Norway: Palestinian ambassador accused of supporting Israel

Norway: Palestinian ambassador accused of supporting Israel

The Palestinian ambassador to Norway, Yassel al-Najjar, was accused of supporting Israel's war in Gaza, and this led to death threats.

It was earlier this month that an Arab-language site published a letter supposedly sent from Israel's foreign ministry to the PLO ambassador Yasser al-Najjar.

The letter was signed by former Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Wahabi.  In the letter Najjar was thanked for having supported Israel's war in the Gaza strip in January.

But Najjar thinks the letter is false.  The site where the letter is published is moreover pro-Hamas.

"The letter is false from beginning to end.  I was shocked and sad at the same time when I was notified of it," says Najjar to ABC Nyheter.

Israel's embassy in Oslo and the Foreign Ministry in Israel can neither confirm not deny that the letter is real.

Najjar got death threats after the letter appeared.

"If people believe the letter, then I can understand that they react with anger.  You can imagine someone who lost his children in the war, and then they hear that one of their own is a traitor.  It's obvious they will be anger.  But it's also not true.  I never supported Israel and will never do it, either," says Najjar.

He thinks the letter could have come from the conflict between Hamas and Fatah.

Najjar is the son of Palestinian activist Abu Yousef al-Najjar.  In 1973 he was an eyewitness when an Israel death squadron stormed the family's apartment in Beirut and killed the parents.

[ed: Dagbladet fails to mention that Abu Yousef was an operation leader for Black September and responsible for the Munich Massacre]

The letter (in translation):

On behalf of the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Minister I wish to express great gratitude for the recent cooperation and coordination between Najjar and Israel's ambassador in Oslo.  Cooperation of this type improves the relationship between our two peoples and bring to a hastening of the peace process.

Israel wishes continues cooperation and coordination and the undersigned is personally glad for Najjar's understanding that Israel is fighting terrorism in Gaza, and for liberating the civilians there from the terrorist Hamas rule in Gaza. I assure him that the army did everything they could to protect civilian lives in Gaza.  Every civilian loss hurts us.

All attempts to prosecute the Israeli leadership is a result of lacking understanding of the fight against terrorism.  We hope to see you soon, through the Palestinian delegation, to discuss future coexistence between our two people, side by side, and Israel is proud of having your friendship and cooperation.

Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Wahabi

Sources: Dagbladet , ABC Nyheter (Norwegian)

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