Suha Arafat. Photo: ABC News.

The widow of former Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman and arch terrorist, Yasser Arafat, says “We need to clearly express the recognition of Israel; no one can doubt its existence,” Israel’s Ma’ariv reported Wednesday.

On the 10^th anniversary of Arafat’s death, Suha Arafat told Italy’s La Republica, that, “Since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip, Fatah leaders and buildings were attacked.”

Suha sharply attacked Hamas, which is also making inroads into the West Bank, despite Israeli and PA security efforts, and in the face of a “unity government” agreement with the Fatah-led PA.

“Hamas has taken the people in the Gaza Strip as hostages,” she said. “When I see what is happening in Gaza, it’s just genocide. This generation grew up with violence, without education, with only a hope of emigrating.

“I hope that Hamas will finally understand that it should work towards peace negotiations,” she said. “They said my husband was an obstacle to peace. [But] We saw what happened to peace after his death.”

Suha, who lives with her 19-year-old daughter Zahwa, in Malta, recalled that “When my husband was alive, they would go to the Gaza coast,” noting the change since the Islamist terror group ousted Fatah and took power in a coup in 2007.

“It’s unbelievable how much the Strip has became an Islamic state,” Suha said. Turning to Hamas’ terrorism and IDF retaliation, she argued that, “It’s easy to make war, but it’s hard to stop it. Armed struggle will not lead to anything.”

Noting the fierce internecine violence between the rival groups, she charged that, “Arafat did not want to see his Palestinian brother fighting on the tenth anniversary of his death. My husband was the only one who could unite the Palestinian factions.

“I cannot imagine what a return to Palestine, especially in Gaza, would be like… It’s like I’d be a guest there,” she concluded.

Watch a video of Suha Arafat in 2013, charging close confidantes of Arafat with poisoning him with Polonium, leading to his death: