PA honors 3 terrorists serving 156 life sentences
Ibrahim Hamed - 54 life sentences
Abbas Al-Sayid - 35 life sentences
PA minister also honored terrorist Barghouti, with "solidarity visit" to his family
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
Last month, Palestinian Authority Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake chose to honor terrorist Abdallah Barghouti, who is serving 67 life sentences and is responsible for the death of 66 Israelis in suicide terror attacks. Together with a delegation including District Governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghannam, he paid a "solidarity visit" to Barghouti's family.
Official PA TV likewise recently honored terrorist Barghouti along with two other arch-terrorists, who together are serving 156 life sentences for murder, by visiting their homes and interviewing their families. This follows the PA policy of glorifying terrorists and turning them into role models, which Palestinian Media Watch has documented for years.
PA TV's program for prisoners For You visited terrorist Abdallah Barghouti's family. The program host stated that Barghouti, who prepared the bombs that killed 66 people, is "certainly a hero," and wished for the fulfillment of "the purpose for which [the prisoners] are in fact in the occupation's prisons."
PA TV host: "Father of Abdallah Barghouti, your son is certainly a hero. We all think so, Allah willing they will live lives of freedom soon. All their hopes and aspirations and the purpose for which they (i.e., the prisoners) are in fact in the occupation's prisons, Allah willing, will be fulfilled soon."
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Abdallah Barghouti is serving 67 life sentences for preparing explosives for terror attacks in which 67 people were murdered: Sbarro restaurant (15 killed, Aug. 9, 2001), Sheffield Club (15 killed, May 7, 2002), Moment Café (11 killed, March 9, 2002), triple attack at Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (11 killed, Dec. 1, 2001), Hebrew University (9 killed, July 1, 2002), and Bus 4 in Tel Aviv (6 killed, Sept. 19, 2002).
The same PA TV program also chose to visit terrorist Abbas Al-Sayid's family in honor of his 47th birthday. Al-Sayid is serving 35 life sentences for planning two suicide bombings, one in 2002 at a Passover celebration, killing 30 Israelis, and another in 2001, killing 5 and wounding 100. The following are some of the family's greetings PA TV chose to include in the edited program:
Wife of terrorist: "He is a man in every sense of the word. Ideal. Courageous. It's enough that he's loving and very, very, very compassionate."
Nephew of terrorist: "My uncle Abbas makes me proud... When I tell people I'm from the Al-Sayid family, the first question they ask: Are you a relative of Abbas Al-Sayid? I'm thrilled that I have an uncle like Abbas Al-Sayid."
Sister of terrorist: "Abbas [Al-Sayid], what did he do?... He didn't do anything wrong."
The PA TV host referred to terrorist Al-Sayid as "our brother and fighter."
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PA TV also chose to visit terrorist Ibrahim Hamed's family. Hamed is serving 54 life sentences for planning suicide attacks, including the suicide bombings at Hebrew University (9 killed), Moment Café (12 killed), Hillel Café (7 killed), Zion Square (11 killed).
In the edited program, PA TV included a greeting to the terrorist by his wife, who stated that she appreciates and loves him because he "gave and sacrificed for Allah":
The terrorist's daughter said:
The terrorist's son stated, "Your name shines everywhere," and continued to praise other terrorists serving life sentences:
The PA TV host then wished for Hamed's and all other prisoners' release:
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The following are longer excerpts of the items mentioned above:
"Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake and District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh, Laila Ghannam, paid a solidarity visit to the family of hunger striking prisoner, Abdallah Barghouti... Ghannam saluted all the prisoners in the prisons and prisoner Abdallah Barghouti's family and children." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 28, 2013]
Abdallah Barghouti - serving 67 life sentences for preparing explosives for terror attacks in which 67 people were murdered: Sbarro restaurant (15 killed, Aug. 9, 2001), Sheffield Club (15 killed, May 7, 2002), Moment Café (11 killed, March 9, 2002), triple attack at Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (11 killed, Dec. 1, 2001), Hebrew University (9 killed, July 1, 2002), and Bus 4 in Tel Aviv (6 killed, Sept. 19, 2002).
PA TV glorifies Abdallah Barghouti:
PA TV glorifies Abbas Al-Sayid:
Al-Sayid's sister: "Crime! This was a crime of a trial, not a trial, a vengeance trial, nothing more than vengeance because he's Abbas [Al-Sayid]. Abbas, what did he do? Abbas is a son of Palestine and he defended his land and his cause. He didn't do anything wrong..."
Al-Sayid's wife: "He is a man in every sense of the word. Ideal. Courageous. It's enough that he's loving and very, very, very compassionate."
Al-Sayid's son: "Whenever I am asked 'Whose son are you?' I proudly say: 'Abbas Al-Sayid's son.' I am very proud of you, Father. You are a lion, and a hero."
[Al-Sayid's family celebrates his birthday] "Sing to my loved one and wish him on his birthday: Reach 100 years! Be joyous, be joyous, my love and ask for all your wishes..."
Al-Sayid's nephew: "My uncle Abbas makes me proud...When I tell people I'm from the Al-Sayid family, the first question they ask: Are you a relative of Abbas Al-Sayid? I'm thrilled that I have an uncle like Abbas Al-Sayid."
Abbas Al-Sayid is serving 35 life sentences for planning two suicide bombings, one in 2002 at a Passover dinner, killing 30 Israelis, and another in 2001, killing 5 and wounding 100.
PA TV glorifies Ibrahim Hamed:
Ibrahim's wife: "I'll say to Ibrahim: 'All the honor, appreciation, love and longing for you. These feelings, they're not only because you are my husband and the father of my children, no. They're because you are Ibrahim Hamed, who gave and sacrificed for Allah.'"
Hamed's son: "You, my father, praise to God, is with us everywhere, you, my father, are with me everywhere...your name shines everywhere... I send regards to all the prisoners, and to the prisoners who were put in solitary confinement ... prisoner Hassan Salameh (46 life sentences), Allah willing, Allah will release you from prison and reward you. Also to prisoner Jamal Abu Hijja (9 life sentences) and to prisoner uncle Abbas Al-Sayid (35 life sentences), to prisoner Abdallah Barghouti (67 life sentences), Allah willing, Allah will release you. Mahmoud Issa (3 life sentences)... and all the prisoners, both men and women, Allah will release you."
Host: "Allah willing, my brother Ibrahim Hamed, you will meet your wife and children soon in the land of freedom, the land of Palestine...Allah willing, freedom for all the courageous and heroic prisoners."
Ibrahim Hamed - serving 54 life sentences for planning suicide attacks, including the suicide bombings at Hebrew University (9 killed), Cafe Moment (12 killed), Cafe Hillel (7 killed), Zion Square in Jerusalem (11 killed).