This sort of thing is an everyday occurrence.
Most of their statements were the usual, tired boilerplate about supposed Israeli crimes in Jerusalem.
But Issa said something a little different.
Issa said that Israel allocated $17 million this year, and prepared six new laws for a vote in the Knesset, to Judaize Jerusalem.
What kind of laws "Judaize" Jerusalem?
One supposed law is that will work to obliterate Islamic Arab landmarks. I missed that story.
He also claimed that Israel planned to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque in time and space, and ban the entry of some Muslims to the Temple Mount, and an "iron fist" policy in dealing with Jerusalem, and the a policy of development of Jewish character in Jerusalem (maybe they'll build another Kotel?), in order to establish a major and undivided Jerusalem.
The last law that "Judaizes" Jerusalem is a law that tightens penalties for stone throwers, where (Issa claims) prison sentence could be for 35 years.
Apparently, if more Palestinian Arabs who throw cinder blocks on the heads of Jews go to prison, then Jerusalem will have a few fewer Arabs and Jerusalem will be Judaized!
This proposed law (which is in fact for up to 10 years of prison for stone throwers who are not proven to have intended to hurt people, amending an existing law that includes a maximum term of 20 years for stone throwers with intent to harm) has also caused the PLO to complain - because it is "discriminatory."
"When it comes to the Palestinians and Israelis, Israel has two different judicial systems. One is applicable to Israeli citizens and the other for Palestinians," Maen Rashid Areikat, the chief of Palestinian Liberation Organisation Delegation in Washington DC, told Al Jazeera.Here's a picture of the poor victims of apartheid laws like this.
"I don't think it [the bill] will have any effect on Israelis, because it is, in terms of content, only applicable to Palestinians. It is discriminatory, singling out Palestinians."
By the same logic, a law against bus bombers would also be discriminatory, because only Arabs do that crime too.
The fact that one of the PA's most important diplomats can say such nonsense without being challenged in the US speaks volumes.
Issa added that there are now 28 tunnels beneath the Old City, linking settlements and Jewish neighborhoods in and around Jerusalem "Wailing Wall," and surrounding Jerusalem with three rings of settlements, and a "collar" around the Old City, and the "collar" around the Arab neighborhoods, in addition to the 29 settlements existing in the city limits of Jerusalem, and 104 synagogues.
Yes, some Arabs are keeping a database of synagogues. Because of their legendary tolerance, I suppose.