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WHO'S LYING ABOUT LYING? Conflicting Reports About Obama Aides Meeting With Hamas

According to a chief political advisor for Hamas, Ahmed Yousef, the terror organization hosted a meeting in Gaza with several aides to President-elect Barack Obama several months ago. So why are we only hearing about it now? Because Yousef asserts that Obama's people wanted to keep the contact under the radar until after the election.While conflicting reports fly from both parties and other outside sources about whether or not that meeting actually happened, former Palestinian terrorist, now U.S. citizen and Christian, Walid Shoebat stands by with a unique perspective that can get after the real issue-how this all may foreshadow the next four years under an Obama Administration.Obama's senior foreign policy advisor, Denis McDonough says Yousef's claims are false. But at the same time, a report by a Chinese news agency saying Hamas released a statement denying the meeting took place was disproved under close scrutiny that showed a denial was not actually evident in the carefully worded statement. For Shoebat, perhaps what is even more telling than the cloudy nature of this ordeal is a fact that no authority can deny: that Yousef and Hamas have outwardly and repeatedly praised the notion of an Obama Presidency, making it easy for Americans to doubt their own elected leader on the issue.As a guest on your show, Shoebat can speak to the methods of manipulation and deception among such groups as Hamas and others, and offer a credible perspective on the impact such positions among these groups can have on U.S. relations with Israel and the Palestinians at a very volatile time in world affairs.ABOUT WALID SHOEBAT…Born in Bethlehem of Judea, Walid's grandfather was the Muslim Mukhtar (chieftain) of Beit Sahour-Bethlehem (The Shepherd's Fields) and a friend of Haj-Ameen Al-Husseni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and notorious friend of Adolf Hitler.Walid's great grandfather, Abdullah Ali Awad-Allah, was also a fighter and close associate of both Abdul Qader and Haj Amin Al-Husseini, who led the Palestinians against Israel. Walid lived through and witnessed Israel's Six Day War while living in Jericho.As a young man, he became a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and participated in acts of terror and violence against Israel, and was later imprisoned in the Russian Compound, Jerusalem's central prison for incitement and violence against Israel.After his release, he continued his life of violence and rioting in Bethlehem and the Temple Mount. After entering the U.S, he worked as a counselor for the Arab Student Organization at Loop College in Chicago and continued his anti-Israel activities.In 1993, Walid studied the Tanach (Jewish Bible) in a challenge to convert his wife to Islam. Six months later, after intense study, Walid realized that everything he had been taught about Jews was a lie. Convinced he was on the side of evil, he became an advocate for his former enemy.Driven by a deep passion to heal his own soul, and to bring the truth about the Jews and Israel to the world, Walid shed his former life and his work as a software engineer and set out to tirelessly bring the cause of Israel to tens of thousands of people throughout the world: churches and synagogues, civic groups, government leaders and media.Walid has written several online books including "Dear Muslim, Let Me Tell You Why I Believed" and "Israel, And The World's Mock Trial", where he exposes anti-Semitism and the hatred of Jews in both the Islamic Christian and secular worlds. His latest book is titled, "God's War on Terror"Walid is an American citizen and lives in the United States with his wife and children, under this assumed name.Engagements:Walid has spoken all over America and the world including Chile, Mexico, Canada, UK and South Africa. He has appeared on national television also all over the world including CNN, CNN International, FOX News, ITN, RTE, NBC, CBS, and ABC. He has also been featured on BBC radio 4 and 5.Speaking Highlights:· Harvard Law School lecture· Special forum on Capital Hill, Washington, D.C.· Columbia University lecture· Concordia University· UCLA, USC, University of Georgia, Washington University, Penn State, San Diego State and many others.· Keynote address to more than 700 Jewish leaders and rabbis from all over the world and North America at its Partners Conference in Stamford, CT, which is the highlight of Aish's calendar, and again in New York later in November.· Encounter conference, largest gathering of orthodox Jews in UK. · Jewish communities of St Petersburg, Memphis, St Louis, Scranton, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Albany, Dallas, Tampa, W. Palm Beach, Seattle, Cincinnati, Toronto, Montreal, Winnepeg, Calgary, Vancouver, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Rockville MD, Atlanta, St Louis, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and soon Las Vegas and Cleveland.Press:· Walid's story was published in the Irish Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Express UK (Front Page) , and a multitude of papers in the USA.· He has appeared on ITN news with Angela Rippon and BBC radio 4 and radio 5, Israel National News, the Janet Parshall Show, the Dennis Prager Show, Michael Medved, Glen Beck Show, and QR77 Calgary, CHQR Winnipeg, America Tonight, WABC, WTIC, WKBN, the BBC news web site, the Jerusalem Post, World Net Daily, Arlene Peck's cable TV show, and the Capitol Report, an affiliate of CNN in Albany. Walid has done more than 100 radio shows in the last six months alone.Advocacy for Muslims· Spoke to Muslims (including Palestinians) at Hayward State Univ. in California, featured on the ten minute video, "A Palestinian's Journey."· Appeared on the American Iranian TV (Muslim) satellite station, broadcast all over Iran.· Advocate for Afghan Muslims in Northern California-helped them save their businesses which were being threatened by closure from unscrupulous city council members and fought against discrimination against Afghan MuslimsOther Notable Events· Walid was a keynote speaker, along side Israeli Tourist Minister Benny Elon and Janet Parshall, at the National Radio Broadcasters conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.· Conducted national press conference in Washington, DC on Capital Hill and met with members of Congress, and another in Great Britain in May 2004. · Key note speaker for Asper Foundation, Winnipeg Canada, Americans Against Terrorism, Judeo-Christian Zionist Congress, Faith Bible Chapel, Resurrection Anglican Fellowship, North Creek Church, Netivot Shalom, Jewish Community Center San Francisco, Jewish Business League, Temple Isaiah, Beth-Shalom. · Met with leaders of major Jewish organizations including AJC, American Jewish Congress, Hadassah and Young Israel, with more planned. · Walid's brand new video Redemption is now available for sale; the trailer can be seen on www.toredemption.com Walid's new book "Why I left Jihad", available in December, is fascinating reading for those who want to learn about prophecy in the Tanach.Excerpts From Those Who Have Heard Him:· The Jay Blog, The Falseness of Anti-Americanism, Tuesday, 9, September 2003:· "So far, Fouad Ajami, Salman Rushdie, Ali Salem, "Newsweek" columnist Fareed Zakaria, Walid Shoebat, Irshad Manji are some of the vocal moderates from that part of the world who do not view everything through a veil of Islamic and xenophobic hatred."· Central Connecticut State University Professor Jay Bergman, President of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Scholars:· Shoebat's talk was "a revelation, even for someone like myself,…an unequivocal and enthusiastic supporter of Israel and the democratic principles it practices." That Shoebat had participated in violence gave "his testimony a special credence and credibility that it might otherwise lack. All those on the left and in America and Europe who turn a blind eye to the blatant and vicious anti-Semitism pervasive in the Middle East should be required to attend one of [his] lectures."· Frank Gaffney Jr, president of the Center for Security Policy:· "In the 25 years I have been in Washington I have never heard anything so extraordinary and the truth be so eloquently spoken by someone like this."· Rabbi Paul Silton of Temple Israel, Albany:· "Walid Shoebat's commitment to the pursuit of truth and his courageous efforts to combat hatred are awe inspiring."· Rabbi Brian Rubenstein from Aish Hatorah (UK):· "I feel that your trip has been one of the highlights of the year for our organization."· Kol Israel student Wesleyan University Todd Stock:· "The evening was a success; every one I spoke with was impressed…. [Many] people…left with a new found understanding." For once, he said, the perpetrators of hatred were silenced.· A Christian supporter of Israel after hearing him at Wesleyan University campus:· "It's about time such a message was heard." THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE MAY BE USEFUL FOR SHOW PREP:Hamas 'in crisis' after report of Obama-aide meetingsTerrorist group members complain such announcements don't serve interestsPosted: November 13, 200812:47 pm EasternBy Aaron Klein© 2008 WorldNetDailyFROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAUJAFFA, Israel – A Hamas official's claim his group held a meeting with advisers to President-elect Barack Obama has prompted infighting within the terrorist group, with some top members complaining such announcements do not serve its long-term interests, WND has learned.Ahmed Yousef, Hamas' chief political adviser in Gaza, told the leading Al-Hayat Arabic-language newspaper earlier this week Hamas held a meeting with Obama aides in Gaza and has maintained regular communication."We were in contact with a number of Obama's aides through the Internet and later met with some of them in Gaza, but they advised us not to come out with any statements, as they may have a negative effect on his election campaign and be used by Republican candidate John McCain (to attack Obama)," Yousef told Al-Hayat.Obama's senior foreign policy adviser, Denis McDonough, told the Jerusalem Post Monday, "This assertion is just plain false."Then, in a well-circulated but false report, the Xinhua-China news agency claimed Hamas released a statement yesterday denying it held any meetings with Obama advisers.The statement, obtained by WND, did not deny the terror group met with Obama aides."The report in Al-Hayat was not accurate," began the carefully worded Hamas statement, without identifying which part was inaccurate."Hamas does not comment on our private diplomatic activities. Ahmed Yousef's statement and his opinions represent himself only. He is not a Hamas spokesman," read the official Hamas statement.A top Hamas source said Yousef's announcement of meetings with Obama aides generated a "small crisis" within the terror group."We were not ready to make any such announcements," the Hamas source said. "Yousef needs to hold his enthusiasm and stop making these statements that are not coordinated with all of the Hamas leadership."Contacted directly by WND, the offices of Ismail Haniyeh, the former Hamas prime minister, and Mahmoud al-Zahar, chief of Hamas in Gaza, both refused to deny the report of Hamas meetings with Obama aides.Yousef could not be reached by WND for comment. Hamas sources said Yousef was directed to refrain from talking to the media for an unspecified period of time. It wasn't clear which Obama aides Hamas is claiming to have met in Gaza.Yousef gave WND a series of recent interviews in which he praised Obama as the leading candidate. Last week, he called Obama's win a "historic victory" for the world and told WND that Hamas was sending a letter of congratulation to the president-elect.Six months ago, Robert Malley, a Mideast expert described as an ancillary adviser to Obama, resigned amid a report in a London newspaper that he had contact with Hamas. According to some media reports, Malley is again representing Obama's positions in meetings in Egypt and Syria, although it wasn't immediately clear whether he was acting independently. FrontPageMagazine.com claims Malley was dispatched by Obama.A senior Israeli security source told WND today Malley indeed recently represented Obama in meetings in Egypt and Syria.Hamas is responsible for scores of suicide bombings, rocket attacks, shootings and cross-border raids. Its official charter calls for the murder of Jews and destruction of Israel. Just today, Hamas members took responsibility for launching dozens of rockets from Gaza aimed at Jewish civilian population centers.Last week, Yousef told WND of Obama's win: "This is a historic day, a turning point. I think this is the very first time in history that one country's election concerned everyone everywhere all over [the] world. Everybody is looking forward to Obama's change, for a change in the U.S. policy, particularly in the Israeli-Palestinian equation, which is the mother of all conflicts."Yousef said he believes an Obama administration will be more willing to engage in dialogue with Hamas.He said Obama's job will be to "restore America's dignity in the world and put an end to the wars in the region."Yousef took the occasion to blast the policies of President Bush, commenting he hopes "that after January the Bush administration will not be heard from again.""We are sick of wars and conflict," the Hamas official said.Yousef seemed aware his comments may generate some negative publicity for Obama, but he said he feels it important to "reach out and to express our thoughts and engage.""I praised him six months ago, some people tried to use that against him. But I knew he would win. Like everyone else, we expected this important victory," he said.Yousef was referring to an interview he gave to WND and WABC Radio in April in which he praised Obama and then found his comments had fueled a firestorm of accusations in the presidential campaign.In April, Yousef stated he hoped Obama would become president, comparing the Illinois senator to President John F. Kennedy."We like Mr. Obama, and we hope that he will win the election," Yousef told WND at the time."I hope Mr. Obama and the Democrats will change the political discourse. ... I do believe [Obama] is like John Kennedy, a great man with a great principle. And he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community, but not with humiliation and arrogance," Yousef said.Sen. John McCain repeatedly used Yousef's remarks to criticize Obama's judgment and foreign policy.

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