Abbas' and PA's female role model: Mother of 4 terrorists serving life sentences
Abbas' and PA's female role model:
Mother of 4 terrorists
serving 18 life sentences
serving 18 life sentences
- Abbas invited the mother of 4 terrorists to event in his office
- Fatah leadership delegation visited her in her home
- PA official, Governor of Ramallah, visited her in her home
- Mother of terrorists nicknamed "The Oak Tree of Palestine" and "Khansa of Palestine" - reference to a woman in the earliest period of Islam who rejoiced when all four of her sons were killed in battles, as Martyrs for Islam
Abbas and Latifa Abu Hmeid,
mother of 4 terrorists serving life sentences
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 29, 2017]
Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
The current hunger strike held by imprisoned Palestinian terrorists gave the Palestinian Authority another opportunity to promote one of its female role models: Um Nasser Abu Hmeid.
Latifa Abu Hmeid (her proper name) is famous in the PA for being the mother of 4 imprisoned terrorists, all of whom are serving life sentences (their crimes appear below). She has joined the hunger strike in solidarity with her sons and the other imprisoned terrorists. A fifth son, a member of Hamas, was killed and is considered "a Martyr."
In the eyes of the PA, her fostering of 5 terrorists makes her uniquely worthy of honor. Abbas himself received her and other relatives of terrorist prisoners at his office last month (photo above), and a Fatah leadership delegation visited her at home.
At the event in Abbas' office, Abbas reiterated that the prisoners are one of the PA's main concerns:
"The president noted that the prisoners' cause is a priority among the issues in which the leadership is interested. He called on everyone to stand alongside the prisoners and their just cause, and to ease their suffering and their families' suffering."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 29, 2017]
The Fatah delegation that visited Um Hmeid (photo below) included Abbas' Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul and Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Muhaisen. On this occasion, Al-Aloul emphasized Fatah's support for the imprisoned terrorists, stating that "Fatah will always remain loyal to the Martyrs and prisoners' promise, and will continue its struggle until the release of all of our prisoners from the occupation's prison." [Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, April 24, 2017]
Palestinian society has honored the mother of these five terrorists with two nicknames: "The Oak Tree of Palestine" and "Khansa of Palestine." Khansa is a reference to a woman in the earliest period of Islam who sent her four sons to battle and rejoiced when they were all killed as Martyrs.
An op-ed in the official PA daily wrote that Latifa Abu Hmeid is so great that instead of calling her "the Oak Tree of Palestine" and "Khansa of Palestine," the two should rather be named after her, even "Palestine" itself should be named after Latifa:
"I read that they call Latifa by names such as The Oak Tree of Palestine, Khansa of Palestine, and so forth. All these names seem to me to be insufficient, and to diminish her value, for what would we lose if we change the language and call the oak tree, Khansa, and Palestine itself by Latifa's name?"
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 10, 2017]
Another senior PA official who visited Hmeid was Laila Ghannam, District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh, who accompanied the Director of the Health Directorate of Ramallah Dr. Wael Al-Sheikh who monitors her health during her hunger strike (see photo below). Ghannam stressed that "the mothers of the prisoners and the Martyrs are the mothers of all of us and constitute a priority for everyone that belongs [to the Palestinian nation]." [Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, May 2, 2017] Ghannam has visited Um Hmeid before.
In 2011, the PA chose Um Hmeid to launch their statehood campaign, and had her lead the procession to the UN offices in Ramallah and hand over the PA's letter requesting statehood for delivery to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
In 2010, a PA minister honored her for having 4 terrorist sons serving 18 life sentences
In praise of Um Hmeid, then Minister for Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake glorified Palestinian mothers 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."
[Official PA Daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 28, 2010]
Both official PA TV and the independent Ma'an TV have honored Hmeid. PA TV called the terrorist family "a source of pride to all of us" [July 18, 2015] The following are longer excerpts of the articles mentioned above:
Headline: "The [PA] president: The prisoners' cause is a priority among the issues in which the leadership is interested"
"[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed a delegation of families of Martyrs (Shahids) and hunger striking prisoners from all districts of the homeland yesterday [April 28, 2017] at his presidential office in Ramallah.
The president emphasized that the leadership is in contact with all of the international parties in order to pressure the government of Israel to accede to the prisoners' just humanitarian demands.
The president noted that the prisoners' cause is a priority among the issues in which the leadership is interested. He called on everyone to stand alongside the prisoners and their just cause, and to ease their suffering and their families' suffering."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 29, 2017]
Headline: "The Fatah leadership visits the Oak Tree of Palestine (i.e., Um Nasser Abu Hmeid), who is hunger striking"
"A delegation from the Fatah Movement leadership today (Monday) [April 24, 2017] visited the home of... Um Nasser [Abu] Hmeid, the mother of a Martyr (Shahid) and four prisoners who are serving life sentences in the occupation's prisons. This was as a sign of appreciation for her position regarding the prisoners' [hunger] strike and her announcing her participation in the hunger strike, in a step of solidarity with her offspring and the rest of the prisoners.
The delegation included Fatah Movement Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul 'Abu Jihad,' and [Fatah Central Committee member and] Commissioner of Mobilization and Organization [in the West Bank] Jamal Muhaisen...
Al-Aloul... emphasized that Fatah will always remain loyal to the Martyrs and prisoners' promise, and will continue its struggle until the release of all of our prisoners from the occupation's prison."
[Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, April 24, 2017]
Headline: "The Khansa of Palestine continues her [hunger] strike"
"Um Nasser Abu Hmeid continues her unlimited hunger strike on this the 16th day in a row as a sign of solidarity with the prisoners who are [hunger] striking in the occupation's prisons...
Several doctors, led by Director of the Health Directorate of Ramallah and El-Bireh Dr. Wael Al-Sheikh, carried out the necessary exams of Um Nasser - who is known as the Khansa of Palestine - in the presence of District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Dr. Laila Ghannam.
Ghannam emphasized that 'the mothers of the prisoners and the Martyrs (Shahids) are the mothers of all of us and constitute a priority for everyone that belongs [to the Palestinian nation],' and wished for all of our prisoners that they be victorious and be released soon. She noted that monitoring the health of Um Nasser and preventing her deterioration, particularly in light of the diseases she suffers from, is the responsibility of everyone. She thanked the Health Directorate for the perfect service they provide to the members of our people.
Ghannam said that the Palestinian mother, who suffers doubly due to this cruel occupation, is deserving of us investing everything dear to us for her, and noted that it does not matter how much we provide to the families of our prisoners, it is still not enough."
[Ma'an, independent Palestinian news agency, May 2, 2017]
Headline: "Latifa Abu Hmeid, the mother of a Martyr and four sons sentenced to life"
"I do not understand how we can express the distresses and pains of lives despite my believing that every person has his worries. However, how can the heart of a mother of 10 sons and two daughters - one of whom, Abd Al-Mun'im, died as a Martyr, and four of whom are sentenced to life sentences - bear all of this? However, something in this equation is different as we are talking about a Palestinian mother first of all.
Um Nasser [Abu Hmeid], seven of whose sons have been in prison, has gone from prison to prison, from city to city, while pictures of them chase her in her dreams and on the walls, after all of them were arrested in 2002. O Allah, give her patience.
- Nasser Muhammad Yusuf Abu Hmeid, 37, sentenced to 7 life sentences and another 20 years
- Nasr Muhammad Yusuf Abu Hmeid, 35, sentenced to 5 life sentences
- Sharif Muhammad Yusuf Abu Hmeid, 29, sentenced to 4 life sentences
- Muhammad Muhammad Yusuf Abu Hmeid, sentenced to 2 life sentences and another 30 years
I read that they call Latifa by names such as The Oak Tree of Palestine, Khansa of Palestine, and so forth. All these names seem to me to be insufficient, and to diminish her value, for what would we lose if we change the language and call the oak tree, Khansa, and Palestine itself by Latifa's name?"
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 10, 2017]
Um Nasser Abu Hmeid (Um Yusuf Abu Hmeid/Latifa Abu Hmeid) - The mother of four prisoners serving multiple life sentences. She is also called Khansa of Palestine (referring to a woman in the earliest period of Islam who sent her four sons to battle and rejoiced when they all died as Martyrs), honored in 2010 and in 2015 by the PA, and was chosen in 2011 to launch the PA's statehood campaign with the UN.Hmeid's Five Sons:
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.
Abd Al-Mun'im Muhammad Yusuf Naji Abu Hmeid - Palestinian terrorist and a member of the Izz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing) who planned and carried out the ambush and murder of Israeli intelligence officer Noam Cohen on Feb. 13, 1994, in Ramallah. Abu Hmeid was killed on May 31, 1994, by Israeli military undercover agents.