Mother of 4 terrorists honored again by PA as model for Palestinian women
Mother of 4 terrorist murderers
again honored as role model
for Palestinian women
by top PA officials
Her sons are serving a total of 18 life sentences for murder
and involvement in terror attacks
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
On the occasion of International Women's day, the PLO Commission of Prisoners' Affairs held an event to honor its female employees as well as female prisoners in Israeli prisons. Among the guests of honor was Um Nasser Abu Hmeid, who the official Palestinian Authority daily described as "mother of four prisoners sentenced to life in the occupation's prisons." What the paper did not mention was that Hmeid's four sons are all terrorist murderers who have either murdered Israelis themselves, or participated in murderous terror attacks and are serving a total of 18 life sentences.
At the event, PA Parliament Member and Director of the PLO commission Issa Karake venerated "the Palestinian woman" for her being "a maker of men and of the future":
"The honoring of the Palestinian woman on her special day stems from loyalty to her role as a maker of men and of the future, and in recognition of her long-standing sacrifice which no one can deny, through giving birth, education and orientation. She is the Martyr (Shahida), the prisoner, the wounded and expelled one, the mother, sister, wife and daughter of all of those."
[Website of the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs, March 10, 2015; and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 11, 2015]
Karake presented Hmeid with a rose and a plaque of honor at the ceremony.
Palestinian Media Watch has reported in the past when the PA has honored this mother of 4 terrorist murderers. This latest event is at least the fifth time she has been honored.
In January of this year, Karake honored Hmeid with a visit to her home and made statements to the press about "the defense of the prisoners and their human rights," for which "there is greater leeway," he said, now that "Palestine has joined over 35 conventions and international agreements as well as the International Criminal Court." A photo from the event published in the official PA daily shows Hmeid receiving a plaque. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 18, 2015]
On Mother's Day, District Governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam honored Um Nasser Abu Hmeid, who the official PA daily described as "one of the living examples of a Palestinian woman and mother contributing in all areas." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 22, 2015] Showing this "exemplary behavior," the paper listed Hmeid's contributions to society: Hmeid "sacrificed a Martyr from among her children for the homeland, her entire family was arrested, and four of [her sons] are still in the occupation's detention camps and are serving sentences more severe than a life sentence." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 22, 2015]
In 2011, Palestinian Media Watch reported that the PA chose Hmeidas the person to launch their statehood campaign with the UN. In a widely publicized event, the PA had Hmeid lead the procession to the UN offices in Ramallah, handing over a letter for the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Likewise in 2010, the PA honored Hmeid, specifically for giving birth to "fighters":
"The Palestinian mother is a central partner in the struggle...
It is she who gave birth to the fighters, and she deserves
that we bow to her in salute and in honor."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 28, 2010]
Hmeid received the "Plaque of Resoluteness and Giving" from then Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake.
In all these references to Hmeid, the official PA daily failed to mention that Hmeid's imprisoned sons are terrorist murderers.
Hmeid's sons are serving the following sentences for the following crimes:
Nasser Abu Hmeid - Palestinian terrorist and a commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (Fatah's military wing) in Ramallah who was responsible for the murder of 7 Israelis: Eli Cohen in a shooting attack on Route 443 in central Israel on Dec. 21, 2000; Binyamin and Talia Kahane in a drive-by shooting attack near Ofra, north of Jerusalem, on Dec. 31, 2000; Gadi Rejwan in a shooting attack in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Atarot on Feb. 27, 2002; and Yosef Habi, Eli Dahan, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat in an attack at the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak restaurants in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002. Abu Hmeid is serving 7 life sentences and an additional 50 years.
Nasr Abu Hmeid - Palestinian terrorist and Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) member who was involved in arms dealing and two terror attacks: an attack in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov on Feb. 25, 2002, in which Israeli policewoman Galit Arviv was murdered; and an attack at the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak restaurants in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002, in which 3 Israelis were murdered - Yosef Habi, Eli Dahan, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat. Abu Hmeid is serving 5 life sentences.
Sharif Abu Hmeid - Palestinian terrorist and Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) member who was involved in two terror attacks: an attack in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Neve Yaakov on Feb. 25, 2002, in which Israeli policewoman Galit Arviv was murdered; and an attack at the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak restaurants in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002, in which 3 Israelis were murdered - Yosef Habi, Eli Dahan, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat. Abu Hmeid is serving 4 life sentences.
Muhammad Abu Hmeid - Palestinian terrorist serving 2 life sentences and 30 years for involvement in terror attacks. PMW has been unable to verify details regarding the attacks.
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The following are longer excerpts of the three reports on PA officials honoring Um Nasser Abu Hmeid in 2015:
Headline: "Visiting mothers of Martyrs and Prisoners on Mothers' Day in Palestine"
"[PLO] Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs Director [and PA Parliament Member] Issa Karake visited... several mothers of prisoners in the Bethlehem district on the occasion of Mothers' Day. Marking the event, Karake said: 'Through her resolve and giving, the Palestinian mother has supported the journey of a great nation aspiring to freedom and dignity. She is the mother of the fighters, the self-sacrificing fighters (Fedayeen), the Martyrs (Shahids) and the prisoners. She is the secret of the Palestinian people's heroic life.' Karake sent greetings to 21 female Palestinian prisoners in the occupation prisons... District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam [also] visited mothers of Martyrs and prisoners yesterday. She stressed that 'We are a nation that knows no rest and will not submit to the occupation and its brutality.' Ghannam said that 'the mothers and wives of the Martyrs and prisoners are a trust placed on all of our shoulders, for they [the Martyrs and prisoners] are a symbol of the unceasing Palestinian national struggle.'
District Governor [Ghannam] honored Um Nasser Abu Hmeid, the Al-Khansa of Palestine, one of the living examples of a Palestinian woman and mother contributing in all areas. [Um Nasser] sacrificed a Martyr from among her children for the homeland, her entire family was arrested, and four of [her sons] are still in the occupation's detention camps and are serving sentences more severe than a life sentence."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 22, 2015]
Image and text on the website of the PLO Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs:
Director of Prisoners' Affairs Commission [and PA Parliament Member] Issa Karake and Chairman of the Prisoners' Club Qadura Fares honored the female employees of the authority and the club and a number of released female prisoners on the occasion of the International Women's day, today [March 10, 2015] at the headquarters of the El-Bireh Women's Arab Union Society.
The event was attended by Rashida Mughrabi (i.e., sister of terrorist Dalal Mughrabi); Chairwoman of the Women's [Arab] Union Muntaha Jarrar; Um Nasser Abu Hmeid, mother of four prisoners sentenced to life in the occupation's prisons; the released girl Malak Al-Khatib and a number of [other] released female prisoners.
During his speech at the event, Karake stressed: 'The honoring of the Palestinian woman on her special day stems from loyalty to her role as a maker of men and of the future, and [comes] in recognition of her long-standing sacrifice which no one can deny, [made] through giving birth, education and orientation. She is the Martyr (Shahida), the prisoner, the wounded and banished one, the mother, sister, wife and daughter of all of those.'
At the end of the ceremony, Karake and Fares honored Mughrabi, Jarrar, the mother of prisoners Abu Hmeid, the released girl Malak Al-Khatib and a number of [other] released female prisoners, and distributed roses and gifts to each of the female employees and participants at the ceremony.
[Website of the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners' Affairs, March 10, 2015; and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 11, 2015]
Note: 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.Palestinians often refer to the attack as the "Kamal Adwan operation."
Headline: "During a visit to the mother of prisoners Nasser, Muhammad, Sharif and Nasr Abu Hmeid - Karake [said]: We must use all instruments of international law to protect the prisoners"
"[PLO] Commission of Prisoners' and Released Prisoners' Affairs Director [and PA Parliament Member] Issa Karake said that now that Palestine has joined over 35 conventions and international agreements as well as the International Criminal Court, there is greater leeway for the defense of the prisoners and their human rights and right to subsistence, in view of Israel's widespread and severe violations of the prisoners' [rights] in the occupation prisons, which contradict all humanitarian and legal agreements.
During a visit at the Al-Amari refugee camp to the mother of prisoners Nasser, Muhammad, Sharif and Nasr Abu Hmeid, who are serving life sentences at the Ashkelon prison, Karake said the prisoners' defense must be constructed according to a legal plan whose arena is the internationalcommunity, where our nation's legal battle is being waged for freedom, a state and the end of the occupation. Karake disclosed that preparations for international measures have begun with the cooperation of human rights organizations, and that files are being prepared on the issue of the severe violations and war crimes committed by the occupation authorities against the prisoners."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 18, 2015]