Washington, Dec 11 (ANI): Palestinians have slammed Republican Presidential contender Newt Gingrich for saying that they are an "invented" people.
Prime Minister Salam called Gingrich's remarks extremely 'trivial, demeaning and ridiculous,' and said that 'even the most extremist settlers of Israel wouldn't talk in such a ridiculous way.'
According to ABC News, top Palestinian officials used the terms such as 'ignorant' and 'despicable' to describe Gingrich's comments.
"This is the lowest point of thinking anyone can reach," said lead negotiator Saeb Erekat, adding that 'these comments only increase the cycle of violence.'
Gingrich recently told the Jewish Channel that Palestinians are "invented" because there has been no state of Palestine.
"I think that we've had an invented Palestinian people who are in fact Arabs, and who were historically part of the Arab community," said Gingrich.
"And they had a chance to go many places, and for a variety of political reasons we have sustained this war against Israel now since the 1940s, and it's tragic," he added.
According to the report, Gingrich went on to call the Israeli-Palestinian peace process "delusional" and that President Barack Obama's treatment of Palestinians is "favoring the terrorists."
Meanwhile, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond released a statement in response to the Jewish Channel interview.
"Newt Gingrich supports a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, which will necessarily include agreement between Israel and the Palestinians over the borders of a Palestinian state," the statement said.
"However, to understand what is being proposed and negotiated you have to understand decades of complex history, which is exactly what Gingrich was referencing during the recent interview with The Jewish Channel," it added. (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
