‘We're Palestinian Jews:’ Neturei Karta meet with Islamic Jihad leaders in Jenin

The members of the delegation met with senior PIJ officials and declared their support for the Palestinians.

By SHACHAR BERDISHEVSKY/MAARIV

Members of Neturei Karta, a fringe ultra-Orthodox movement within the anti-Zionist bloc, attend a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Hebron in February.

(photo credit: MUSSA QAWASMA / REUTERS)

A group of Jews who belong to the ultra-Orthodox and anti-Zionist Neturei Karta group arrived in Jenin on Monday to visit the refugee camp. They stayed at the home of the senior leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Judea and Samaria, Bassam al-Saadi. The members of the delegation met with senior PIJ officials and declared their support for the Palestinians.

In addition, the delegation from Neturei Karta met with the secretary general of the Fatah party, Ata Abu Ramila, and the head of the PIJ, Maher al-Akhras. The delegation met with al-Saadi's wife as well, and discussed "his steadfastness despite the occupation operations." They said that the visit to the camp is a symbol of rejection of the Israeli occupation.

Statements from both sides

One of the members of the group stated that "we are Palestinian Jews, we want to live under the Palestinian flag and not the Israeli flag, in one country which is the Palestinian state. Hundreds of years ago and before the occupation began, we lived together in the Old City of Jerusalem and there was no difference between Jews and Muslims. We all came From one father, Abraham, and we lived happily together.

"Later, the Zionists came and created pressure to separate us, but we [have rejected] it. We want peace and not the racist Israeli law, which is a threat to the lives of Jews and Muslims. No matter how much time passes, we will continue to stick to our dreams and common goals. We want Palestine with its capital Jerusalem and the Palestinian Authority so that we can live happily."

Sheikh Bassam Al-Saadi, leader of the Islamic Jihad movement in the West Bank, brought to a court hearing at Ofer Military Prison, outside of Jerusalem, on August 25, 2022 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Abu Ramila described the group's visit to the city, saying that "they entered waving Palestinian flags, carrying a message [of] support [to] us, oppose the occupation and annexation and support the Palestinian state." Abu Ramila called on the group to continue the struggle and expose the crimes of the occupation, within both the Israeli Jewish community and worldwide.

10/01/2023 by THE JERUSALEM POST

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-728082