Europe's continued greasing of the wheels of hate

...Indeed, along with the Palestinian Authority, this terror industry is propelled by European elements, including those with affiliations to European Union governments. Despite their declared ambition of promoting peace and understanding, they are essentially providing this terror campaign with all the fuel it needs -- incitement, justification and glorification.

Gerald M. Steinberg..
Israel Hayom..
25 October '15..

In order to maintain a prolonged terror campaign, it is imperative to cultivate a deep-seated hatred. This hatred reverberates with university graduate students, law students, phone company employees with a steady and decent paycheck, and even the minds of 13-year-old children. More than anything, however, such a campaign requires funding. Indeed, along with the Palestinian Authority, this terror industry is propelled by European elements, including those with affiliations to European Union governments. Despite their declared ambition of promoting peace and understanding, they are essentially providing this terror campaign with all the fuel it needs -- incitement, justification and glorification.

Incitement

Imams in mosques and the leaders of Fatah and Hamas use the old libel of "Al-Aqsa is in danger" to incite the Palestinian masses. Other organizations, however, also contribute to this narrative, which has proved its effectiveness. For example, the Alternative Information Center, which is registered in Israel and is directly funded, among other sources, by the EU, published a call for "solidarity with the popular Palestinian resistance," while warning that "fanatical groups of settlers supported by the government ... are desecrating the [Temple Mount] compound ... and are calling to destroy the mosque." In addition to accusing Israel of colonialist policies of ethnic cleansing, it is also claimed that Israel and "Zionist militias" are responsible for the destruction of hundreds of churches and mosques since 1948.

Justification

In an emergency report published by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, a Gaza-based organization funded by European governments (including some from the EU), Israeli victims are uniformly described as "settlers," which is supposed provide political "justification" for the violence. Moreover, the report turns the attacker into the victim and blames the Israeli security forces for committing crimes. The photograph of 13-year-old terrorist Ahmad Saleh Manasra, showing him wounded and bleeding after being neutralized, became the poster child of Palestinian propaganda; similar to Muhammad al-Dura during the Second Intifada -- used to portray Israel as a child killer. While completely ignoring video footage documenting his terrorist attack and eyewitness testimonies, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights writes in its report that Ahmad was on his way to buy a dove when he was attacked. And if that claim is not enough to render the organization's professionalism and objectives a complete and utter joke -- there are no dove stores in Pisgat Ze'ev either.


Glorification

The Palestinian Bar Association granted the terrorist Muhannad Halabi an honorary degree. At the onset of the current wave of terror, Halabi, a law student, murdered two civilians in Jerusalem and wounded a mother and her toddler son. Even a statutory body such as this uses propaganda to glorify murderers, but receives funding from the EU. The amounts are hard to believe: The PBA received part of a 21 million euro grant delivered in August 2013, after reportedly receiving a similar grant worth 35 million euros over the three previous years. Between 2011 and 2013, the EU gave some 1.5 million euros directly to the PBA to "enhance the professionalism of Palestinian lawyers."

European symbols and images of European representatives in Jerusalem adorn every page of the PBA's website. The PBA has actively encouraged terrorism for quite some time already, and has organized violent protests against Israeli security forces, hunger strikes in solidarity with security detainees, and activities aimed at "liberating Palestinian prisoners." Meanwhile, its "strategic plan" for the years 2015-2017, which was built "with the grant director for the EU," includes submitting international law suits against Israel as one of its objectives.

Complaints should be directed at Europe, which intentionally or not is nourishing Palestinian incitement. Without these funds the Palestinians would be more limited regarding their propaganda of delegitimization and hatred, less blood would be spilled, and the atmosphere would be calmer. Despite many meetings and discussions with European representatives, the question still remains -- how can our European friends transfer so much money to those who spill Jewish blood and prepare the ground for the next murder?

Link: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=14125

Gerald M. Steinberg is president of NGO Monitor and a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University. Gilad Segal, the EU liaison at NGO Monitor, contributed to this report.

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