Abbas Displays Map of "Palestine" That Erases Israel

By Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

"President Abbas holds up a stone model of the map of Palestine." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 26, 2010]During a visit to Bethlehem this week, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas held up a stone model of a map of "Palestine" that erases Israel. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 26, 2010]

US President Obama has condemned the existence of maps like the one Abbas displayed as a "security" threat to Israel:

"I will never compromise when it comes to Israel's security... Not when there are terrorist groups and political leaders committed to Israel's destruction. Not when there are maps across the Middle East that don't even acknowledge Israel's existence." [Obama at AIPAC Conference, June 4, 2008]

[PA TV (Fatah), April 27, 2009]As Palestinian Media Watch reported, last year Abbas held up a similar political map that presented a world without Israel. It included the PA flag above the entire land of Israel, and was titled "Palestine." It named all the neighboring states in English - "Lebanon, Syria, Jordan Egypt" - but failed to mention Israel.

On Abbas's maps there is no Israel.

Abbas openly ignores US President Obama's criticism of the use of such maps, letting the political and educational structures under his control continue to use maps that present a world without Israel. It is the only map used by the PA to represent "Palestine," and at times even the "State of Palestine."

See PMW's website for more examples of how "Palestine" erases Israel in the PA.

The following are recent examples:

[PA TV (Fatah), May 16, 2010]1. PA TV children's program: Girl points to places on map: "We went to the Sea of Galilee (in Israel) and to the Dead Sea." Boy points on map: "Jaffa, Haifa." (Israeli cities) ... Host: "So you've visited many different places in Palestine, and that's very good. It's very good that we're always visiting new places in our state, Palestine." [PA TV (Fatah), May 16, 2010]

[PA TV (Fatah), Oct. 15, 2010]2. PA Minister of Prisoners Karake presents award of honor to prisoner's family in shape of "Palestine." [PA TV (Fatah), Oct. 15, 2010]