Selichot prayers at the Tomb of Patriarchs. Photo: Ma’arat HaMachpela Management.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Israel for adding a type of electronic gate to the entrance of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

But this is really an excuse for the PA to rail against the idea that Jews have any rights whatsoever in their holiest shrines.

The statement says, “Since the occupation of the city in 1967, the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron has suffered daily provocations and attacks by the ultra-radicals, with the backing of the occupation authorities and its political and military institutions, without any regard for the feelings of Muslims…The ministry believes that these provocative racist actions inflame sentiments and creates more tension, and therefore the Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds the occupying power and the government’s right-wing responsible for the repercussions of its violations against the Islamic and Christian holy sites, especially targeted to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.”

In short, Jews can do anything they want — except things that might offend any Muslim for any reason. Praying, peacefully strolling, wearing a hat, singing a song, pushing a baby carriage, breathing — anything that any Jew does that offends any Muslim for any reason should be forbidden. And any violent action that Muslims undertake in response is clearly the fault of Jews for having the temerity to provoke the them to violence by the Jew’s existence.

If Jews assert any rights that Muslims find offensive, then the Muslim desire not to be offended is far more important than Jews having basic human rights. But every Muslim should have veto power over any action done by a Jew — on the grounds of the inviolate Muslim right to go through life without being offended.

This is hardly the only press release of its type by the Palestinian Authority; it’s almost a daily event. But the underlying thought, that Muslims simply cannot tolerate Jews in their midst acting like anything other than meek little mice bowing to their overlords, is a major theme in the supposedly secular and moderate Palestinian Authority.

It is official antisemitism. And it is accepted by the world.