District Governor of Ramallah glorifies terrorist “Martyrs” who are “executed” daily by Israel, lays wreath at monument for Savoy terrorists
“Yesterday [Aug. 24, 2017] activists – led by leaders and senior officials - launched the activities of the National Day for Returning the Palestinian and Arab Martyrs’ (Shahids’) Bodies that will take place next Sunday, Aug. 27 [2017] next to the monument for the Martyrs of the Savoy operation (i.e., terror attack, 11 murdered) in Ramallah.
The activities began with a visit to the monument and the placing of flower bouquets, with the participation of District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam, PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Rafat, the director of the Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid, and Martyrs’ families, along with members of the National Campaign to Return the Bodies of the Martyrs and Expose the Fate of the Missing, which is leading this initiative.
The monument for the Martyrs of the Savoy operation has become a symbol of the struggle to return the [bodies of the] Martyrs in the numbered cemeteries (i.e., Israeli cemeteries for terrorists and enemy soldiers), which the Israeli occupation authorities are holding…
In her speech during the event, District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh [Laila Ghannam] linked the occupation to the continued holding of the bodies. She said: ‘The existence of the Israeli occupation means that there will continue to be more Martyrs whose bodies will be held in the occupation’s cemeteries and [morgue] refrigerators. This matter needs to end through the end of the occupation, which executes our sons and daughters daily and holds their bodies.’ … She continued: ‘It is the right of [the Martyrs’] relatives to identify them and that their sons be returned to them, despite of the fact that it does not matter where they are buried – their souls have ascended to Heaven and have been honored by the Lord of the Universe.’”
A picture included in the article shows a sign on which is written: “The holding of the Martyrs’ bodies is a crime that harms human dignity.”
The terrorists pictured on the sign (for information on each see notes below):
Top row, left to right: “Martyr Qutaiba Zahran, Martyr Fadi Al-Qanbar, Martyr Musbah Abu Sbeih, Martyr Rami Al-Awartani, Martyr Muhammad Al-Faqih, Martyr Muhammad Taraireh, Martyr Abd Al-Hamid Abu Sorour”
Bottom row, left to right: “Martyr Osama Ata, Martyr Adel Ankoush, Martyr Bara Saleh”
Savoy terror attack: In March 1975, eight terrorists traveled by boat from Lebanon to a Tel Aviv beach. They took over the Savoy Hotel and took guests as hostages. The next morning, Israeli forces attacked and killed seven of the terrorists. Eight hostages and three soldiers were murdered by the terrorists during the attack.
The Cemeteries for Enemy Casualties are two burial sites maintained by the Israeli army for burying the bodies of enemy soldiers as well as terrorists. They are fenced and well-marked. Graves have markers instead of gravestones. Burial is temporary, on the assumption that the bodies will eventually be returned to their countries of origin. No ceremony is held. The bodies are buried in numbered caskets after their identities are documented.
Qutaiba Zahran – 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack at the Tapuah junction near Nablus, wounding 1. Zahran was shot and killed by one of the soldiers.
Fadi Al-Qanbar – 28-year-old Palestinian terrorist who on Jan. 8, 2017, murdered 4 Israeli soldiers – officer Yael Yekutiel, 20, and cadets Shir Hajaj, 22, Shira Tzur, 20, and Erez Orbach, 20 – and wounded over 15 other soldiers in a truck ramming attack at the Armon Hanatziv Promenade, in southeast Jerusalem. After ramming into the soldiers at high speed, Al-Qanbar ran over the prone soldiers again before being shot and killed by soldiers and an armed civilian. Al-Qanbar supported ISIS online.
Musbah Abu Sbeih – 39-year-old Palestinian terrorist who murdered 2 Israelis and wounded 5 others in 3 drive-by shooting attacks in Jerusalem on Oct. 9, 2016. Abu Sbeih, who held Israeli residency status, began his shooting spree at the Ammunition Hill light rail stop and continued to the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood. He was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli border police officers during the attack. On the morning of the attack, Abu Sbeih was due to turn himself in to begin a 4 month jail sentence, after being convicted in January 2015 on numerous counts of inciting to terror and supporting a terror organization. On his Facebook page, Abu Sbeih praised terror groups including Hamas as well as terrorists who carried out attacks and actively called for attacks against Israelis. In July 2016, Abu Sbeih was given a distancing order from the Temple Mount that was to be in effect until the end of October 2016.
Rami Al-Awartani – Palestinian terrorist and Hamas member who attempted to carry out a stabbing attack at the Hawara checkpoint near Nablus on July 31, 2016. Al-Awartani was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers.
Muhammad Al-Faqih - 29-year-old Hamas terrorist who had previously been imprisoned for planning terror attacks when affiliated with the Islamic Jihad, and Muhammad Amira, terrorist and a member of the PA police force, murdered Rabbi Michael Mark, a 48-year-old father of ten, in a shooting attack on July 1, 2016 on Route 60 in the southern Har Hebron region. Al-Faqih opened fire on the Mark family's car causing the vehicle to overturn and crash. Amira was driving the car from which Al-Faqih shot at them. Rabbi Mark’s wife Chava, 40, was also seriously wounded in the attack, and two of their children were injured – their daughter Tehila, 15, and their son Pedayah, 16. Al-Faqih and Amira fled the scene, but were located by the Israeli army on July 27, 2016. Al-Faqih resisted arrest and shot at the soldiers from his home where he had barricaded himself. Al-Faqih was killed when the Israeli soldiers shot an anti-tank missile and other artillery at his house. Amira was arrested.
Muhammad Taraireh – 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist, who stabbed and murdered 13-year-old American Israeli Hallel Yaffa Ariel, as she slept in her bed, in her home in Kiryat Arba near Hebron, on June 30, 2016. Taraireh also injured one of the Israeli security personnel before he was shot and killed.
Abd Al-Hamid Abu Sorour – 19-year-old Hamas terrorist who on April 18, 2016, carried out a suicide bombing attack on bus no. 12 in the Talpiot neighborhood in southeast Jerusalem. 21 people were injured in the attack. Abu Sorour died of his injuries a few days later in an Israeli hospital.
Bara Saleh, Adel Ankoush, Osama Ata – three Palestinian terrorists who carried out a terror attack in Jerusalem on June 16, 2017. Two of the terrorists, one armed with an automatic weapon and the other with a knife, attacked Israeli police officers north of the Old City of Jerusalem. Seconds later a third terrorist stabbed and murdered Israeli border policewoman Hadas Malka, 23, at the Old City’s Damascus Gate as she and other officers were responding to the first attack. All three terrorists were shot and killed by the Israeli officers. Aside from Malka, four Israelis were wounded in the attack. ISIS initially claimed responsibility for the attack but Hamas rejected the claim, saying the terrorists were members of Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
The activities began with a visit to the monument and the placing of flower bouquets, with the participation of District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam, PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Rafat, the director of the Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid, and Martyrs’ families, along with members of the National Campaign to Return the Bodies of the Martyrs and Expose the Fate of the Missing, which is leading this initiative.
The monument for the Martyrs of the Savoy operation has become a symbol of the struggle to return the [bodies of the] Martyrs in the numbered cemeteries (i.e., Israeli cemeteries for terrorists and enemy soldiers), which the Israeli occupation authorities are holding…
In her speech during the event, District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh [Laila Ghannam] linked the occupation to the continued holding of the bodies. She said: ‘The existence of the Israeli occupation means that there will continue to be more Martyrs whose bodies will be held in the occupation’s cemeteries and [morgue] refrigerators. This matter needs to end through the end of the occupation, which executes our sons and daughters daily and holds their bodies.’ … She continued: ‘It is the right of [the Martyrs’] relatives to identify them and that their sons be returned to them, despite of the fact that it does not matter where they are buried – their souls have ascended to Heaven and have been honored by the Lord of the Universe.’”
A picture included in the article shows a sign on which is written: “The holding of the Martyrs’ bodies is a crime that harms human dignity.”
The terrorists pictured on the sign (for information on each see notes below):
Top row, left to right: “Martyr Qutaiba Zahran, Martyr Fadi Al-Qanbar, Martyr Musbah Abu Sbeih, Martyr Rami Al-Awartani, Martyr Muhammad Al-Faqih, Martyr Muhammad Taraireh, Martyr Abd Al-Hamid Abu Sorour”
Bottom row, left to right: “Martyr Osama Ata, Martyr Adel Ankoush, Martyr Bara Saleh”
Savoy terror attack: In March 1975, eight terrorists traveled by boat from Lebanon to a Tel Aviv beach. They took over the Savoy Hotel and took guests as hostages. The next morning, Israeli forces attacked and killed seven of the terrorists. Eight hostages and three soldiers were murdered by the terrorists during the attack.
The Cemeteries for Enemy Casualties are two burial sites maintained by the Israeli army for burying the bodies of enemy soldiers as well as terrorists. They are fenced and well-marked. Graves have markers instead of gravestones. Burial is temporary, on the assumption that the bodies will eventually be returned to their countries of origin. No ceremony is held. The bodies are buried in numbered caskets after their identities are documented.
Qutaiba Zahran – 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack at the Tapuah junction near Nablus, wounding 1. Zahran was shot and killed by one of the soldiers.
Fadi Al-Qanbar – 28-year-old Palestinian terrorist who on Jan. 8, 2017, murdered 4 Israeli soldiers – officer Yael Yekutiel, 20, and cadets Shir Hajaj, 22, Shira Tzur, 20, and Erez Orbach, 20 – and wounded over 15 other soldiers in a truck ramming attack at the Armon Hanatziv Promenade, in southeast Jerusalem. After ramming into the soldiers at high speed, Al-Qanbar ran over the prone soldiers again before being shot and killed by soldiers and an armed civilian. Al-Qanbar supported ISIS online.
Musbah Abu Sbeih – 39-year-old Palestinian terrorist who murdered 2 Israelis and wounded 5 others in 3 drive-by shooting attacks in Jerusalem on Oct. 9, 2016. Abu Sbeih, who held Israeli residency status, began his shooting spree at the Ammunition Hill light rail stop and continued to the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood. He was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli border police officers during the attack. On the morning of the attack, Abu Sbeih was due to turn himself in to begin a 4 month jail sentence, after being convicted in January 2015 on numerous counts of inciting to terror and supporting a terror organization. On his Facebook page, Abu Sbeih praised terror groups including Hamas as well as terrorists who carried out attacks and actively called for attacks against Israelis. In July 2016, Abu Sbeih was given a distancing order from the Temple Mount that was to be in effect until the end of October 2016.
Rami Al-Awartani – Palestinian terrorist and Hamas member who attempted to carry out a stabbing attack at the Hawara checkpoint near Nablus on July 31, 2016. Al-Awartani was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers.
Muhammad Al-Faqih - 29-year-old Hamas terrorist who had previously been imprisoned for planning terror attacks when affiliated with the Islamic Jihad, and Muhammad Amira, terrorist and a member of the PA police force, murdered Rabbi Michael Mark, a 48-year-old father of ten, in a shooting attack on July 1, 2016 on Route 60 in the southern Har Hebron region. Al-Faqih opened fire on the Mark family's car causing the vehicle to overturn and crash. Amira was driving the car from which Al-Faqih shot at them. Rabbi Mark’s wife Chava, 40, was also seriously wounded in the attack, and two of their children were injured – their daughter Tehila, 15, and their son Pedayah, 16. Al-Faqih and Amira fled the scene, but were located by the Israeli army on July 27, 2016. Al-Faqih resisted arrest and shot at the soldiers from his home where he had barricaded himself. Al-Faqih was killed when the Israeli soldiers shot an anti-tank missile and other artillery at his house. Amira was arrested.
Muhammad Taraireh – 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist, who stabbed and murdered 13-year-old American Israeli Hallel Yaffa Ariel, as she slept in her bed, in her home in Kiryat Arba near Hebron, on June 30, 2016. Taraireh also injured one of the Israeli security personnel before he was shot and killed.
Abd Al-Hamid Abu Sorour – 19-year-old Hamas terrorist who on April 18, 2016, carried out a suicide bombing attack on bus no. 12 in the Talpiot neighborhood in southeast Jerusalem. 21 people were injured in the attack. Abu Sorour died of his injuries a few days later in an Israeli hospital.
Bara Saleh, Adel Ankoush, Osama Ata – three Palestinian terrorists who carried out a terror attack in Jerusalem on June 16, 2017. Two of the terrorists, one armed with an automatic weapon and the other with a knife, attacked Israeli police officers north of the Old City of Jerusalem. Seconds later a third terrorist stabbed and murdered Israeli border policewoman Hadas Malka, 23, at the Old City’s Damascus Gate as she and other officers were responding to the first attack. All three terrorists were shot and killed by the Israeli officers. Aside from Malka, four Israelis were wounded in the attack. ISIS initially claimed responsibility for the attack but Hamas rejected the claim, saying the terrorists were members of Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).