Hamas and PIJ justify bus bombings as ‘natural response to occupation’

Palestinian terror groups have praised the murder of a 16-year-old Israeli-Canadian child and blamed Israel for the crime after two bombs exploded at bus stops in Jerusalem on Wednesday. In addition to the one murder, 22 other people were wounded. The terrorists are currently unknown as they set off the bomb remotely and no group has claimed responsibility.

This was not an attack on a military target. These were bus stops picking up children heading to school and parents heading to work. It was a heinous crime that highlights the radical Islamist nature of Palestinian terrorism.

No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which was likely carried out by a small independent cell. However, in what has sadly become expected, Palestinian terror groups have lauded the attack.

Videos and images were shared on social media of Palestinians cheering and handing out sweet treats to celebrate this murder of a Jewish child.

Palestinians hand out sweets to passers-by in cities across the #Gaza_Strip and the #West_Bank, celebrating this morning's deadly #terror_attack in #Jerusalem, in which a 16-year-old civilian was killed and 22 others were injured. pic.twitter.com/0SRTUmOYFz

— AbuAliEnglish (@AbuAliEnglishB1) November 23, 2022

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group released a statement saying, “The operation in the occupied city of Jerusalem is a natural response to the occupation, its terrorism, and its criminal practices against the defenceless Palestinian people and its holy sites.”

A spokesperson for PIJ, Tarek Ez Din, said, “The operation says to the leaders of the Occupation [Israel] and the leaders of the settlers that none of the policies of your criminal government will protect you from the strikes of our people’s resistance.”

“No Judaization operations, incursions upon holy sites, or assaults upon the sons and daughters of our people in Jerusalem, Hebron, Jenin and Nablus will go unpunished,” he added.

This is typical language for terrorists to threaten civilians, terrorise them beyond the initial attack, and justify the murders by blaming the victims.

Hamas issued a similar statement saying that it “affirms the right of the Palestinian people to resist the Israeli occupation”. Hamas said Israel “bears full responsibility for the repercussions.”

Hamas finished its statement by giving its “unwavering position” on “Palestinian resistance”, which is a codeword for terror attacks.

In a statement on Wednesday, Hezbollah lauded “the two heroic operations carried out by Palestinian resistance fighters against Israeli occupation forces in al-Quds,” and congratulated Palestinians on the rise in the number of retaliatory attacks.

“These courageous operations are a true embodiment of the Palestinian nation’s rejection of the continued Israeli occupation, and attest to their strong determination to confront the enemy’s arrogance and respond to its crimes and acts of terror,” the statement read.

“The operations confirm the resistance front’s ability to penetrate into the rigorous security apparatus of the enemy, and deal painful blows to Zionists in the proper place and at the right time.”

The statement concluded that there was a race among young Palestinians to contribute to the “struggle” against Israel and that there would be no safe place for Israelis.

Shamefully, a Palestinian journalist who regularly appears as a pundit on BBC shows to give his anti-Israel opinion joked about the attack as being the start of a “Palestinian Wolrd Cup”.

Writing on Twitter in Arabic, Mr Atwan said: “Bombings with explosive devices in occupied Jerusalem, one Israeli dead and many injured. And al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade seizing the body of a settler in Jenin, this is the beginning of a very different Palestinian World Cup,” translations provided by CAMERA Arabic reveal.

The Palestinian journalist has repeatedly appeared on flagship show Dateline London and BBC Arabic. The BBC has so far refused to say they will stop giving him a platform.

So far, there has not been a condemnation of the attacks from Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian leader is conveyed by the media as Israel’s “partner for peace”, but Abbas’s government gives around £200 million to terrorists who carry out attacks like this, every single year.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations made it clear his nation’s feelings at the silence of Abbas and the United Nations.

Ambassador Gilad Erdan said, “Where is President Abbas’s condemnation of this horrific attack? He stands on the [UN General Assembly] podium and lies about seeking peace, but his deafening silence speaks volumes.”

Erdan then took aim at the United Nations, saying, “Where is the sharp rebuke of Palestinian terror from the Secretary-General who is so quick to respond in every other circumstance? Secretary General Guterres, where is your voice in the face of terror? How many more of my people must die before this biased institution wakes up?”

The incident has shown once again how too many Palestinian factions are celebrating the murder of a Jewish child at the hands or radical Islamists. While those who claim to be for peace are silent.

This is why there is no peace between Israel and the Palestniians. Let’s pray the world wakes up fast to this reality.