RAMALLAH, December 12, 2011 (WAFA) - In response to Republican presidential nominee, Newt Gingrich’s recent comments regarding the Palestinian people, PLO Executive Committee member and lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi said, “I challenge Gingrich to re-learn his history and come to Palestine as my guest,” a press release said Monday.

She said, “I challenge Gingrich to come to Palestine to see for himself, not only the suffering the Palestinian people face on a daily basis due to the Israeli military occupation, but also to experience the rich culture and history of the Palestinian people. I personally offer to host Gingrich.'

Ashrawi added, “It is unbelievable that Gingrich, who studied history at two outstanding American universities and even taught history, could make such a misguided comment, solely for the sake of political pandering.”

She said that “ not only did Gingrich downright reject centuries of history and an important cultural legacy, on the same day that we mourned the loss of a young Palestinian peacefully protesting the military occupation of his land, Gingrich labeled us as terrorists.'

“Gingrich has lost sight of American values and the prospects for peace for an apartheid regime that in no way benefits the American people. Gingrich’s failure to be in touch with reality and to understand what is happening on the ground goes against American foreign policy and delegitimizes the humanity and existence of any future Palestinian state,” she said.

F.R.