Palestinian debate:‎ Should Jews be called descendants of apes and pigs?‎

by Guest Thu Apr 02, 2015 4:30 pm

A recent statement by a Fatah official may be the basis for cautious optimism regarding Palestinian ongoing demonization of Jews. For years, PA religious leaders, officials and even poems recited by children have presented Jews as "descendants of apes and pigs." However, after Fatah Revolutionary Council member Muwaffaq Matar, who is a Christian, was insulted by Hamas, who called him "a descendant of apes and pigs," he rejected the use of this religious hate speech that is normally directed at Jews, saying "it is not part of our values":

"They [Hamas] said: 'It seems that Muwaffaq Matar is a descendant of apes and pigs, physically and mentally.' This is racism... Naturally, they use this expression about the Jews. This is unfortunate. We also reject these expressions, because they are not part of our values, absolutely not."

[Fatah-run Awdah TV, Feb. 23, 2015]

This is a clear challenge to what has been a long-term PA policy. Palestinian Media Watch documented that the PA TV sermon broadcast just three weeks before Matar's statement included this Antisemitic statement, quoting the Quran:

"Many Muslims are being harmed these days by a group whose hearts were sealed by Allah. 'He made of them [Jews] apes and pigs and slaves of deities' (Quran, 5:60)."

[Official PA TV, Jan. 30, 2015]

Similarly, Palestinian education seems to promote this view, as youth and children recite poems describing Jews as descendants of apes and pigs on PA TV. A young man recited this last year on PA TV:

http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=14416

Glad to see and this is a good start.to denying hate speech