Palestinians glorify <br> child 'martyrs'

TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND
Palestinians glorify
child 'martyrs'
Mother only wishes a different son had died

Posted: June 08, 2004
1:00 am Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily.com

The Palestinian Authority continued its promotion of children as combatants with a long interview on national television feting the "martyrdom" of three boys killed in an attack on Israel.

The interview yesterday featured the mother of a 15-year-old who said her son's death last year was both "sad and joyous," because he always liked Shahada, or martyrdom, "as all children do."

The mother presented an unusual public display of regret over her son's death, noted Israel-based Palestinian Media Watch, but it was tempered with her expression of willingness to give her sons to Allah for martyrdom.

"He was my first son, he always cared for me," she said. "... I would have preferred that one of his other brothers would have attained Shahada instead of him, because he was the joy of my life."

During the interview, PA television displayed photographs of the boys with text that read: "The Popular Resistance Committee proudly announce the falling of three Shahids [martyrs] of the Great Islam."

PMW said the picture "represents a strong message to viewers – and especially to children – that the dead combatants are role models for children."

The interviewer said the dead combatants "became outstanding for all Palestinians, outstanding in their medals of honor – Shahada."

As WorldNetDaily reported, a Senate appropriations committee last year watched excerpts from Palestinian television illustrating the Palestinian Authority's indoctrination and grooming of children to become suicide bombers, prompting calls for a cessation of aid unless the propaganda stops.

A Palestinian psychologist claims more than half of Palestinian children aged 6 to 11 dream of becoming suicide bombers. Dr. Shafiq Massalha conducted a study that has led him to conclude that "in about 10 years, a very murderous generation will come of age, full of hatred and ready to die in suicide missions."

The Palestinian Education Ministry sponsored a letter-writing contest that rewarded children for embracing violence. The winner, a seventh grader, wrote "My heart has turned into a sad block of pain. One day I will buy a weapon and I will blow away the fetters. I will propel my living-dead body into your arms, my father, and you will gather me into your hands."

PMW noted in May 2001, Mohammed al-Dura, the 12-year-old Palestinian youth whose shooting death in Sept. 2000 made him the poster boy of the "intifada," was – courtesy of Palestinian television – speaking to an ever-angrier generation of Arab youths from beyond the grave, beckoning to them from paradise to become terrorists and suicide bombers.

In November 2000, the Mufti of Jerusalem, the city's highest Muslim religious authority, called for the complete "liberation" by Palestinians not only of Jerusalem, but of all of Israel, and stressing "sacrifice" and "martyrdom" of Palestinian children prove that "the new generation will carry on the mission with determination."

WorldNetDaily also reported on a 1998 documentary showing a "Sesame Street"-like children's program called the "Children's Club" – complete with puppet shows, songs, Mickey Mouse and other characters – focused on inculcating intense hatred of Jews and a passion for engaging in and celebrating violence against them in a perpetual "jihad" until the day the Israeli flags come down from above "Palestinian land" and the Palestinian flag is raised.