PLO fetes former White House reporter who was forced to retire after making anti-Semitic comments in 2010 • Thomas recognized for defending Palestinian position “every step of the way” • Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren: Atrocious act is an indication of the PA’s failure to meet the basic requisites of peace.
Israel Hayom Staff
Thomas caused a storm in 2010, when she said in an interview that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine.”
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Photo credit: AP |
A representative of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has awarded former veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas a journalism prize, according to a statement issued Monday by the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s office in Washington.
The 91-year-old reporter, who had covered the White House since the presidency of John F. Kennedy, was forced to resign from her position two years ago after facing widespread criticism in reaction to controversial comments she made about Jews and Israel.
The PLO decided to recognize Thomas for her longtime journalism career “during which she defended the Palestinian position every step of the way.”
On behalf of Abbas, PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi bestowed the prize upon Thomas at a ceremony attended by diplomats, journalists, human rights activists and U.S. Arab leaders. The event was held at the home of Maen Rashid Ereikat, the president of the PLO Commission General in the U.S.
Thomas caused a storm in 2010, when she said in an interview that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and “go home” to Poland, Germany, America “and everywhere else.” Her comments were met with harsh criticism from several U.S. officials and Jewish organizations, prompting her retirement shortly thereafter. President Barack Obama called her remarks “offensive” and “out of line” and called her retirement “the right decision.”
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said after her interview that Thomas’ comments were “offensive and reprehensible” and that they “do not reflect certainly the opinion of most of the people here and certainly not of the administration.”
Thomas later apologized for her comments, but following her retirement she acknowledged she had said “exactly what I thought.”
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren responded to the award on Monday, writing on his Facebook page, “I was appalled by the award ceremony given by the PLO delegation in Washington to Helen Thomas, who has been completely shunned by all decent Americans after making anti-Semitic remarks, along with teaching Palestinian children to hate the Jewish state and to glorify suicide bombers.”
Oren continued, “This atrocious act is an indication of the Palestinian Authority’s failure to meet the basic requisites of peace.”