“Jihad is necessary” – PA TV plays song encouraging holy war during Gaza confrontation
Official PA TV, broadcast from the PA TV studio in the Gaza Strip
The song “Brother, the oppressors have gone too far” is played while images are shown of the Gaza Strip and those wounded in 2023 Operation Shield and Arrow
Lyrics: “Therefore Jihad is necessary
and self-sacrifice is necessary...
How can we let them steal the Arabness -
the glory of the forefathers and the rule? ...
Brother, the oppressors have gone too far”
[Official PA TV, May 11, 2023]
The full lyrics of the song are as follows:
“Brother, the oppressors have gone too far
Therefore Jihad is necessary
and self-sacrifice is necessary...
How can we let them steal the Arabness -
the glory of the forefathers and the rule? ...
Draw your sword from its sheath, and
let it not return to the sheath afterwards...
Brother, rise to [Jerusalem],
the [first] direction of prayer
We will defend the church
and the mosque
Brother, if my blood will flow in the soil,
and my hand will lay on its stones
Then find a free soul that has refused
to let enemies step on it
Kiss a Martyr on the land, who called on
its behalf to Allah and fell as a Martyr...
Palestine, the young people
will redeem your territory
May the self-sacrificing fighter
and the redeemed [land] be exalted
Palestine, our chests will defend you - life or death”
2023 Operation Shield and Arrow – Israeli counter-terror operation against the Islamic Jihad terror organization in the Gaza Strip, in response to Islamic Jihad rocket attacks targeting Israel and particularly on May 2, 2023, when over 100 rockets were fired at Israel. Israel’s operation began on May 9, 2023, when Israel killed senior Islamic Jihad officials Khalil Al-Bahtini, Tareq Izz Al-Din, and Jihad Al-Ghannam together with 10 others, primarily their relatives, in targeted airstrikes. The terrorists were involved in the previous rocket attacks and were actively planning terror attacks in the West Bank. During Israel's operation, Islamic Jihad launched over 1,000 rockets, murdering 2 Israeli civilians. Approximately 20% of the rockets fell short within the Gaza Strip, killing at least 4 Palestinians. Israel attacked Islamic Jihad terror infrastructure and later in the operation also killed Islamic Jihad officials Ayed Al-Husseini, who was Al-Bahtini's replacement as commander of operations; Ali Ghali, commander of Islamic Jihad's rocket force; and Ghali's deputy Ahmed Abu Daqqa. An Egyptian mediated ceasefire was announced on May 13, 2023.