Abbas Speech Against Trump Hailed By Hamas and Islamic Jihad Terrorists

TEL AVIV — Hamas and Islamic Jihad praised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday for his aggressive speech to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Abbas sharply criticized the U.S. in his speech, saying it isn’t worthy of sponsoring diplomatic negotiations with Israel. He called on the United Nations to lead the Middle East peace process.

The Palestinian president’s aggressive speech was met with positive responses from the leaders of Hamas and Iran-backed Islamic Jihad, though both anti-Semitic terrorist organizations demanded that he translate his words into concrete action.

Hamas politburo member Dr. Mousa Abu Marzook praised Abbas for setting a “high bar” in his speech, but demanded that he not return to the West Bank until the U.S. president takes back his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“Mr. President, despite the high bar you set in your speech, it was still limited to being a demand, protest and threat without concrete steps even though we have many cards in our hands,” Marzook wrote on Twitter.

“And you have an amazing people who are already in conflict for over 100 years. Don’t frustrate this people by continuing down the same path and don’t return to the Muqata in Ramallah without Trump rescinding his decision. Lift up your people and wake them up; you will find the entire world standing by you,” he added.

Islamic Jihad terror official Daoud Shihab also praised Abbas for his speech. “Islamic Jihad welcomes many positive points made by President Abbas at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” said Shihab. “But we still believe that the position of the Palestinian Authority doesn’t rise to the challenge as much as needed to respond to the crime of American President Trump.”

Shihab called on the PLO to repeal the Oslo Accords and end all its cooperation “with what’s called the peace process.”

The Islamic Jihad member added, “We call on the nations of the world to reconsider their recognition of Israel, so we, the Palestinians, must begin down this path so that the world will follow us.”