PMW Bulletin
Feb. 9, 2015

Abbas' Fatah: "Martyrdom-death is a destiny we assume willingly and
serenely"
Fatah's youth movement
"renewed its commitment to the [Martyrs'] path"
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=13908

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org

Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement and its youth division Shabiba both recently
released statements honoring "Martyrs" (Shahids), praising them for
"watering the land of Palestine with their pure blood." Fatah declared that
"Martyrdom-death for Palestine is a destiny":

"We believe that Martyrdom-death (Istish'had) for Palestine is a destiny we
assume willingly and serenely, in order [to attain] a free and dignified
life for our people in the paradise of the eternal homeland."

[WAFA (the official Palestinian news agency), Jan. 7, 2015]

Some of those who Fatah has exalted as "Martyrs" in recent months and whom
the movement honored in its statement with its "highest praise" and
"appreciation" are the following terrorists, as documented by Palestinian
Media Watch:

The synagogue murderers Ghassan and Uday Abu Jamal murdered 4 worshippers
and a policeman in a Jerusalem synagogue (Nov. 18, 2014).

Fatah posted a picture of the graves of the two terrorists on its official
Facebook page, with the text: "This is the place of eternal rest of Martyrs
Ghassan and Uday Abu Jamal."

Abd Al-Rahman Al-Shaloudi murdered a three-month-old baby and a young woman,
when he intentionally drove his car into people waiting for a train.

Fatah posted an obituary for the murderer on its official Facebook page,
calling him "heroic Martyr."

Dalal Mughrabi led the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history, known
as the Coastal Road massacre, in 1978, when she and other Fatah terrorists
hijacked a bus on Israel's Coastal Highway, killing 37 civilians, 12 of them
children, and wounding over 70. Fatah organized a tournament named after
her, and Fatah-run Awdah TV broadcast at length from a party commemorating
the terrorist, referring to her as "Martyr" and stating that "we renew the
promise to her and its fulfillment... [she] will remain a path for the next
generations to follow."

Ali Hassan Salameh was commander of operations of the Black September terror
group and planned many terror attacks, including the attack on the Israeli
team at the Munich Olympics in 1972, in which 11 Israeli athletes were
murdered. Fatah honored him as "Martyr" and for his "greatness of men and
the pride of heroes."

Abd Al-Salam Hassouna shot and killed 6 and wounded dozens at a bat-mitzvah
celebration in Hadera (Jan. 17, 2002). Sa'id Ramadan shot and killed 2 on
Jaffa Street in Jerusalem and wounded dozens (Jan. 22, 2002). Fatah honored
these killers as "heroic." Both were from Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's
military wing.

In its statement on the occasion of Palestinian "Martyrs' Day" last month,
Fatah expressed its "loyalty" to all "Martyrs of Palestine" as follows:

"Loyalty to the Martyrs of Palestine is the most exalted expression of its
commitment to the path and to the oath to liberate the land and to persist
on the path of truth, which the Martyrs paved with their pure blood."

[WAFA (the official Palestinian news agency), Jan. 7, 2015]

"Sacrifice is merely one part of the doctrine of national struggle, the aim
of which is to redeem our people and its future generations," the statement
continued. It explained that "Martyrdom-death is our way to ensure the
eternity of our people on its land, while it protects its Arab identity and
holy places."

Fatah also "swore to remain faithful to their [the Martyrs'] sacrifice until
all Palestinians, Arabs and free men around the world witness the
establishment of a Palestinian state" and until "one of their small boys or
girls raises the Palestinian flag over the walls of Jerusalem, the capital
of our free and independent state."

Similarly, Fatah's youth movement Shabiba sent "greetings of respect and
admiration" to the Martyrs and "renewed its commitment to the [Martyrs']
path until independence is achieved" and "until the establishment of the
independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital." [Ma'an
(independent Palestinian news agency) Jan. 7, 2015]

The following are the reports on the statements honoring "Martyrdom-death
for Palestine" released by Fatah and Fatah's youth movement:

Headline: "Our belief in Martyrdom-death (Istish'had) for Palestine is equal
to our belief in the eternal life of our people in its land"

"Fatah said that 'loyalty to the Martyrs (Shahids) of Palestine is the most
exalted expression of its commitment to the path and to the oath to liberate
the land and to persist on the path of truth, which the Martyrs paved with
their pure blood.'

In its statement, published by the [Fatah] Culture and Information
Commission today, Wednesday [Jan. 7, 2015], on the occasion of Palestinian
Martyrs' Day, the movement added: 'We believe that Martyrdom-death
(Istish'had) for Palestine is a destiny we assume willingly and serenely, in
order [to attain] a free and dignified life for our people in the paradise
of the eternal homeland. In addition, we believe that life is a great
opportunity to invest everything in our power for the liberation of the
homeland.'

Fatah saluted the 'souls of the Martyrs of the Palestinian people, its
national power and the movement's Martyrs, [who died] on the path of
struggle for Palestine. From Martyr Ahmad Musa, [through] Martyr and Supreme
Commander PresidentYasser Arafat, the movement's great leaders, the first
self-sacrificing fighters (Fedayeen) and the generations that breathed out
their souls for this path, to the last name on the list of national honor -
all in order to reach the moment when the Palestinian flag will be raised
over the skies of free and independent Jerusalem.'

The statement said: 'Our goals are the freedom and independence of the
Palestinian people. Sacrifice is merely one part of the doctrine of national
struggle, the aim of which is to redeem our people and its future
generations. Martyrdom-death is our way to ensure the eternity of our people
on its land, while it protects its Arab identity and holy places.'

On this occasion, the movement expressed its highest praise, appreciation
and recognition to the souls of the Palestinian, Arab and foreign Martyrs
who died as Martyrs for Palestine, and to their relatives and children.
Furthermore, it swore to remain faithful to their sacrifice until all
Palestinians, Arabs and free men around the world witness the establishment
of a Palestinian state, and until one of their small boys or girls raises
the Palestinian flag over the walls of Jerusalem, the capital of our free
and independent state."

[WAFA (the official Palestinian news agency), Jan. 7, 2015]

Headline: "Fatah's Shabiba [youth movement]: Martyrs' Day is a day to renew
[our] commitment to Palestine's Martyrs."

"Fatah's Shabiba [youth] movement in the West Bank sent greetings of respect
and admiration this morning [Jan. 7, 2015] to the Martyrs (Shahids) on
Palestinian Martyrs' Day, and renewed its commitment to the [Martyrs'] path
until independence is achieved, until the establishment of the independent
Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, the return of the refugees
and the realization of the dream for which they [the Martyrs] sacrificed
their lives so that we may live in dignity and pride.

In a statement made on the occasion of this day, Fatah's Shabiba said: 'We
remember our Palestinian nation's Martyrs, who ascended [to Heaven] at
various stages of our nation's struggle for freedom, led by the eternal
Commander Martyr Yasser Arafat, the first Martyr of the modern Palestinian
revolution, Ahmad Musa Salameh, and our nation's Martyrs from the various
factions and the National and Islamic Forces, as well as the Martyrs of our
Arab nation - the heroes of the Jordanian, Egyptian and Iraqi armies, who
watered the land of Palestine with their pure blood in order to defend its
Arab nature and freedom, and whose graves still bear witness to their
struggle.'

In its statement, Fatah's Shabiba mentioned the Martyrs of our revolution,
who acted as men during the years of the long national struggle everywhere
in the homeland and outside it, in the prisons and on the borders, and the
'numbered Martyrs' (i.e., those buried in the so-called "numbered
cemeteries" - Israeli cemeteries for terrorists and enemy soldiers), whose
bodies are still held by the occupation."

[Ma'an (independent Palestinian news agency) Jan. 7, 2015]

Ahmad Musa is known as the "first Martyr (Shahid) of the modern Palestinian
revolution." He was killed by a Jordanian army patrol on his way back to
Jordan after the first Fatah terror attack against Israel, the attempted
bombing of Israel's National Water Carrier on Jan. 1, 1965.

________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il

For free regular subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

For free daily digest subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe-digest@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

IMRA is now also on Twitter
http://twitter.com/IMRA_UPDATES