Palestinian Media Watch Bulletin, January 14, 2010.
The Palestinian Authority is defending its practice of honoring terrorists who
have killed Israelis by naming public places and events after them.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu protested to the US this week over the
continued hate and violence incitement by the Palestinian Authority. Israel’s
protest was prompted by Palestinian Media Watch’s exposure of a birthday
celebration and naming of a square in Ramallah, both in honor of terrorist Dalal
Mughrabi, who killed 37 Israelis when she and other terrorists hijacked a bus in
1978.
PA Minister of Culture, Siham Barghouti, defended this terrorist glorification:
“It is our right to preserve and maintain of our fighters
who sacrificed their lives for our sake and for the sake of the Palestinian cause.
Honoring them in this way is the least we
can give them, and this is our right.”
A member of El-Bireh City Council in Ramallah also defended the decision to
name the square after Dalal Mughrabi:
“Naming this square after Dalal Mughrabi is the commemoration of the
symbolic figures of our struggle who have given their lives during the long
struggle, and it is our right to commemorate them in our culture.”
The above comments were made in response to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s protest,
which was expressed at an Israeli cabinet meeting:
“It is not only missiles and rockets that endanger security and push
peace further off. Words can also be dangerous. Whoever sponsors and
supports naming a square in Ramallah in honor of a terrorist who murdered
dozens of Israelis on the Coastal Road – encourages terror.”
Following is an excerpt from the article in the PA daily Al-Ayyam reporting on
the PA officials’ responses:
Headline: “The occupation accuses the Palestinian leadership of incitement
because of Dalal Mughrabi Square –
Minister of Culture: Honoring the Shahids (Martyrs) is the least we can
do, and resistance to the occupation is a legitimate right.”
“The occupation government has reiterated its familiar tune of accusing the
National Authority of incitement within Palestinian culture. The
Israeli Prime Minister… claims that the Palestinian leadership is encouraging
terror in its culture. Netanyahu claims that the proof, which he presented to the
members of his government, is the naming of a square in the region of Ramallah
and El-Bireh after the Shahida (Martyr) Dalal Mughrabi. …
Netanyahu is reported as saying: “Anyone who supports naming
after Dalal Mughrabi, who was responsible for the murder of dozens of Israelis,
is encouraging terror and pushing peace further off…”
Netanyahu was referring to the operation of self-sacrifice led by
Mughrabi in 1978, the “Coast Operation” within Israel, which led to the deaths
of 36 Israelis. Netanyahu accused the National Authority of
incitement in schools and in cultural activities in general.
Minister of Culture Siham Barghouti said, in response to the Israeli claims, that
“It is our right to preserve and maintain of our fighters
who sacrificed their lives for our sake and for the sake of the Palestinian
cause.”
She added: “Honoring them in this way is the least we can give them, and this is our right, especially since we
believe that resistance, in the shadow of the ongoing occupation, is a legitimate
right, and we are proud and we pride ourselves on our heritage of struggle,
which has been realized by our Shahids (Martyrs) and fighters throughout
history.”
Salim Salama, a member of the El-Bireh City Council, said that the municipality
plans to inaugurate the square officially after the renovations… Salama said:
“Let Netanyahu say what he wants; naming this square after Dalal
Mughrabi is the commemoration of the symbolic figures of our struggle who
have given their lives during the long struggle, and it is our right to
commemorate them in our culture.’ He added: ‘Naming the square after
Mughrabi is a modest act aimed at inscribing the names of those who took part
in the Palestinian struggle against the occupation.”
These are the latest examples of the PA’s policy of honoring terrorists.
