Profile picture of the Fatah Facebook page homepage, updated for the 53rd anniversary of the movement's founding (Facebook page of Fatah, December 30, 2017).
The bus after the attack (IDF Archive, Israeli Ministry of Defense, March 11, 1978).
Zaynab Ali Issa Abu Salem as a role model (Issue #38 of Hamas' online children's magazine al-Fateh).
Overview
- January 1, 2018, marks the 53rd anniversary of the founding of the Fatah movement. In honor of the day the profile picture of the official Fatah Facebook page homepage was replaced by a picture of a masked Palestinian slinging a stone on the background of the Dome of the Rock. The lower inscription in Arabic reads, “the year of confrontation and defense of the holy sites“[1] (Facebook page of Fatah, December 30, 2017).
- The previous day, December 29, 2017, a video was uploaded the Fatah Facebook page. It was produced by Fatah’s bureau of organization and mobilization specifically for the anniversary. It was described as “a video for publication and distribution: The year of confrontation and defense of the holy places.” The video was composed of a series of video clips and pictures from Palestinian clashes with Israeli security forces. Two of the subtitles were “the Jerusalem intifada” and “Jerusalem will remain the capital of the state of Palestine” (Facebook page of Fatah, December 29, 2017).
A video inciting to violence against Israel, produced by Fatah to mark the 53rd
anniversary of its founding (Facebook page of Fatah, December 29, 2017).
- Especially prominent on Fatah’s homepage are posts glorifying the role of Palestinian women, dedicated to five suicide bombers and “self-sacrifice” terrorists who carried out attacks killing and wounding many Israelis. Five separate but identically formatted postings show pictures of female terrorists but without names. Every picture features a Palestinian slinging stones and a background of mosques and churches. The Facebook page also had a post praising the role of the Palestinian woman in the Palestinian struggle. On a background of keffiyeh-wearing women the text reads, “the Palestinian woman… mother… sister… shaheed… prisoner… fighter” (Facebook page of Fatah, December 30, 2017).
- The ITIC has identified the women in the pictures as the Palestinian terrorist who carried out a “self sacrifice attack” in 1978 (the Coastal Road Massacre) and four female Palestinian terrorists who carried out suicide bombing attacks during the second intifada (see Appendix). The five terrorist attacks in which the women were involved killed 48 Israelis and wounded 276, the overwhelming majority of whom where civilians. The following pictures are of:
- Dalal al-Mughrabi, who in 1978 participated in the Coastal Road Massacre, killing 37 Israelis, 12 of them children, and wounding 71 civilians.
- Zaynab Abu Salem, who, on September 22, 2004, carried out a suicide bombing attack on French Hill in Jerusalem, killing two Israeli Border Policemen and wounding 17 other Israelis.
- Andalib al-Taqatqa, who carried out a suicide bombing attack in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on April 12, 2002, killing two people and wounding about 60.
- Wafa’ Idriss, who carried out a suicide bombing attack on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem on January 27, 2002, killing one person and wounding more than 100.
- Ayat al-Akhras, who carried out a suicide bombing attack near a supermarket in Jerusalem on March 29, 2002, killing two Israelis and wounding 28.
Prominent shaheeds: Pictures posted to Fatah’s official Facebook page to mark the 53rd anniversary of the movement’s founding glorify five female terrorists (official Fatah Facebook page, December 30, 2017). They were responsible for the deaths of 48 Israelis and the wounding of 276.
- Commemorating the terrorist operatives during the decades of Palestinian terrorism and turning them into role models is a well-known phenomenon and is firmly rooted in Palestinian society, culture and politics. Participating in the shaheed culture are the Palestinian Authority (PA), Fatah and the various Palestinian terrorist organizations. In the PA territories, it is customary to glorify the names and deeds of terrorists who carried out showcase terrorist attacks, including suicide bombing attacks in which many Israelis were killed and wounded. Memorial services are held for them, and streets, town and city squares, schools and cultural institutions are named for them. The memory of the terrorists is fostered in the schools and is part of Palestinian children’s formal education (in official school textbooks) and informal education (such as summer camps named for terrorists).
The shaheed culture has led to a situation in which terrorists who kill many Israelis become role models and are venerated by Palestinian society. That includes Palestinian youth, who form the hard core of the Palestinian terrorists who have carried out popular terrorism attacks in recent years. Posting praise for terrorists on Fatah’s official Facebook page to mark the anniversary of its founding contributes to glorifying them and turning them into role models. Thus Fatah and the PA send the message to Palestinians that carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel is not only legitimate, but desirable as well.
[1] Fatah has declared 2018 as "the year of confrontation and defense of the holy sites."
