PA TV honors murderer by joining family’s birthday party
PA TV honors murderer
by joining family's birthday party:
He is a source of "pride for all of Palestine"
Murderers of Israelis are PA TV's "heroes"
Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
As'ad Zo'rob is a Palestinian murderer. In 2002, he shot and killed his Israeli employer who was giving him a ride in his car. Zo'rob is serving a life sentence for the murder. Official Palestinian Authority TV called him "heroic" and decided to join the family's birthday celebrations in his honor. At the party earlier this month, the PA TV host referred to the murderer as "the heroic prisoner" and a source of "pride" for "all of Palestine":
Official PA TV reporter: "Dear viewers, we are transmitting to you from the home of heroic prisoner As'ad Zo'rob..."
Brother of murderer: "He is a hero, and is everything to us. He has made us proud."
Official PA TV reporter: "Of course, this prisoner is a [source of] pride for your family and all of Palestine."
[Official PA TV, I Call You, April 3, 2017]
Palestinian Media Watch has documented the participation of PA TV at a similar birthday party for terrorist Abbas Al-Sayid who 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.
PA TV weekly program Giants of Endurance
This example of PA TV presenting a murderer of an Israeli as heroic is no exception. PMW has documented that all Palestinian terrorist prisoners and all terrorist so-called "Martyrs" are considered "heroes" by the Palestinian Authority and its leadership. It is therefore not surprising that official PA TV has a special weekly program dedicated to honoring terrorist prisoners called Giants of Endurance. PA TV honors these "heroes" by having their relatives as guests in the studio or visiting them in their homes, inviting them to speak about their imprisoned terrorist relative and sending him/her greetings.
The following are some examples of terrorists who PA TV has named "heroic": (Details on each terrorist and each attack appears at the end)
In March this year, when introducing the relatives of two murderers, a PA TV host called the terrorists "heroic prisoners":
Official PA TV host: "Allow me to welcome the wife of heroic prisoner Nael Barghouti (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1)... I want to turn to the family of heroic prisoner Alaa Al-Din Al-Bazian (i.e., terrorist who led a cell that murdered 2)."
"Brother of heroic prisoner Nidal Zalum"
[Official PA TV, Giants of Endurance, March 3, 2017]
Terrorist prisoner Murad Al-Ajlouni who was an accomplice to the murder of 3 Israelis and sentenced to 3 life sentences has also been glorified as a "heroic prisoner" by PA TV:
Text on screen: "Mother of heroic prisoner Murad Al-Ajlouni"
[Official PA TV, Giants of Endurance, July 6, 2016 and Sept. 14, 2016]
Terrorist prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi, who was another accomplice to the murder of 3 Israelis and also sentenced to 3 life sentences, was named a "heroic prisoner" by PA TV too:Official PA TV host: "We are now in El-Bireh, and more precisely at the home of heroic prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi who was sentenced to 3 life sentences and 20 years."
 Text on screen: "Mother of heroic prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi" |  Text on screen: "Father of heroic prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi" |
One sister of terrorist Al-Qadi expressed pride in her brother, stating that he is a role model for "all the young people of Palestine," including her own son who she named after the accomplice to murder:
Official PA TV host: "You named your son Mazen."
Sister of jailed terrorist Mazen Al-Qadi: "I named my son Mazen, and praise Allah, he turned out similar to him. I hope that he will be like him, because Mazen is an example, in other words, not only for my son but rather for all the young people of Palestine. Praise Allah, may we hear good news about him, may we take pride and glory in it. We shed no tears other than those of pride, pride in Mazen and the young people who are like Mazen. May Allah release them."
[Official PA TV, Giants of Endurance, Oct. 13, 2016]
 Text on screen: "Sister of heroic prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi" |  Text on screen: "Sister of heroic prisoner Mazen Al-Qadi" |
PA official District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam endorsed PA TV's presentation of this terrorist as "heroic" by guesting the show and appearing with the family of Mazen Al-Qadi.
Text on screen: "District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Dr. Laila Ghannam"
Hani and Issam Zayn Al-Din are each serving one life sentence for being accomplices to murder and they were both named "heroic prisoner."Text on screen: "Mother of heroic prisoner Hani Zayn Al-Din"
Official PA TV host: "We are now in the home of heroic prisoner Issam Zayn Al-Din... He certainly is resolute. He is a prisoner, one of the giants of endurance, loves the resolve, and he is one of the legends of resolve."
[Official PA TV, June 14, 2016]
Terrorist prisoner Husam Shehadeh who was involved in the murder of 6 Israelis and sentenced to 6 life sentences is another of PA TV's "heroic prisoners." 
Text on screen: "Brother of heroic prisoner Husam Shehadeh"
[Official PA TV, Giants of Endurance, July 6, 2016 and Sept. 14, 2016]
Another "heroic" terrorist is Bassem Al-Khandaqji, a member of the PFLP who was involved in a suicide bombing in which 3 were murdered:
Text on screen: "Uncle of heroic prisoner Bassem Al-Khandaqji"
[Official PA TV, July 21, 2016]
Othman Younes, who was involved in the murder of 3 and several other attacks and is serving 4 life sentences, is another of PA TV's "heroic prisoners."Official PA TV host: "Allow me to go on to the sister of heroic prisoner Othman Younes, be well my sister. Othman [was sentenced to] 4 life sentences."
Text on screen: "Mother of heroic prisoner Othman Younes" | Text on screen: "Sister of heroic prisoner Othman Younes" |
[Official PA TV, Dec. 8, 2016]
PA TV also honors terrorist murderers without referring to them as "heroic prisoners." Introducing the parents of terrorist Izz Al-Din Khaled Hamamrah who is serving 10 life sentences for recruiting a suicide bomber who killed 8, the PA TV host wished that "Allah release him": 
Official PA TV host: "We will move on to the family of Izz Al-Din Khaled Hamamrah, sentenced to 9 life sentences (sic., 10 life sentences), may Allah release him."
[Official PA TV, July 8, 2016]
See the PMW website for additional PMW documentation about the PA's glorification of terrorist murderers and its promotion of violence.The following are more details about the terrorists and their attacks:
As'ad Zo'rob - A 21-year-old Palestinian terrorist who shot and murdered his Israeli employer Nissan Dolinger, 44, next to a military checkpoint near the Jewish town of Rafiah Yam in the Gaza Strip on May 12, 2002. Dolinger was giving Zo'rob a ride in his car, when Zo'rob shot him. Zo'rob was arrested by Israeli soldiers and is serving a life sentence
Nael and Fakhri Barghouti - Palestinian terrorists who killed an Israeli army officer in January 1978, near Ramallah. Both were sentenced to life plus 18 years but were released in the Shalit prisoner exchange deal in 2011. Nael Barghouti was arrested again in 2014 for violating the terms of his release by offering Hamas to serve as its minister of prisoners' affairs, and is serving his reinstated original sentence.
Alaa Al-Din Al-Bazian - a Palestinian terrorist who was arrested for terror activity in 1979 (including a bombing attempt during which he lost his eyesight) and released in the Jibril Exchange in May 1985. After his release Al-Bazian led a terror cell comprised mainly of terrorists released in the Jibril Exchange. The cell was responsible for several attacks, including the murder of Zehava Ben Ovadia, 59, in East Jerusalem on April 13, 1986, and the murder of British tourist Paul Appleby, 28, at the Garden Tomb Christian religious site in Jerusalem on April 27, 1986. The cell was rounded up and Al-Bazian was arrested and sentenced to a life sentence in October 1986. In October 2011, Al-Bazian was released as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal brokered between the Israeli government and Hamas, but he was arrested again in 2014 for violating the terms of his release, and is serving his reinstated life sentence.
Nidal Zalum - a Palestinian terrorist who stabbed and murdered 2 - Nissim Levy, 91, and Kalman Vardi, 60 - and wounded three others near the central Jerusalem post office on May 3, 1989. Zalum was sentenced to 2 life sentences. In October 2011, Zalum was released as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange deal brokered between the Israeli government and Hamas, but he was arrested again in 2014 for violating the terms of his release, and is serving his reinstated original sentence.
Murad Nazmi Al-Ajlouni - Israeli Arab terrorist with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (Fatah's military wing) who drove terrorist Ibrahim Hassouneh to carry out an attack on two restaurants, the Seafood Market and Mifgash Hasteak, in Tel Aviv on March 5, 2002, in which 3 Israelis were murdered. Al-Ajlouni used his status as an Israeli Arab to freely drive Hassouneh to the restaurants, where Hassouneh shot from the car at diners and passersby with an assault rifle, wounding 15. Hassouneh also threw two grenades that did not explode. When his weapon jammed, Hassouneh got out of the car with a knife and stabbed Yosef Habi, 52, and Eli Dahan, 53, to death. Druze Israeli Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat, 33, managed to subdue Hassouneh, but as Barakat was reporting his location to his police commander, Hassouneh suddenly broke free and stabbed Barakat in the throat, murdering him. Police shot and killed Hassouneh, while Al-Ajlouni fled the scene in his car, but was later arrested. Al-Ajlouni was sentenced in 2003, and is serving 3 life sentences and 20 additional years.
Hani and Issam Zayn Al-Din and Abd Al-Rahman Othman - Palestinian terrorists who are each serving 1 life sentence for the murder of Israeli citizen Eldad Abir on March 1, 2006, at the gas station near Migdalim, southeast of Nablus. Abd Al-Rahman Othman shot Eldad Abir and Issam Zayin Al-Din stabbed him. Hani Zayn Al-Din assisted in planning the attack and by driving them. Issam Zayn Al-Din and Hani Zayn Al-Din were apprehended on March 7, 2006, while trying to cross into Jordan, and Abd Al-Rahman Othman was arrested in Jericho on May 1, 2006.
Husam Shehadeh - a Palestinian terrorist and member of the Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) convicted for his role in a terror cell that carried out a series of lethal shooting attacks between January 2001 and January 2002. The first attack was the murder of Akiva Pashkos on Jan. 25, 2001, in Atarot, in northern Jerusalem. Shehadeh was also involved in the murder of Yaniv and Sharon Ben Shalom, and Sharon's brother Israeli soldier Corporal Doron Sviri, in an attack on Aug. 25, 2001, on Route 443 between Jerusalem and Modiin. Yaniv and Sharon's two infant daughters, 20 months and eight months old, were also wounded in the attack. The last of the series of shooting attacks took place on Jaffa Road in the center of Jerusalem on Jan. 22, 2002, in which Ora Sandler and Sarah Hamburger were murdered and over 40 others were wounded. Shehadeh was arrested, and was convicted of both the murders and of planning a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. Shehadeh is serving 6 life sentences.
Othman Younes - a terrorist of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (Fatah's military wing) who sent a terrorist to infiltrate the Jewish town of Itamar southeast of Nablus on May 28, 2002. The terrorist entered a high school yeshiva (Jewish religious studies academy) in the town and murdered 3 teenagers - Netanel Riachi (17), Gilad Stiglitz (14), and Avraham Siton (17) - before being shot and killed by a security guard. Younes was sentenced in 2004 and is serving 4 life sentences for the attack, as well as for his involvement in a number of shooting attacks in which Israelis were wounded, and placing explosives at roads in the West Bank.
Izz Al-Din Khaled Hamamrah - Palestinian Tanzim (Fatah terror faction) member who recruited 23-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber Muhammad Za'oul, who carried out the suicide bombing of bus no. 14 in Jerusalem on Feb. 22, 2004, in which 8 were killed and dozens injured. Hamamrah was also involved in shooting attacks in the area of Bethlehem, at the end of 2003 and in February 2004. Hamamrah is serving 10 life sentences.