PA Minister Lambastes Arabs for Spurring Palestinians to Wage War against Israel

During a recent TV debate, PA Minister of Religious Endowments Mahmoud Habbash became angry when Arab-American activist Sobhi Ghandour called for armed struggle. "Don’t send us to fight. Fight by our side, if war is what you want," he retorted. Habbash, speaking on Mayadeen TV on March 17, 2014, slammed the Arabs who "send the Palestinian people to fight – as if the Palestinians were created only in order to die, for the sake of Arab regimes that peddle in the Palestinian cause."

Following are excerpts:

Arab American activist Sobhi Ghandour: The alternative to the negotiations is the unity of the Palestinian people and its leadership. The alternative is to wage a new Intifada. What prevents us from doing so? Armed struggle is not a forbidden option for any occupied people. The international community acknowledged the legitimacy of this option.

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PA Minister of Religious Endowments Mahmoud Habbash: Are you calling upon us to engage in armed struggle?

Sobhi Ghandour: Yes, of course, against the Israeli occupation. This is your legitimate right and the right of anyone under occupation.

Mahmoud Habbash: Fine, fine. I agree with you, sir. Go ahead then. You are an Arab just like me, with the same Arab genes. You share the Arab responsibility for Palestine. The entire Arab nation and all the Arab countries are invited to fight, and we will be fighting right behind them.

Sobhi Ghandour: But you are supposed to be the spearhead. This cause is yours.

Mahmoud Habbash: No, no. I beg you: Stop calling upon us to die pointlessly for your own sake. Don’t send us to fight. Fight by our side, if war is what you want. We do not have the means to wage war. We are under occupation...

Sobhi Ghandour: There used to be Palestinian leaders, like Abu Jihad, who talked differently.

Mahmoud Habbash: You are welcome to join us in armed struggle and in war. Go ahead and declare Jihad, and we will be there with you. We will be fighting alongside all the Arab countries if they declare war.

President Mahmoud Abbas declared this clearly. He said, at the Arab summit: "You want to fight? Go ahead. You want us to stop the negotiations? We will do so immediately. If you want to fight, go ahead. We will be right behind you – but not ahead of you."

But if you send the Palestinian people to fight – as if the Palestinians were created only in order to die, for the sake of Arab regimes that peddle in the Palestinian cause... Please don’t do that. Nobody can lecture us on patriotism.

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