Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas publicly railed against U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman in a furious ad hominem attack, calling him a “son of a dog” and a “settler.”
Addressing a Palestinian leadership meeting, Abbas mentioned U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and said Trump “views the settlements as legitimate,” adding that “more than one official has said that.”
“The ambassador, David Friedman, said they are building on their own land,” said Abbas. “You son of a dog, building on your own land! You are a settler, and your family are settlers.”
Hours earlier, Friedman had taken to Twitter to criticize the P.A. for neglecting to condemn the recent attack by a terrorist who killed two Israeli soldiers with his car, and the fatal stabbing by a Palestinian of a Jewish father of four in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“Tragedy in Israel,” Friedman posted to his Twitter account. “2 young soldiers, Netanel Kahalani and Ziv Daos, murdered in the north, and father of 4, Adiel Kolman, murdered in Jerusalem, by Palestinian terrorists. Such brutality and no condemnation from the PA! I pray for the families and the wounded—so much sadness.”
Friedman responded to Abbas’s remarks at a conference on anti-Semitism in Jerusalem, adding “anti-Semitism or political discourse? I leave this up to you.”
American envoy to Israel-P.A. negotiations Jason Greenblatt called Abbas’s statements “highly inappropriate insults.” He said that while the White House is “committed to the Palestinian people,” President Abbas must “choose between hateful rhetoric, and concrete and practical efforts to improve the quality of life of his people, and lead them to peace and prosperity.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Abbas’s verbal attack on Friedman “says it all.”
“For the first time in decades, the U.S. administration has stopped spoiling the Palestinian leaders and tells them ‘enough is enough.’ Apparently, the shock of the truth has caused them to lose it,” stated Netanyahu.
In January, Abbas railed against the White House, cursing Trump, saying, “May God demolish your house.”
