Palestinians dismayed by Gingrich remarks

Palestinians condemned Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's provocative statement that described the Palestinians as an "invented" people

A slew of Palestinian officials reacted with dismay Saturday to Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's statement that the Palestinians are an "invented" people.
The Jewish Channel, a US cable TV network, released excerpts of the interview on Friday in which the former House speaker said Palestinians were not a people because they never had a state and because they were part of the Ottoman Empire before the British mandate and Israel's creation.
"Remember, there was no Palestine as a state — (it was) part of the Ottoman Empire. I think we have an invented Palestinian people who are in fact Arabs and historically part of the Arab community and they had the chance to go many places," Gingrich said, according to a video excerpt posted online.
The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, demanded Gingrich "review history."
"From the beginning, our people have been determined to stay on their land," Fayyad said in comments carried by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. "This, certainly, is denying historical truths."
Gingrich's statements struck at the heart of Palestinian sensitivities about the righteousness of their national struggle.
Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi said Gingrich had "lost touch with reality." She said his statements were "a cheap way to win (the) pro-Israel vote."
A spokesman for the militant Hamas rulers of the Palestinian Gaza Strip called Gingrich's statements "shameful and disgraceful."
"These statements ... show genuine hostility toward Palestinians," said spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.
Israeli spokespeople were not immediately available for comment on the Jewish Sabbath.