PA lauds mass murderers as heroes
According to the Palestinian Authority and Fatah, Samir Kuntar and Dalal Mughrabi epitomize the ideal heroic Palestinians.
Kuntar, who crushed the head of four year-old Eynat Haran with his rifle and was serving four life sentences for murder in an Israeli prison, was freed yesterday in exchange for the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, Israeli soldiers kidnapped in 2006.
Dalal Mughrabi led a 1978 bus hijacking that was the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history. Thirty seven vacationers, including 12 children, were murdered. Her body was released to Lebanon as part of the exchange.
PA TV and newspapers controlled by PA President Mahmoud Abbas have had hours of broadcasting and songs in recent days, honoring the two terrorists as heroes of the Palestinians. As reported both on PA TV and in newspapers, Abbas "congratulated yesterday's exchange of prisoner and bodies of Martyrs. The President sent blessings to Samir Kuntar's family." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 17, 2008; PA TV, July 17, 2008]
Besides bludgeoning Eynat Haran to death with rocks and his rifle, Kuntar killed her father and was responsible for the death of her infant sister. He also killed two policemen in the 1979 attack in Nahariya.
The following are examples from the PA press:
Kuntar, who crushed the head of four year-old Eynat Haran with his rifle and was serving four life sentences for murder in an Israeli prison, was freed yesterday in exchange for the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, Israeli soldiers kidnapped in 2006.
Dalal Mughrabi led a 1978 bus hijacking that was the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history. Thirty seven vacationers, including 12 children, were murdered. Her body was released to Lebanon as part of the exchange.
PA TV and newspapers controlled by PA President Mahmoud Abbas have had hours of broadcasting and songs in recent days, honoring the two terrorists as heroes of the Palestinians. As reported both on PA TV and in newspapers, Abbas "congratulated yesterday's exchange of prisoner and bodies of Martyrs. The President sent blessings to Samir Kuntar's family." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 17, 2008; PA TV, July 17, 2008]
Besides bludgeoning Eynat Haran to death with rocks and his rifle, Kuntar killed her father and was responsible for the death of her infant sister. He also killed two policemen in the 1979 attack in Nahariya.
The following are examples from the PA press:
"(Official Fatah spokesman Ahmad Abdul Rahman) said that the Fatah movement sends warm blessings to Hizbullah, to all the resistance [terror forces - Ed.], and to the Lebanese nation, and the Palestinians for their historic victory over the Israeli arrogance in their victorious July War, [2006 Lebanese War].
"And on the return of the heroes of freedom, the heroes and the Martyrs, headed by the great Samir Kuntar and the Martyr fighter Dalal Mughrabi, who led the most glorified Sacrifice action in the history of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle. [Editors' note: Her bus hijacking was the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history. Thirty seven Israeli vacationers, including 12 children, were murdered.]
"He emphasized that the Fatah party... vows to the Palestinian people that Fatah will continue to struggle in the way of the pure Martyrs, until the state is liberated and the Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as the capital. The Fatah movement turns on this day, that abounds with sincere blessings to Hizbullah ...
"The battle against the theft of Palestine is the battle of all the fighters and all the Arab nations. Blessings to the free heroes and their head, the heroic fighter Samir Kuntar, and blessings to the spirit of the heroic Dalal Mughrabi and to the friends of the heroes."
"President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated yesterday's exchange of prisoners and bodies of Martyrs. The president sent blessings to Samir Kuntar's family."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 17, 2008]
PA TV host addressing brother of Kuntar: "First of all a thousand blessings, on the release of the heroic leader Samir Kuntar."[PATV, July 7, 2008]
Hani Al-Masri, writer and political commentator:
"This deal includes heroes, like Samir Kuntar, who committed heroic acts, in which Jews and soldiers were killed."[PATV, July 5, 2008]
PA TV has repeatedly shown this picture of Kuntar and the Palestinian flag in recent days.
[PATV, July 7, 2008]
Sign on right: Freedom for Heroic prisoner Samir Al-Kuntar
[PA Daily, picture from Lebanon, Al-Ayyam, June 30, 2008]