Fatah’s devotion to its “hero,” “pure blood” suicide bomber from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades
Today, March 2nd, marks the 20th anniversary of the suicide bombing carried out at the entrance to a yeshiva (Jewish religious studies academy) in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem in 2002, shortly after a Bar Mitzvah celebration had taken place there. 11 people were murdered in the attack, among them children and babies, and 50 were injured.
The suicide bomber, Muhammad Daraghmeh Al-Shou'ani, was a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, the terror wing of Fatah, the party now headed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Al-Shou'ani’s attack was the first big terror attack of the month, and its 11 victims were just some of the 120 people murdered in March 2002 alone, in terror attacks carried out by Palestinian terrorists. Many of the attacks were carried out by terrorists from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
As a result of its terror activities, including its responsibility for hundreds of terror attacks in which hundreds of people were murdered, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades has been designated as a terror organization by many countries including Israel, the US, the EU, and Canada.
Instead of arresting the terrorist members and dissolving the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, Abbas’ Fatah constantly glorifies the terrorists. Al-Shou'ani, for example, has been repeatedly glorified by Fatah. The following are just a few examples.
In 2019, Fatah’s Bethlehem district dedicated a post on its Facebook page to a visit to the “family of heroic Martyr… out of loyalty to his pure blood”:
Posted text: “The Deheisheh refugee camp organizational region in the Fatah Movement Bethlehem branch and the national activity factions in a visit to the home of the family of heroic Martyr, Martyrdom-seeker Muhammad Daraghmeh for the anniversary of his death, and this was out of loyalty to his pure blood.”
[Facebook page of the Fatah Movement – Bethlehem Branch March 2, 2019]
The 2019 post followed a post the year before in which Fatah’s Bethlehem district noted Al-Shou'ani’s membership in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and referred to him as a “hero”:
Posted text: “March 2, 2002 – we will not forget the anniversary of [the death of] the Martyrdom-seeker and member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (i.e., Fatah’s military wing) in the Deheisheh refugee camp, hero Muhammad Daraghmeh (i.e., suicide bomber, murdered 11)…”
[Facebook page of the Fatah Movement - Bethlehem Branch, March 2, 2018]
The image accompanying the post showed Al-Shou'ani reading his “last will”, in which he said, inter alia:
“I say to the despicable dog [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon that I will pay back double, and will avenge the members of my people in the Balata refugee camp, the Nablus refugee camp, and in the Martyrs’ refugee camp - the Jenin refugee camp, and all of the Martyrs in Palestine.”
In 2016, the official Fatah Facebook page boasted "Fatah's most outstanding operations in the Al-Aqsa Intifada (the PA’s name for the Palestinian terror war launched in September 2000 and which raged on through 2005). Among the attacks Fatah boasted about, was the suicide bombing carried out by Al-Shou'ani:
Posted text: "Fatah's most outstanding operations in the Al-Aqsa Intifada (i.e., PA terror campaign 2000-2005)
#Fatah_52"
Text at top of image: "Fatah's 10 most outstanding operations in the Al-Aqsa Intifada"
"The Ministry of Defense headquarters operation
Aug. 5, 2001 (i.e., shooting attack at the Israeli ministry and military headquarters in Tel Aviv, 10 wounded)
The Hadera operation
Jan. 18, 2002 (sic., Jan. 17, 2002, shooting attack on civilians during a Bat Mitzvah celebration in Hadera, 6 murdered and dozens injured)
The Ein Arik operation
Feb. 19, 2002 (i.e., shooting attack at Ein Arik checkpoint west of Ramallah, 6 Israeli soldiers murdered)
The Beit Yisrael neighborhood operation
March 2, 2002
The Wadi Al-Haramiya operation
March 3, 2002 (i.e., shooting attack, 7 Israeli soldiers and 3 Israeli civilians murdered)
The operation of female Martyr (Shahid) Ayyat Al-Akhras
March 29, 2002 (i.e., suicide bombing near a Jerusalem supermarket, 2 murdered and 28 injured)
The operation of female Martyr Andalib Takatka
April 12, 2002 (i.e., suicide bombing in the center of Jerusalem, 6 murdered and over 80 injured)
The Itamar settlement operation
May 28, 2002 (i.e., shooting attack at a high school, 3 murdered and 2 injured)
The Hermesh settlement operation
June 30, 2003 (sic., Oct. 29, 2002, 3 murdered, 2 of them children)
The French Hill neighborhood operation
June 19, 2004 (sic., June 19, 2002, suicide bombing at French Hill junction, 7 murdered and 50 injured)"[Official Fatah Facebook page, Dec. 17, 2016]
When Al-Shou'ani’s mother died in January 2022, Fatah put out an announcement mourning her death. Fatah referred to murderer Al-Shou'ani as a “Martyr” – the highest honor achievable in Islam according to the Palestinian Authority – and praised the suicide bombing as an “operation.” Fatah also again confirmed that the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades is part of Fatah, and was responsible for the attack, and to this day – two decades later – the movement finds this glorious:
“The Fatah Movement and the forces, activists, and institutions in the Deheisheh [refugee] camp and in the Bethlehem district mourned Amna Daraghmeh, the mother of Martyr Muhammad Ahmad Daraghmeh [Al-Shou'ani], who died as a Martyr two decades ago, after carrying out an operation (i.e., suicide bombing attack) in Jerusalem for which the Al-Aqsa [Martyrs’] Brigades of Fatah took responsibility.”
[Al-Quds news website, Jan. 23, 2022]
The message that violence and terror is legitimate was also highlighted in a video posted on Fatah's Facebook page, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launching of Fatah [Facebook, “Fatah - The Main Page,” Dec. 23, 2014]. The video commemorated five suicide bombings and a shooting attack against Israeli civilians, in which a total of 55 people were murdered. The video also honored suicide bombers and showed scenes from attacks blended with footage of Fatah terrorists firing rockets.
In the video, Fatah honored the following terrorist murderers: suicide bomber Wafa Idris (murdered 1), terrorist Muhammad Al-Qasir (murdered 3) and suicide bomber Ayyat Al-Akhras (murdered 2), who was referred to as “a woman worth a thousand men.”
While the video also celebrated the Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades attack by Al-Shou'ani, it also celebrated the Hamas suicide attacks on Café Moment (11 murdered) and the Park Hotel (30 murdered).
Recently both the UK and Australia accepted that the terror organization Hamas cannot be divided into a legitimate political wing and an illegitimate military wing. Both countries then widened their respective designations of Hamas to include the entire organization.
Fatah, in its goals and actions, is no different from Hamas. Fatah openly declares that the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades is an indivisible part of Fatah, and even boasts that the terror attacks carried by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades are really “Fatah's most outstanding operations.”
However, while the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades is internationally recognized and designated as a terror organization, inexplicably, Fatah as a party enjoys international legitimacy. It is time to end this disparity.
The following is the full version of Al-Shou'ani’s “will” and additional information about the terrorists and attacks included in Fatah’s video celebrating its 50th anniversary:
“The will of Martyrdom-seeker Muhammad Daragmeh
In the name of All Merciful Allah, ‘And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision’ [Quran, Sura 3:169, Sahih International translation]. Allah spoke the truth.
I, the living Martyr (Shahid) Muhammad Daragmeh Al-Shou'ani, follow the path of Martyrdom and the Martyrs and answer the call of Allah – ‘And kill them wherever you overtake them’ [Quran, Sura 2:191, Sahih International translation], and ‘Allah will punish them by your hands’ [Quran, Sura 9:14, Sahih International translation]. I hereby proudly write my will to the members of the Palestinian people, and say to them: ‘Follow the path of Martyrdom and “Do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior”’ [Quran, Sura 3:139, Sahih International translation]. I say to the despicable dog [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon that I will pay back double, and will avenge the members of my people in the Balata refugee camp, the Nablus refugee camp, and in the Martyrs’ refugee camp - the Jenin refugee camp, and all of the Martyrs in Palestine.
Allahu Akbar (i.e., “Allah is greatest”), Allahu Akbar, glory to Allah”[Facebook, “Fatah - The Main Page,” Dec. 23, 2014]
Descriptions of the terrorists and terror attacks featured in the video:
Muhammad Al-Qasir - Palestinian terrorist and member of the terror organization the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (Fatah’s military wing) who shot and murdered Israeli civilian Ahuva Amargi at the Kissufim checkpoint (Gaza Strip) on Feb. 18, 2002. An Israeli military force dispatched to the area of the attack opened fire on Al-Qasir and the bomb he had on detonated, murdering 2 Israeli soldiers, Mor Elraz and Amir Mansouri and wounding 3.
Ayyat Al-Akhras - The youngest female Palestinian suicide bomber (aged 17). A member of Fatah, Al-Akhras carried out a suicide bombing attack near a Jerusalem supermarket on March 29, 2002, murdering 2 and wounding 28.
Park Hotel suicide bombing - Palestinian terrorist Abd Al-Basset Odeh carried out a suicide bombing at a Passover dinner at the Park Hotel in Netanya on March 27, 2002. 30 Israeli civilians were murdered and 140 were wounded.
Café Moment suicide bombing – Fuad Hourani carried out a suicide bombing at Café Moment in central Jerusalem, murdering 11 civilians and wounding 54, on March 9, 2002, . Izz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, claimed responsibility for the attack. Ibrahim Hamed planned the attack and is serving 54 life sentences in prison. Abdallah Barghouti prepared the explosives for the attack and is serving 67 life sentences in prison.
Beit Yisrael Yeshiva suicide bombing – On March 2, 2002, Muhammad Daraghmeh Al-Shou'ani carried out a suicide bombing at the entrance to a yeshiva (religious studies academy) in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem, shortly after a Bar Mitzvah celebration had taken place there. 11 people were murdered in the attack, among them children and babies, and 50 were injured. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah’s military wing, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ihab Abu Ja'far, Ayman Sabana ”Kadu”, Amer Kasrawi, Basel Al-Mahdi, and Muhammad Ahmad Khairallah Abu Samara - five terrorists from Jenin in the West Bank who belonged to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (Fatah’s military wing). They were on their way to carry out a shooting attack in the town of Kadim on March 10, 2004, but were shot by Israeli soldiers before they could carry it out.