An opinion piece from Sunday's edition of al-Hayat al-Jadida, the Palestinian Authority's official daily newspaper, argued that the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was responsible for the terror attacks that occurred in Paris on Friday night, which killed at least 129 people and wounded hundreds more, according to an article in the Times of Israel.
Palestinian Media Watch, a watchdog group that monitors Palestinian society through its media and schoolbooks, translated the op-ed. The piece asserts that Israel organized the attacks because of recent moves by the European Union to label goods produced in Israeli West Bank settlements in an effort to isolate the Jewish state economically and to impose a two-state solution through the United Nations rather than work towards direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.
The article specifically says, in part:
"It is not a coincidence that human blood was exploded in Paris at the same time that certain European sanctions are beginning to be implemented against settlement products, and while France leads Europe in advising the [UN] Security Council that will implement the two-state solution, Palestine and Israel — which the Israelis see as a warning of sudden danger coming from the direction of Europe, where the Zionist, occupying, settling endeavor was born…"
"The wise and correct thing is to look for who benefits," the op-ed continues. "In short: They need to search the last place reached by the octopus arms of the Mossad… It is clear that its ‘Mossad’ will burn Beirut and Paris in order to achieve [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s goals. He, who challenged the master of the White House, hides in his soul enough evil to burn the world."
Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the terrorism in Paris as part of its growing effort to launch attacks abroad, and the French government has responded with increased air strikes against the jihadist group's stronghold in Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement after the events in Paris, saying that the Jewish state "stands should-to-shoulder with France," and the walls of the Old City in Jerusalem are now lit up as the colors of the French flag.