Blood libel illustration from Hartmann Schedel's Nuremburg Chronicle (Buch der Chroniken) printed in the 15th century. This century-old myth was reused by a Palestinian organization in an article on its website. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) has apologized and removed an article from its website stating that the Jewish “Blood Libel” is true.

“Does Obama in fact know the relationship, for example, between ‘Passover’ and ‘Christian blood’..?!” the article stated according to the Israel National News. “Much of the chatter and gossip about historical Jewish blood rituals in Europe are real and not fake as they claim; the Jews used the blood of Christians in the Jewish Passover,” it also said.

MIFTAH, which was founded by Palestinian Authority lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi, apologized for the publication of the article after first refusing to do so, reported the Washington Free Beacon. Eventually the organization issued a statement that “it has become clear to us after investigating this incident that the article was accidentally and incorrectly published by a junior staff member,” the apology stated. “The said staffer has been reprimanded and all our staff has been informed as to the disgusting and repulsive phenomena of blood libel or accusation, including its use against Jews.”

“Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, as founder, has nothing to do with the day to day management at MIFTAH and was no way involved in this incident,” the apology also said. According to the watchdog group, NGO Monitor, MIFTAH has received funding from the governments of Italy, Ireland and Norway, and from the United Nations  Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).