Illustrative: Front page of the official Palestinian Authority daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, featuring Abbas-Haddad meeting. Photo: Al-Hayat, March 15, 2018-MEMRI.

In a rare positive reference to Jews in a forum that often tilts toward antisemitism, the official Palestinian Authority daily recently reported on an Israeli Jew who attempted to rescue an Arab man from drowning in the sea off Jaffa.

According to a translation by the watchdog group Palestinian Media Watch, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida wrote in its article, “On Sunday [July 25, 2021], at approximately 7:00 pm, Musa Abu Dayya, a young person from Bethlehem who came to spend time at the coast of Jaffa, decided to go into the sea for the last time before the sunset and then return to his city.”

“Musa went into the sea, but did not take into account the waves that washed him away,” the article stated. “According to a relative, he cried for help several minutes after he went into the sea, and one of the Jewish bathers responded and hurried into the sea.”

“He succeeded in grabbing Musa’s hand, but the force [of the water] sweeping him away was most strong, and he let his hand go,” Al-Hayat Al-Jadida stated. “He was the last person who saw Musa, who disappeared into the sea.”

As of the publication of the article on July 27, Abu Dayya had not been found and he was presumed drowned.