Child Abuse: How the Palestinian Authority Promotes Martyrdom to Its Children

The Palestinian Authority (PA)’s death message to Palestinian children doesn’t get any clearer than this.

The below picture of a Palestinian boy with the PA map of “Palestine” painted on his face was posted by the PA’s Presidential Guard with the following text: “I will sacrifice my life for you, O my homeland” [PA Presidential Guard, Facebook page, Aug. 6, 2024].

Smiling and making a “V” for “victory” with his fingers, the boy seems unaware of the future the PA wants for him as a “Martyr.” Or, perhaps, he is already so deeply affected by the PA’s brainwashing that he actually believes he will be rewarded with 72 virgins in Paradise, as Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) has documented.

The following are recent examples:

Dead teen terrorist wished for Martyrdom, wanted to marry “women from the world to come”

Intisar Nafea, aunt of terrorist Ashraf Nafea: “The women of the neighborhood wouldn’t agree to not have Martyr [children]. Praise Allah, [teen Martyr] Ashraf [Nafea] raises our heads up high. On Aug. 1, [2024,] he was supposed to turn 18 years old. I wanted to do a birthday for him.

He said: “Get me married.” I said: “[You will have] 72 [Virgins] like your uncle.” He said: “Right. I don’t want to marry women from this world, I want to marry [women] from the world to come.” [emphasis added]

[Official PA TV, July 23, 2024]

Dead terrorist to his mother: “I’m going to the Dark-Eyed Maidens in Paradise, I want Martyrdom”

Mother of terrorist Abd Al-Jabbar Al-Sabbagh: “He said to me: ‘Mom, this is the last week you’ll see me. That’s it, bid me farewell.’ I said: ‘Sweetie, why?’ He said: ‘That’s it, I feel I won’t remain much longer.’ I’m satisfied, I’m going to the Dark-Eyed Maidens in Paradise, I want Martyrdom.’ I said: ‘Allah will be satisfied with you.’

Martyrdom is beautiful, not everyone who seeks it merits it, but the farewell is difficult.” [emphasis added]

[Official PA TV News, Aug. 3, 2024]

The Arabic word for Martyrdom is Shahada. Shahada also means “certificate.” A mother of a dead terrorist used a chilling wordplay when her terrorist son was killed while planning a terror attack, thereby not finishing his matriculation exams and not receiving his high school certificate:

“Bassel succeed and received Martyrdom, which is more important than the certificate of the matriculation exams … Bassel succeeded, by Allah he succeeded. Everyone came to congratulate me — his friends and also his study friends.” [emphasis added]

[WAFA, official PA news agency, July 29, 2024]

PMW has reported on this wordplay before, which was even turned into part of the PA’s message to students and their parents. When Palestinian teen terrorists got themselves killed while participating in the PA’s terror wave in 2015-16, the PA glorified them. Even though they missed their graduation certificate (Shahada), the families were told to “be proud of their Martyrdom (Shahada).” The PA summarized that “death as a Martyr is the path to excellence and greatness”:

Sixteen [students] succeeded [in achieving] the Martyrdom (Shahada) of the homeland and withstanding its difficult tests, for death as a Martyr is the path to excellence and greatness, and the path of those who know how to reach the great victory… [emphasis added]

[WAFA (official PA news agency), July 11, 2016; official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 12, 2016]

Accordingly, other families have proudly celebrated their children’s Martyrdom instead of their matriculation, and parents continue to celebrate the death of their children:

Father of teen terrorist: “[My son] is not the first Martyr and not the last, praise Allah … He always told me: ‘I want to die as a Martyr’”

Father of terrorist Khaled Al-Uruq: “[Khaled Al-Uruq] is not the first Martyr and not the last, praise Allah. He asked for [Martyrdom] and achieved it, praise Allah. He always told me: ‘I want to die as a Martyr.’ Praise Allah, [the conditions] were enabled and he achieved it.”

[Official PA TV, April 25, 2024]

Mother of dead terrorist: “For two months he’s been saying: I want to die as a Martyr”

Mother of terrorist Nimr Hamarsheh: “Nimr was happy like that, [because] he wants to die as a Martyr. For two months already he’s been saying: ‘Mom, I want to follow the footsteps of Ahmed, I want to go to Ahmed, I want to die as a Martyr.” [emphasis added]

[Official PA TV News, July 3, 2024]

There is no doubt that the PA message is a soaring success. Hundreds if not thousands have chosen death over life by becoming terrorists, and society is cheering — including parents, spouses, and other family members of dead terrorists:

Father of dead terrorist: Son’s Martyrdom is “bridal crown for entire people” — Martyrdom is “fate of the people”

Official PA TV newsreader: “The body of Martyr Ubeida Hassan Hamed (i.e., terrorist), 18 was laid to rest…”

Hassan Hamed, father of terrorist Ubeida Hassan Hamed: “Praise Allah, this is [a source of] pride and a crown on our heads 

Praise Allah, this is mercy from our Lord to this people. This is a bridal crown for this entire people. This is the fate of the Palestinian people, directly from the ground to Paradise.” [emphasis added]

[Official PA TV News, Jan. 29, 2024]

Brother of terrorist “Martyr”: He wanted “the Dark-Eyed Maidens of Paradise”

Brother of terrorist Uday Al-Zayyat “Abu Saqr”: “He would take care of all the household needs. I told him: “Go on and get married” … He told me: ‘Actually I want the Dark-Eyed Maidens of Paradise.’ Praise Allah, Allah granted him Paradise, Allah willing he will see the Dark-Eyed Maidens of Paradise.”

[Official PA TV, Moons of Palestine, March 19, 2024]

Mother congratulates dead terrorist son on his Martyrdom

Mother of terrorist Bashar Nihad Hanani: “Praise Allah, Allah gave him to me and took him. This is not a waste for the sake of Palestine … May Allah be satisfied with him and receive his Martyrdom. Congratulations to him on the Martyrdom.” [emphasis added]

[Official PA TV, Feb. 29, 2024]

Wife of a “Martyr”: “Don’t cry, he’s a groom”

Posted text: “Martyr’s wife: ‘All of you make sounds of joy for him. Don’t cry, he’s a groom and let everyone accompany him to his wedding.’”

Wife of unidentified “Martyr”: “I’m the wife of a Martyr! They haven’t accompanied him to his wedding, let everyone accompany him to his wedding [now]. I married him quietly. Let everyone make sounds of joy, this is entrusted to you! Let no one cry! My husband is a Martyr, let no one cry! My beloved is a Martyr.”

[Fatah Commission of Information and Culture, Facebook page, Jan. 3, 2024]

The author is a senior analyst at Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article was originally published.

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