Song glorifying violence at PA Arafat memorial
"No force in the world
can remove the weapon from my hand"
can remove the weapon from my hand"
Song glorifying violence at PA Arafat memorial
organized by PA-supported Yasser Arafat Foundation
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
At an event marking the ninth anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Popular Arts and Military Music group performed the song "My weapon has emerged," wearing military uniforms and keffiyehs (Arab headdresses).
The lyrics of the song encourage and glorify violence and Martyrdom death for Allah:
"From my wounds, my weapon has emerged...
There is no force in the world
that can remove the weapon from my hand.
My weapon has emerged...
He who offers his blood doesn't care
if his blood flows upon the ground.
As the weapon of the revolution is in my hand,
so my presence will be forced [upon Israel]."
Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the Palestinian Authority often chooses this song to be performed at official events. Recently, it was performed at an event under the auspices of Abbas. The song was also recently performed in a historical context at an event celebrating Palestinian musical folklore arranged by the PA Ministry of Culture.
The recent Arafat memorial event was organized by the PA-supported Yasser Arafat Foundation, and was broadcast on PA TV. PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and Chairman of the Yasser Arafat Foundation Nasser Al-Qidwa both spoke at the event, which was also attended by other PA and Fatah officials, among them PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake, District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam, and Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi.
The Yasser Arafat Foundation explains on its website that it was "established by Presidential decree" and receives "governmental support," but "at the same time it enjoys legal, fiscal and administrative independence and its work is steered by its own leading bodies."
"The Yasser Arafat Foundation is an independent and non-profit organization, established by Presidential decree No.5 (2007)... that aims at preserving the heritage and legacy of the late President Yasser Arafat among the Palestinian, Arab and friendly peoples... The Foundation receives governmental support and undertakes functions of governmental nature related to the preservation of the heritage of the late President, and at the same time it enjoys legal, fiscal and administrative independence and its work is steered by its own leading bodies."
[www.yaf.ps, accessed Nov. 19, 2013]
Click to see more documentation of PA and Fatah promotion of violence.
The following are the full lyrics of the song performed at the event:
"From my wounds, my weapon has emerged.
Oh, our revolution, my weapon has emerged.
There is no force in the world that can remove the weapon from my hand.
My weapon has emerged.
My weapon has emerged.
This revolutionary people has sacrificed and offered in order to live in freedom!
My weapon has emerged.
My weapon has emerged.
He who offers his blood doesn't care if his blood flows upon the ground.
As the weapon of the revolution is in my hand, so my presence will be forced [upon Israel].
My weapon has emerged.
My weapon has emerged."
[Official PA TV, Nov. 11, 2013]
Note about the the Yasser Arafat Foundation from its website:
"The Yasser Arafat Foundation is an independent and non-profit organization, established by Presidential decree No.5 (2007)... that aims at preserving the heritage and legacy of the late President Yasser Arafat among the Palestinian, Arab and friendly peoples... The Foundation receives governmental support and undertakes functions of governmental nature related to the preservation of the heritage of the late President, and at the same time it enjoys legal, fiscal and administrative independence and its work is steered by its own leading bodies."[www.yaf.ps, accessed Nov. 19, 2013]