PA TV song: “Nothing is sweeter than Martyrdom”
"My blood belongs to my land...
There is nothing sweeter than Martyrdom...
Whenever it [the land] is thirsty,
the blood of righteous Martyrs will water it"
Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
As part of its encouragement of Palestinians to continue the current wave of terror attacks against Israelis, the Palestinian Authority yesterday broadcast a song that promotes fighting against Israel and presents Martyrdom-death as a duty to "Palestine" and the land. The music video shows a Palestinian man arguing with Israeli soldiers at a roadblock after which he returns with a rifle and shoots at the soldiers who return fire and kill him. The words of the song support the message that dying as a Martyr for Allah and shedding ones blood for "Palestine" is ideal: "my blood belongs to my land" and "there is nothing more beautiful than Martyrdom." It also suggests that this belief has been internalized in the minds of Palestinians who willingly become "righteous Martyrs," quenching the "thirst of the land" with their blood:
[He told his wife:] 'Give me the rifle.' She said: 'Be careful.'
He told her: 'My land calls me. I'm going and my blood belongs to my land.
And if I do not return, tell Ahmad (i.e., their unborn son) 'there is nothing sweeter than Martyrdom.'
My land will remain free, despite the occupation
When Palestine calls us, it will find us [ready] on the top of the hill.
This land raised free men, glory and suffering have been sown in it
Whenever it is thirsty, the blood of righteous Martyrs will water it.'
Mahmoud resisted and did not give in
This is what he was taught and what he learned
In his last breath he said 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his Prophet'
And closed his eyes and smiled."
"Martyrs do not die
We are a people that do not know fear
We love Martyrdom
Here in Palestine, here we remain."
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Other current songs urge Palestinians to use "cleavers and knives" against Israelis, riot, and throw rocks, as documented by Palestinian Media Watch.
The new song echoes similar songs broadcast by the PA during its terror campaign in 2000-2005 (the second Intifada). Then, the PA also advocated Martyrdom for Allah and promoted it in a positive light. Among the tools used by the PA to encourage people to become "Martyrs" were music videos broadcast on official PA TV, depicting children seeking to die as Martyrs and leaving farewell letters to their parents, or kids who called to other kids to join them in Paradise.
A striking interview with two young girls from 2002 show how successful the PA was in inculcating the belief in children that dying as a Martyr is good(See both videos below).
PMW has shown that the PA and Fatah today continue to endorse Martyrdom-seeking as a value, and that these two institutions headed by Mahmoud Abbas have glorified all the recent terrorist murderers and attackers as "Martyrs" and "heroes."