In a November 29 interview with Palestinian Authority TV, Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Shaath, a former PA minister and Palestinian negotiator, said that the problem in the Middle East stems from its occupation by the United States. Shaath added that just like the U.S. created Al-Qaeda in order to fight the Soviet Union, it created ISIS to fight the Iraqi government.

Following are excerpts:

Nabil Shaath: The weakness and feebleness from which the Arabs suffer, because of their domestic problems, because of the American occupation of Iraq, and its ramifications for Iraq and Syria, and because of the American occupation of Afghanistan, which gave rise to Al-Qaeda, Taliban, and so on…

Interviewer: Every war in the world has a direct effect on us…

Nabil Shaath: The wars waged by the Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq have given rise to the main problems facing us today, not only in Iraq, but in Syria as well, and they pose a threat to Lebanon, Jordan, and everywhere else. The Americans created Al-Qaeda so that it would fight the Soviet occupation in Afghanistan, and created ISIS so that it would fight the government in Baghdad. Then they say that the genie has come out of the bottle, and has become the main enemy that we must confront. Indeed, the Arabs are facing a problem, but this problem stems from the American occupation of our region. All we have got from this is the defects and problems with which we have to deal today.

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