process

You said: "But he's doing the same thing that anyone who was under occupation would be doing, even here in the US, calling for internal peace by giving all sides a common enemy to fight against."

So are you legitimizing continued Palestinian terror attacks and Quassam rocket firing at Israel?

[Howardx]

4. cmon

thats so lame furman, why did you leave out "not moderate but pragmatic"?

realistically assessing someones actions equals legitimizing terror? the poster never stated he was in favor of the terror just that from abbas standpoint it was a pragmatic move.

[furman]

5. It is not pragmatic to advocate for continuing attacks against Israel

The title of my previous post "On the contrary, it is self-destructive to Palestinian society and the peace process" was meant as a response to the "not moderate but pragmatic".

I did not try to misquote or change the meaning of the other person's post.

[Howardx]

6. fine but......

you failed to address this

"realistically assessing someones actions equals legitimizing terror? the poster never stated he was in favor of the terror just that from abbas standpoint it was a pragmatic move."

[furman]

7. That is why I asked the question, Howardx.

The only way I can see it as being a pragmatic move is if Abbas is mostly interested in continuing the plight of the Palestinians and not really looking for an end to the conflict with Israel.

[Howardx]

8. ok

i may have misunderstood you, sorry. i dont know about abbas, he seems to be the one we are backing but statements like this dont help the situation.