PA TV serves as platform for promotion of Martyrdom-death for youth
18-year-old wanted Martyrdom like his would-be suicide bomber brother
Father of dead terrorist: “I’m proud of his Martyrdom-death… Since age 11 my son has been a fighter”
To “die a Martyr” while “fighting” Israel – i.e., carrying out a terror attack and trying to murder Israelis - is an admirable thing to do in the Palestinian Authority. It is something to strive for and a source of immense pride for the relatives, as Palestinian Media Watch has documented at length. Recent cases show that official PA TV continues to highlight this pride and strengthen it by providing a platform for it, thereby encouraging yet more terrorist “Martyrs.”
After an 18-year-old Palestinian terrorist and member of the Hamas terror organization was shot and killed while participating in violent clashes with Israeli forces southwest of Jenin on July 3, 2022, official PA TV showed one of his brothers explaining that Kamel Alawneh had in fact wished to “become a Martyr.”
According to the brother Mutaz, Kamel “always said: ‘I want to die as a Martyr.’” Apparently he wanted to emulate another brother – his namesake - who “died a Martyr” while on his way to carry out a suicide bombing. Mutaz explained that the recently deceased brother “always tried to imitate his brother the Martyr”:
Mutaz Alawneh, brother of terrorist Kamel Alawneh: “Our brother Kamel was studying for the matriculation exams... He had a firm character and was cheerful. He always mentioned his brother Martyr Kamel (i.e., would-be suicide bomber), whom he didn’t know because he was born after him. He heard about his demeanor from people, about his good and praiseworthy behavior. He always tried to imitate his brother the Martyr, and always said: “I want to die as a Martyr.” He asked God for this. Allah willing, He will receive him as one of the Martyrs and the righteous.”
[Official PA TV News, July 3, 2022]
The father of another dead terrorist, this one a man in his 20s, expressed pride in his son on PA TV for dying a “Martyr” and praised the fact that since childhood he had “fought” Israel:
Official PA TV newsreader: “Masses of our people in Jenin accompanied to burial Martyr Muhammad Mar’i (i.e., terrorist, shot at Israeli soldiers), 25, from the Jenin refugee camp, who ascended to Heaven after being injured in confrontations with the occupation…”
Father of terrorist Muhammad Mar’i: “My son died as a Martyr, and Allah be praised that he died as a Martyr. I am proud of his Martyrdom-death. My son has been a fighter forever... Since age 11 my son has been a fighter in the nighttime disturbances, and he is the one who disturbed all of Israel… The Palestinian people is heroic. It doesn’t care, it doesn’t fear, and we are against all of Israel.”
[Official PA TV News, June 29, 2022]
Yet a third father, albeit a less happy or proud looking one, also reported that his 28-year-old son had “asked for Martyrdom-death”:
Official PA TV newsreader: “Masses of our people in Qalqilya accompanied to burial Martyr Yahya Ali Adwan (i.e., killed while participating in violent riots against Israeli security forces), 28, who was shot by the occupation and ascended to Heaven in the early morning [April 30, 2022] in Azzoun.”
Ali Adwan, father of Yahya Adwan: “A shock, it’s a great shock. He wanted Martyrdom-death, he asked for it… May Allah have mercy on him.”
[Official PA TV News, April 30, 2022]
Kamel Alawneh – 18-year-old Palestinian terrorist and member of the Hamas terror organization who was shot and killed while participating in violent clashes with Israeli forces in Jaba’, southwest of Jenin, on July 3, 2022. He was named after his older brother, Kamel Alawneh, who died before he was born.
Kamel Alawneh (the older) – Palestinian terrorist who was on his way to carry out a suicide attack in Israel on June 26, 2003, but was killed by Israeli security forces before he could carry out the attack. Israel transferred the terrorist’s body to the PA on March 11, 2014.
Muhammad Mar’i – 25-year-old Palestinian terrorist and member of the Islamic Jihad terror organization who, together with other terrorists, shot and threw explosives at Israeli soldiers who were arresting two wanted terror suspects in Jenin on June 29, 2022. The soldiers shot and killed Mar’i in self-defense.