Hamas has admitted to lying about the violent clashes last week along the border, IDF official Ronen Manelis wrote in a Wall Street Journal article. The terror organization orchestrated the riots by encouraging participation and paying for violent attempts to breach the border fence, and the world media fell for the lies and published fake news, Manelis claimed.
Hamas is lying about the clashes that took place in the Gaza Strip on Nakba Day last week, IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis claimed in an article published by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. The terror organization orchestrated the violence along the border and then used lies to create a false narrative and deceive Western leaders and media outlets, Manelis wrote.
Manelis quoted senior Hamas member Salah al-Bardawil’s admission last Wednesday that 50 out of the 62 Palestinian protesters killed in the clashes were Hamas members and not non-involved civilians, stressing that the organization also admits that the protest was not “a peaceful resistance.”
Later, Manelis cited Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar as saying that the organization intended to bring down the border with Israel and “take the hearts out of the bodies of the Israelis.”
“You can trust Hamas only when they admit to their lies,” the IDF official stated.
According to Manelis, Hamas encouraged rioters to join the protests by paying them 14 dollars per person. Transportation to the border fence was provided and families with women and children were offered 100 dollars for participation. An amount of 500 dollars was paid to protesters injured while attempting to breach the Israeli border.
There can never be a peaceful protest in Gaza since every gathering is organized and funded by Hamas, Manelis said. He also blamed world media for “falling for the lie” and helping the terror group by publishing “fake news.”
Originally posted at Jerusalem Online.
