The Almagor organization for terror victims responded to United States President George Bush’s speech on Monday night by saying that Bush had contradicted himself. Bush called for a state run by the Palestinian Authority, but said that such a state could not be based on terrorism. PA leaders made their careers as terrorists, Almagor officials explained, and the PA itself was based on terrorism, meaning that any PA state would have to be based on terrorism as well.

“Even now,” Almagor workers said, “they continue to show concern for murderers and terrorists and to demand their release.” The terrorists released to PA custody almost always return to terrorism, they said. In the PA, they added, “whoever murdered women and children is considered a national hero, a shahid, and his family is seen as worthy of financial support.” Almagor called on Bush to research the number of attacks committed by forces loyal to the PA with weapons purchased with American money before transferring more money to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.