Israel rejects water poisoning claim

By Anees Barghouthy

JERUSALEM (AA) - A spokesman for the Israeli prime minister has rejected claims by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) that a Jewish rabbi issued a proclamation justifying the poisoning of Palestinian water supplies.

Ofir Gendelman argued that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had “deliberately promoted ugly lies by claiming that a Jewish rabbi called on the Israeli government to poison Palestinian water wells.”

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Sunday, Gendelman added: “This unpleasant blood libel, promoted by the Palestinian Authority… indicates the systemic incitement practices carried out by the Palestinian Authority, against Israel in particular and Jews in general, for many years.”

Last week, the PLO claimed in a weekly report that a rabbi had issued an edict calling on Israeli settlers to poison Palestinian water sources.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later accused Abbas of “spreading lies and incitement.”

Abbas has since retracted the accusation and said he did not intend to harm or offend Jewish people.