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Palestinian Authority Tag

Ninety years ago, in 1929, Arabs went on a murderous anti-Jewish rampage in the British Mandate for Palestine, ransacking ancient Jewish communities in Hebron and Safed (Tzefat). In the course of the week, a total of 130 Jews were dead.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has banned LGBT activities in the West Bank, launching a search for gay rights activists. The main target of the crackdown is a group called Al-Qaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society. The leading Palestinian gay rights group was planning to hold a meeting of its members later this month. "The attack on us is unprecedented," a member of Al-Qaws told The Jerusalem Post. "They are calling us traitors and corrupt people, and many are calling for our execution. We are afraid for our lives."

Yesterday, Israel denied visas for Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, after pressure from Trump, under a law permitting the government to bar entry to advocates of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The decision kicked off a firestorm, including false accusations by former Democrat Vice Presidential candidate and current Senator Tim Kaine that Israel had imposed a "Muslim ban".

The Faculty Council at DePaul University passed a resolution condemning professor of philosophy Jason Hill after he wrote an article in The Federalist in support of Israel and condemned Hamas. Hill wrote that "Israel has the moral right to annex all of the West Bank (even Area C) for a plethora of reasons." The article offended Muslim students and some faculty, which caused protests and a demand for censure.

Many in the media and policy circles are fretting about the effect Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection will have on the peace process. But few are examining the true impediment to peace: the Palestine Authority. A recent Washington Post article took the approach that a Netanyahu victory "clouds prospects" for the success of the Trump administration's yet-to-revealed peace plan. Though the article refers to the Palestinians, it doesn't mention the Palestinian Authority, PA President Mahmoud Abbas, or Hamas.

When Airbnb decided to delist only homes in Jewish settlements in Judea & Samaria (the "West Bank"), we pointed out the multiple levels of hypocrisy. One of those levels was that Jews are not permitted to purchase land outside of settlements because such sales were considered treasonous by Palestinians. Any Palestinian caught selling land to Jews faced imprisonment, or street execution.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the British opposition Labour Party, said on Wednesday that he will recognize "the state of Palestine" should the party win the next general election. "In order to help make the two-state settlement a reality we will recognize a Palestinian state as soon as we take office," Corbyn told the delegates at the Labour Party’s annual conference. The pledged was greeted by a standing ovation and delegates waving Palestinian flags, British newspapers reported.

As the United States ends funding for the UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Germany is boosting the aid for the organization. Germany plans to pay a 'substantial' amount to offset the shortfall of estimated $217 million created by cutting of the aid by the U.S., German weekly Der Spiegel reports.

In June, the Argentine soccer team, which includes superstar Lionel Messi, canceled a friendly against Israel in Jersualem after players received threats "that exceeded those of the Islamic State." Video even captured Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub threatening Messi. Due to these actions, FIFA has banned Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub for one year.

The Argentine soccer team had to cancel a friendly match against Israel in Jerusalem. So I googled "Argentina soccer Israel" and unfortunately I am not shocked to find that many outlets have framed this story as a win for the BDS movement. I hate to break it to you anti-Semites and anti-Israel crowd, but the ACTUAL REASON is because Argentine players received threats that "exceeded those of the Islamic State."

Earlier this week, I pondered the lack of American ambassadors to 32 countries, including some critical regional or economic allies. Now, we are down a Turkish ambassador, albeit temporarily, as that nation has pulled its envoy in response to the opening of the American embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.
The Turkish Embassy in Washington says the Turkish ambassador to the United States is being called home over the Trump administration moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Germany condemned remarks on the Holocaust made by President of Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. In a televised speech on Monday, Abbas claimed that the Holocaust was not caused by antisemitism, but by Jews' "social role related to usury and banks." The Palestinian Authority chief said he was referring to the writings of Karl Marx and other authors.

Let's face it. The omnibus bill sucks and proves once against the Republican Party is not the party of fiscal responsibility and small government. But they did include the Taylor Force Act, named after the American vet killed two years ago, which will stop payments to the Palestinian Authority until it stops rewarding terrorists for killing Jews and Americans.