Israeli protestors take part in a rally demanding the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the end of war in Gaza, in Jerusalem September 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

During the Oct. 7 war, the Palestinian Authority (PA) spread different libels about Israel, ranging from claims that the massacre did not happen at all, to lies that Israel wanted the war and even planned it in advance as a way to gain control over the entire Middle East.

This libel is still alive and well. It not only whitewashes Palestinians of any responsibility for their massacre and murder of over 1,100 Israelis and foreigners in one day but also cements the PA’s narrative of victimhood that casts Israel in the role of existential danger that threatens not only the PA, but the entire region.

PA leader Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, has adamantly promoted this PA narrative, and did so again recently:

PA Chairman Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “Some people even speculate that Oct. 7 was an Israeli plot.

Some say this, even in the Palestinian street. They say that Israel dragged Hamas and the Palestinian street into this bottomless abyss to later justify everything it is doing as part of its desire to control either Palestine primarily or the Arab region in general, the entire Middle East.” [emphasis added]

[Mahmoud Al-Habbash, YouTube channel, March 14, 2026]

Palestinian Media Watch reported this month on similar accusations against Israel, claims that Israel “shares goals with Iran” to “weaken the Arab states.”

The spokesman for Abbas’ Fatah party also portrayed Israel and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as “a danger to the whole region”:

Fatah Movement official spokesman and released terrorist Abd Al-Fattah Doleh:“Today the whole world is preoccupied with Iran. The one who is benefiting the most from this is [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu, who has committed all kinds of aggression and used all justifications not to adhere to [US President] Trump’s plan [for Gaza]… Today the issue of Iran came on a silver platter, and all eyes and attention were directed there…

We told [the Arab states] at the start of the war against us: The danger is not only to the Palestinian people, the danger is to the region, and if you remain silent on Netanyahu, the danger will reach [you] everywhere… Netanyahu and the occupation is the greatest danger to peace, security, and stability.” [emphasis added]

[Al-Alam radio station (Hebron), Facebook page, March 7, 2026]

A regular columnist of the official PA daily has also promoted the libel that Israel “turned a blind eye to Hamas’ weapons and tunnels” to serve its “mission” to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state:

It was no secret that the governments led by Benjamin Netanyahu gave Hamas and the armed groups in the Gaza Strip golden opportunities to enhance their power and capabilities, in order to carry out the mission that is to prevent any chance of establishing the exclusivity of the legitimate PA institutions, and specifically the official legitimate [PA] Security Forces

… No one can convince us that the military and civilian intelligence forces of the occupation system— which worked for 15 years, spent about $320 million on the operation of blowing up about 5,000 pagers with a single button press  — and managed to land a blow on the Hezbollah forces in Lebanon in an unprecedented operation in the history of global intelligence – were in a deep sleep and were surprised by the Oct. 7, [2023] operation… The crime of assassinating the Palestinian state… required turning a blind eye to Hamas’ weapons and tunnels until the moment the organization expired. [emphasis added]

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 8, 2026]

During the Oct. 7 war, Al-Habbash claimed Israel benefited from the massacre as it enabled them to carry out a “premeditated plan” to “destroy the Palestinian people”:

Al-Habbash: “Israel is behind all the obstacles and reasons leading to the continuation of this war of annihilation [i.e., Oct. 7 war].

It wanted it and pursued it and took advantage of the opportunity presented to it on Oct. 7 to execute this plot, to carry out this plan that was premeditated and incubated in the minds of the leaders of this right-wing Israeli government: The attempt to destroy the Palestinian people.” [emphasis added]

[Mahmoud Al-Habbash, YouTube channel, Aug. 27, 2025]

The author is a contributor to Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this story first appeared.