PA: "One of the most important components of the Palestinian identity is the memory of Dalal Mughrabi," the terrorist who led the murder of 37 people
Excerpt of a column by Bassem Barhoum, regular columnist for the official PA daily
Headline: “The month of March in Palestinian memory”
“I am almost certain that on every day of the year one or more Palestinian event occurred, an event that concerns the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian-Zionist conflict and that is in the Palestinian people’s collective national memory. Let us not forget that this shared history is the main component of this memory, and that it is one of the most important components of the identity.
In this memory the month of March has a special status. If you were to ask any Palestinian about the important dates in this month, at lightning speed they would list International Women’s Day, the operation of Dalal Mughrabi (i.e., terrorist who led murder of 37 people, 12 of them children), and [Mughrabi’s] death as a Martyr together with her comrades in the operation. He would spend time and explain the Karameh battle (see note below -Ed.) and lauded Land Day that takes place on March 30 (see note below -Ed.), and of course Mother’s Day that takes place on March 21, the same day as the Karameh battle…
Since the feet of the Zionist settlers from the first wave stepped on the land of Palestine in the 1880s and until this day, the Palestinian people’s calendar is full of tragic dates, dates of massacres and disasters, and also of resistance, resolve, and victories.”
Dalal Mughrabi – female Palestinian terrorist who 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, murdering 37 civilians, 12 of them children, and wounding over 70.
The Karameh battle, or Al-Karameh - On March 21, 1968, Israeli army forces attacked the town of Karameh in Jordan, where Fatah terrorists had been launching attacks on Israel. Although Israel prevailed militarily, Arafat used the event for propaganda purposes, declaring the battle a great victory that erased the disgrace of the 1967 Six Day War defeat.
Land Day – annual commemoration of the general strike and demonstrations organized by Israeli Arab residents of the Galilee on March 30, 1976 to protest the Israeli government's decision to expropriate land in the Galilee for security and building purposes, which it later implemented. During the protests, demonstrators burnt tires, blocked roads, and threw rocks and firebombs. Six demonstrators were shot and killed by the Israeli army and police. Israeli Arabs and Palestinians consider Land Day a national day.