An open letter by Fatah central committee member Hakam Bal'awi to 'Abd Al-Bari 'Atwan, editor of the London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi harshly criticized 'Atwan for the anti-Palestinian Authority line pursued by his newspaper since the beginning of Israel's offensive in Gaza. In his letter, which was published by the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Quds, Bal'awi described 'Atwan's style as crude and inciting, especially when he sought to undermine the legitimacy of Mahmoud 'Abbas as PA president. He called 'Atwan a journalist for hire for "personal gain and hoping to satisfy your urges," and said that even though he was a son of Rafah, he had no right to preach to the Palestinian people from a safe distance – because the Palestinians, unlike him, had returned to their homeland, courageously and with honor.
Following are excerpts from Bal'awi's letter:
"You Are Carrying Out Your Verbal Assault Only From a Safe Distance, Attacking And Accusing PA President 'Abbas"
"On reading your article, I was amazed… that you [had the audacity] to assume the role of a preacher of crude morality… You are accusing others of treason and going berserk as usual. It is [now,] when we are beleaguered by the Israeli aggressor – which, is without doubt, [perpetrating] war crimes – that you have erupted in crude, arrogant, and conceited talk, [full of] hate and insults, [in the capacity of] a hired journalist… Since you are completely devoid of all [the noble qualities that characterize the Palestinian people], you are carrying out your verbal assault only from a safe distance, attacking and accusing PA President 'Abbas, [and claiming] that he is not our people's president and should not be recognized as such…
"I wish I could gauge the full extent of the foolishness and baseness of these speeches of yours, which expose you as a wanton man and as an anarchist. You realize very well that you are pursuing personal gain and hoping to satisfy your urges – for the wanton are always preoccupied with personal gain and their own cheap passions…"
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"Oh You, Son of Rafah, All Your Courage is Rhetorical – It Is Very Different From the Courage of Those Who Have Returned to Their Homeland"
"If you answer by saying that is your democratic [prerogative] to voice [your opinions] – any responsible Palestinian will tell you that your words [are the expression of] the democracy of bribery and lust… You must know that you are not popular with the Palestinian people, who have chosen their president and their clear-cut and courageous political platform via the democratic process and with exemplary transparency…
"Nobody knows you better than I do, and [I] have no doubt that you will wish to respond; however, it would be better for you to keep quiet; and you [certainly] know what I mean and what juicy facts I can [reveal, if I am induced to] write again…
"You should remember that you cannot use demagogy and sordid language in reference to the Palestinian people's choice… You will never be able to harm our people's vision, strong determination, coordinated effort, or political choices…
"You do not know the way to [victory], although you are a son of the warring Palestine and of the proud city of Rafah. Your people are calling to you, [trying to convey] that the culture of revilement is like a black cloud obscuring your vision and blocking your throat, which keeps uttering corrupt words.
"Oh you, son of Rafah, all your courage is rhetorical – it is very different from the courage of those who have returned to their homeland, valiant and victorious. You are not one of them."[i]
Endnote:
[i] Al-Quds (Jerusalem), December 30, 2008.
