Fatah calls to escalate violent Arab riots
Official PA TV News
Official PA TV newsreader: “The Fatah Movement Central Committee called on the various sectors of our people to show full commitment to the general strike tomorrow [May 18, 2021], in accordance with the announcement of The Arab Follow-Up Committee in the 1948 Territories (i.e., The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, an extra-parliamentary umbrella organization that represents Arab citizens of Israel), to emphasize our people’s unity wherever it is. In a press release, the Central Committee also called on its members and its staff to continue to act according to [the announcement], and to direct the struggle activities that condemn the [Israeli] aggression and support our people’s resolve and the declaration of a comprehensive popular day of rage tomorrow, when the popular confrontation with the occupation and the settlers will be increased to express the rejection of the occupation’s aggression in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the 1948 territories (i.e., Israel), and the West Bank.”
[Official PA TV News, May 17, 2021]
2021 violent Palestinian riots and Hamas rockets - On May 10, 2021, the terror organization Hamas launched numerous rocket barrages targeting Israeli population centers. Over a period of 10 days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad fired over 3,500 rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing 9 Israelis, and 3 foreign nationals (1 Indian caregiver and 2 Thai foreign laborers) and wounding hundreds. In response, Israel launched Operation Guardian of the Walls to target Hamas terror leaders and terror infrastructure. The Israeli army also confronted terror activity in the West Bank, and was deployed to maintain order in Israeli cities with a mixed Jewish and Arab population, where Israeli Arabs violently rioted and attacked Jews with guns, knives, and firebombs, killing 1 Israeli. In return, Jews started attacking Arabs and Arab businesses as well. Hamas’ launching of rockets followed weeks of violent Arab riots in Jerusalem. The PA’s ostensible pretexts for the wave of Arab violence were PA elections being prevented in Jerusalem; Israeli security barricades at the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City to prevent disturbances (which were later removed following violent riots); and the planned eviction of several Arab families illegally living in properties in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem owned by Jews who were expelled in the 1948 Israeli War of Independence.