Fatah-Controlled TV Promises Elimination of Israel
(IsraelNN.com) A new music video appearing regularly on Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority television over the past week promises the elimination of Israel and the restoration of the "Arab identity" of cities throughout the Jewish State. The propaganda clip stands in stark contrast to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's recent declarations in support of reconciliation with Israel, issued ahead of the upcoming multinational Middle East peace conference organized by the United States.
As explained by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of Palestinian Media Watch, "While the Palestinian Authority announces in English its demand for a two-state solution, to its own people in Arabic it continues to define all of Israel as 'Palestine,' and to promise Israel's destruction. A new video clip, broadcast numerous times daily since it first appeared on Fatah-controlled TV last week, passionately promises 'Mother' that every Israeli city will be 'liberated' because its 'identity is Arab' and 'Palestinian.'"
"We will liberate the Land..." the PA singer chants, "[which] is Arab in history and identity, Palestine is Arab in history and identity." The "Palestine" that is to be "liberated," according to the song, includes cities such as Jerusalem, Acre, Haifa, Bethlehem, Jaffa, Be'er Sheva, Tiberias, Hevron and Ramle, as well as the Galilee. Most of those cities listed are located within pre-1967 Israel.
"This is significant not only because it was broadcast on Fatah TV," note Marcus and Crook, "but because the constant repetition of this clip promising Israel's destruction comes at the very time that the world is preparing for a peace conference."
The PMW analysts termed the juxtaposition of English-language messages of peace and Arabic-language internal propaganda that is virulently anti-Israel "duplicity," and said that Yasser Arafat, as chairman of the PA, was a "notorious" deceiver in this regard. "Israel paid dearly for its trust in Arafat's English pronouncements," according to Marcus and Crook, "with more than 1,000 killed and tens of thousands wounded in the Palestinian Authority-led terror war.
"Today's leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, was Arafat's right hand man and partner during the first duplicity period. To Israel and the U.S. in English, he is talking peace. To his people in Arabic, through his TV and schoolbooks, he is promoting hatred and promising the destruction of Israel. Is Abbas following Arafat's successful duplicity tactic? It is incumbent upon Israel and the world to verify this before going further," conclude the PMW directors.
The lyrics of the latest PA video calling for Israel's elimination, as recorded from PA TV on October 23, 2007 and translated by PMW, are as follows:
"Oh mother, they destroyed our house
The house of my brother and my neighbor [2X]
Do not be angry, oh mother, we got more stones [2X]
We are Palestinians, we are not terrorists [2X]
"We have the right, oh mother, we want to bring our home back
Hand in hand, and arm in arm, we will protect your land, Palestine
We will pray in Al-Aqsa and the [Church] of the Nativity, Islam and Christians
[2X]
"We will liberate [Palestine] the Land of Religions.
And we will build Jerusalem of the homelands.
We are the sons of glory, oh mother....
"We are Palestinians we are not terrorists
We are the students of freedom we are not terrorists
"Oh Arab, oh noble son, your blood is in my blood and your business is my business
Peace will be achieved through unity, oh my brother and cousin
The land is Arab in history and identity
Palestine is Arab in history and identity
We will live in peace, oh mother, and our lives will not be wasted
"Oh mother, they destroyed our house
The house of my brother and my neighbor [2X]
Do not be angry, oh mother, our rocks increased [in number]
"From Jerusalem and Acre, from Haifa and Jericho and Gaza and Ramallah [2X]
From Bethlehem and Jaffa, from Be’er Sheva and Ramla, [2X]
from Nablus to the Galilee, from Tiberias to Hebron." [2x]
As explained by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of Palestinian Media Watch, "While the Palestinian Authority announces in English its demand for a two-state solution, to its own people in Arabic it continues to define all of Israel as 'Palestine,' and to promise Israel's destruction. A new video clip, broadcast numerous times daily since it first appeared on Fatah-controlled TV last week, passionately promises 'Mother' that every Israeli city will be 'liberated' because its 'identity is Arab' and 'Palestinian.'"
"We will liberate the Land..." the PA singer chants, "[which] is Arab in history and identity, Palestine is Arab in history and identity." The "Palestine" that is to be "liberated," according to the song, includes cities such as Jerusalem, Acre, Haifa, Bethlehem, Jaffa, Be'er Sheva, Tiberias, Hevron and Ramle, as well as the Galilee. Most of those cities listed are located within pre-1967 Israel.
"This is significant not only because it was broadcast on Fatah TV," note Marcus and Crook, "but because the constant repetition of this clip promising Israel's destruction comes at the very time that the world is preparing for a peace conference."
The PMW analysts termed the juxtaposition of English-language messages of peace and Arabic-language internal propaganda that is virulently anti-Israel "duplicity," and said that Yasser Arafat, as chairman of the PA, was a "notorious" deceiver in this regard. "Israel paid dearly for its trust in Arafat's English pronouncements," according to Marcus and Crook, "with more than 1,000 killed and tens of thousands wounded in the Palestinian Authority-led terror war.
"Today's leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, was Arafat's right hand man and partner during the first duplicity period. To Israel and the U.S. in English, he is talking peace. To his people in Arabic, through his TV and schoolbooks, he is promoting hatred and promising the destruction of Israel. Is Abbas following Arafat's successful duplicity tactic? It is incumbent upon Israel and the world to verify this before going further," conclude the PMW directors.
The lyrics of the latest PA video calling for Israel's elimination, as recorded from PA TV on October 23, 2007 and translated by PMW, are as follows:
"Oh mother, they destroyed our house
The house of my brother and my neighbor [2X]
Do not be angry, oh mother, we got more stones [2X]
We are Palestinians, we are not terrorists [2X]
"We have the right, oh mother, we want to bring our home back
Hand in hand, and arm in arm, we will protect your land, Palestine
We will pray in Al-Aqsa and the [Church] of the Nativity, Islam and Christians
[2X]
"We will liberate [Palestine] the Land of Religions.
And we will build Jerusalem of the homelands.
We are the sons of glory, oh mother....
"We are Palestinians we are not terrorists
We are the students of freedom we are not terrorists
"Oh Arab, oh noble son, your blood is in my blood and your business is my business
Peace will be achieved through unity, oh my brother and cousin
The land is Arab in history and identity
Palestine is Arab in history and identity
We will live in peace, oh mother, and our lives will not be wasted
"Oh mother, they destroyed our house
The house of my brother and my neighbor [2X]
Do not be angry, oh mother, our rocks increased [in number]
"From Jerusalem and Acre, from Haifa and Jericho and Gaza and Ramallah [2X]
From Bethlehem and Jaffa, from Be’er Sheva and Ramla, [2X]
from Nablus to the Galilee, from Tiberias to Hebron." [2x]