On March 8, 2016, Palestinian terrorist Bashar Masalha attacked and stabbed civilians in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, stabbing to death an American tourist, Taylor Force, and wounding 11 others. The terrorist was shot and killed by Israeli police.
The day after the murder, Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported that Palestinian Authority (PA) head Abbas’ Fatah faction praised the murderer as “the heroic Martyr.”
Reporting on the terrorist’s funeral last week, which was attended by hundreds, official PA TV glorified the murderer as the Shahid, a Muslim martyr, 11 times.
Shahid is a term of Islamic glorification used for national heroes and those who have died while waging Jihad, Muslim holy war, against the infidels. Becoming a Martyr in Islam represents the highest religious achievement that can be attained by a Muslim, according to PA teachings, and the Martyr is granted numerous rewards.
The PA TV reporter explained that the funeral was “a large national wedding befitting of Martyrs.” The reference is to Islamic belief that a Martyr marries 72 Dark-Eyed Virgins in Paradise.
“His family, friends, and people of the region took it upon themselves to ensure that this [burial] would be a large national wedding befitting of Martyrs… The Martyr was accompanied to his last resting place in the cemetery for Martyrs in Hajja [name of his village],” the reporter said.
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the official PA daily, also honored the murderer as a “Martyr”
“Masalha died as a Martyr… after carrying out a stabbing operation in Jaffa, in which he killed an American tourist,” the paper;s article read.
Abbas has not condemned even one terror attack during the 8-month terror campaign. Even when US Vice President Joe Biden urged Abbas to condemn this terror attack in which a US citizen was murdered, Abbas refused. He “offered condolences,” but never condemned the attack.
Worse still, Abbas has justified the attacks. In November, after Palestinian terrorists had carried out 65 stabbing attacks, 8 shooting attacks, and 8 car ramming attacks, in which 14 Israelis were murdered and 167 were wounded, Abbas defended them as part of a “popular peaceful uprising”
“We want a peaceful popular uprising, and that’s what this is. That’s what this is.”
By: United with Israel Staff