PA students are read letter glorifying terror
written by terrorist murderer
- PA Ministry of Education had letter by terrorist Marwan Barghouti read to all students in all PA schools
- Letter instructs that studies and terror go together
- Marwan Barghouti is serving 5 life sentences for orchestrating 3 shooting attacks in which 5 people were murdered
- Fatah praises terrorist
Itamar Marcus
In line with the Palestinian Authority's policy of teaching children to see terrorists as heroes and all violence as internationally accepted means to confront Israel, the PA Ministry of Education decided that a letter by imprisoned terrorist Marwan Barghouti should be read to all "students of Palestine."Marwan Barghouti is serving 5 life sentences for orchestrating three shooting attacks that killed 5 people in 2001-2002.
Barghouti's dominant messages in the letter are that the imprisoned terrorists are the students' heroes and role models and that studies and terror go together.
Referring to himself as "the great prisoner and the free man," Barghouti addressed "all the young people of Palestine" presenting himself and his fellow imprisoned terrorists and murderers who "have already chosen the path of resistance" as examples to follow.
While he emphasized that studying and acquiring knowledge is a way of "resisting," even while in prison, Barghouti focused on his personal experiences as a prisoner: "I was arrested for the first time when I was in high school... Imprisoned for more than 23 years, expelled for seven years, and subjected to pursuit and assassination..." He then concluded: "I say this to you in order to emphasize to you that the path of studies and the national path go side by side" - the national path being his euphemism for violence, terror, and murder. Barghouti underlined how he himself has been able to study while imprisoned:
"Your brothers the prisoners have already chosen the path of resistance to the apartheid and occupation regime, and I say to you that in order to be creative in resisting the colonialist, we must be creative in our studies, education, and culture. I say to you - I was arrested for the first time when I was in high school, I took the matriculation exams in prison, and continued on the path of study and obtained a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate. This was despite being imprisoned for more than 23 years, expelled for seven years, and subjected to pursuit and assassination attempts. I say this to you in order to emphasize to you that the path of studies and the national path go side by side, and that education is the key to change in the battle of the peoples and nations."
Barghouti presented the imprisoned Palestinian terrorists and murderers as heroes, who sacrificed everything for "Palestine" and the "just and noble cause":
"These colonialists (i.e., Israel) wanted the prison to constitute a graveyard for the fighters, but the prisoners, with their resolve and willpower, have stood against the hangman and the jailor and turned the prison into a station for renewing the strength, strengthening of the [sense of] belonging, and deepening of the experience. The secret of the resolve, perseverance, and energy is in our deep belief in the justice of the matter for which we are fighting and sacrificing, as Palestine is among the most just and noble causes of our time. Therefore, we sacrifice all that we possess with happiness and joy so that our land will be free and sovereign, as the free and sovereign homeland is what gives meaning to dignity and honor."
[Israeli Arab website, Arab 48, April 17, 2017]
At a "mass support rally" for the prisoners in the PA Ministry of Education plaza, PA Minister of Education Dr. Sabri Saidam "emphasized the education system's standing by the side of the heroic prisoners and its support for them in the battle that they are waging against the occupation." [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 18, 2017]In advance of Prisoner's Day, the minister explained the event of the letter reading at the schools:
"These events [of Prisoner's Day] will include reading the letter written by brother fighter Marwan Barghouti to the schools before the students at the morning assembly after raising the flag and playing the national anthem, and this will be in all of the Palestinian schools in the homeland and abroad. Likewise, all of the students will hold a symbolic hunger strike for an hour at the start of the school day."
[Donia Al-Watan, independent Palestinian news agency, April 13, 2017]
The PA's support for terrorist Marwan Barghouti is not new. Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the PA is trying to whitewash his crimes by passing him on as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. PMW has documented that the PA educational values that are taught to children include glorification of terrorists and promotion of violence. Click to read PMW's report on PA education.
Fatah and Fatah officials have also expressed their support of Marwan Barghouti and the hunger-striking terrorists. Here are some examples:
Fatah's parliamentary faction called terrorists Barghouti "a shining and renewing flame of struggle" and praised him and the other imprisoned terrorists:
"Prisoner Barghouti, who has begun his 16th year in prison, still constitutes a shining and renewing flame of struggle, and together with his comrades is heading an epic of resolve and heroism in the face of the captivity, the jailors, the occupation's injustice, and the ongoing oppression of our heroic prisoners and our people everywhere."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 16, 2017]
Fatah's Shabiba student movement created a poster for the elections at An-Najah University, which shows a rifle and a picture of Marwan Barghouti making the "V" for victory with his handcuffed hands.
Text to right of rifle: "2 - the number [to vote for Fatah] in the elections"
Text on the rifle: "The Martyrs' (Shahids') cell"
Text at bottom:
"[Fatah's] Shabiba Student Movement
The university of siege and victory [An-Najah University]
[Official Fatah Facebook page, April 14, 2017]
Fatah Movement Spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi said in a press statement:
"The Fatah Movement sends greetings of respect and admiration to all of our heroic prisoners without exception, as well as a special greeting to Fatah Movement Central Committee member fighter Marwan Barghouti ..., fighter Karim Younes (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1) who is entering his 35th year in the Israeli prisons, fighter Fuad Al-Shubaki (i.e., senior PA official who tried to smuggle weapons), Nael Barghouti (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1), and all of the prisoners in all of the detention centers.'"
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 7, 2017]
Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki also singled out Marwan Barghouti for praise:
"For the campaign and events of solidarity with the prisoners Zaki sent greetings of appreciation to leader prisoner Marwan Barghouti and all of the heroic prisoners and praised their role in the national struggle and their ability to give despite the darkness of the prisons and their suffering."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 12, 2017]
Fatah also glorified Barghouti with another post on Facebook with Barghouti's picture and a quote: 
Posted text: "'I will say to the members of our people after I salute them, hold their hands, and kiss their foreheads: I have not weakened in my [prison] cell, and my shoulders have not fallen. I am loyal to the path and oath, to the path of the Martyrs (Shahids) and prisoners, and to the path of the fighting people. We will be released, we will triumph, and we will return, and our meeting is soon'
Marwan Barghouti"
[Official Fatah Facebook page, April 7, 2017]
The following is a longer excerpt of terrorist Barghouti's letter to PA students as it appeared on the Israeli Arab website, Arab 48:Headline: "From Barghouti to the students of Palestine: 'Knowledge is your weapon to liberate the homeland'"
"Fatah Movement Central Committee member and member of the PA Parliament (Legislative Council) prisoner Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three shooting attacks in which 5 were murdered), ... who is serving 5 life sentences, sent a letter from within the prison to all the young people of Palestine, and to the students in particular, in which it is stated: 'I write this letter to you from my small cell, which is small for the great prisoner and the free man. However, the chains that bind the body cannot bind the willpower, as the soul is nurtured by the love of the land of Palestine and its people.' ...
'... The Palestinian prisoner has succeeded in turning the prison into a base for the struggle, contemplation, culture, strengthening of the willpower, and deepening of the [sense of] belonging. These colonialists wanted the prison to constitute a graveyard for the fighters, but the prisoners, with their resolve and willpower, have stood against the hangman and the jailor and turned the prison into a station for renewing the strength, strengthening of the [sense of] belonging, and deepening of the experience. The secret of the resolve, perseverance, and energy is in our deep belief in the justice of the matter for which we are fighting and sacrificing, as Palestine is among the most just and noble causes of our time. Therefore, we sacrifice all that we possess with happiness and joy so that our land will be free and sovereign, as the free and sovereign homeland is what gives meaning to dignity and honor.'
Barghouti added: 'The struggle for freedom is of the highest order, and is even the pinnacle of human sentiment. Our mighty people is carrying out resistance (i.e., PA euphemism for terror and violence) and has been fighting for more than 100 years. It has ignited rebellions, intifadas, and popular uprisings (i.e., term includes the use of violence), and resisted in every way. There are many ways to resist the colonialist - knowledge, culture, literature, art, fiction, poetry, drawing, music, popular folklore, heritage, working the land and agriculture, building schools, universities, and institutes, producing national products, boycotting Israeli merchandise, and exposing the occupation's crimes.'
He continued: 'My dear male and female students, my dear children, when you read this letter I will be in solitary confinement, in a place the rays of the sun do not enter. I will be alone, but every morning anthem you sing will reach my ears. We are waging the battle for freedom and dignity with an unlimited hunger strike; and this is the prisoners' weapon, just as knowledge is your weapon to liberate your homeland and your people. This is because the path to the freedom of our land is hard and long, as freedom is the supreme value of peoples and human dignity, and the struggle for freedom is the realization of the greatest meanings of freedom itself. Your brothers the prisoners have already chosen the path of resistance to the apartheid and occupation regime, and I say to you that in order to be creative in resisting the colonialist, we must be creative in our studies, education, and culture. I say to you - I was arrested for the first time when I was in high school, I took the matriculation exams in prison, and continued on the path of study and obtained a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate. This was despite being imprisoned for more than 23 years, expelled for seven years, and subjected to pursuit and assassination attempts. I say this to you in order to emphasize to you that the path of studies and the national path go side by side, and that education is the key to change in the battle of the peoples and nations. What I mean is modern education, which provides wide room for scientific professions and philosophy, teaches the children critical thinking, and strengthens the mentality of dialogue, accepting the other, partnership, pluralism, freedom of opinion, thought, and faith, and personal freedoms, in light of the fact that [this mentality] constitutes the true realization and greatest expression of the freedom of the peoples, nations, and homelands.'
In conclusion, Barghouti said in his letter: 'I and my brother prisoners who are waging an unlimited hunger strike call on you to express your solidarity and write in your notebooks 10 times every day: 'Freedom and dignity for Palestine.' Allow me to also shake the hand of every one of you and to kiss your pure hands and raised foreheads. I say to you as our Palestinian poet Tawfiq Ziyad from Nazareth said: 'The prison cell has not weakened me and my shoulders have not fallen, but rather I will remain upright with the flag of Palestine in my hand waving high until freedom, return, independence, and dignity are achieved.'"
[Israeli Arab website, Arab 48, April 17, 2017]
The terms "all means," "peaceful uprising/resistance," and "popular uprising/resistance" are often used by PA leaders to refer to events that include violence and deadly terror against Israeli civilians such as rock-throwing, stabbings and even shootings. See Mahmoud Abbas' reference to murderous terror as "peaceful" during the 2015-2016 terror wave ("The Knife Intifada"), which included numerous stabbings, shootings and car ramming attacks in which 40 people were killed (36 Israelis, 1 Palestinian, 2 Americans and 1 Eritrean) and hundreds wounded: http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?
Headline: "Al-Qawasmi: Fatah stands behind the freedom prisoners' cause"
"The Fatah Movement praised the resolve of the brave prisoners behind the occupation's bars. It emphasized that it stands united behind them, and particularly behind those who will hold an unlimited hunger strike on Palestinian Prisoner's Day on April 17 [2017].
[Fatah] Movement Spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi said in a press statement: 'The prisoners' cause was and will remain on the list of priorities of the Fatah Movement and the national leadership, led by [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas, the general leader of the movement.' ...
Al-Qawasmi added: 'All of the steps that Israel is carrying out against our brave prisoners are war crimes. The Fatah Movement sends greetings of respect and admiration to all of our heroic prisoners without exception, as well as a special greeting to Fatah Movement Central Committee member fighter Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three shooting attacks in which 5 were murdered), fighter Karim Younes (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1) who is entering his 35th year in the Israeli prisons, fighter Fuad Al-Shubaki (i.e., senior PA official who tried to smuggle weapons), Nael Barghouti (i.e., terrorist, murdered 1), and all of the prisoners in all of the detention centers.'"
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 7, 2017]
Karim Younes - an Israeli Arab serving a 40-year sentence for kidnapping and killing Israeli soldier Avraham Bromberg in 1980 together with his cousin Maher Younes. Originally sentenced to life in prison, but Israeli President Shimon Peres reduced his sentence in 2012.Fuad Al-Shubaki - a senior PA official who is serving a 20-year prison term. He was behind the attempt to smuggle 50 tons of illegal weapons to the Palestinian Authority aboard the Karine A weapons' ship in 2002.
Nael and Fakhri Barghouti - Palestinian terrorists who killed an Israeli army officer in January 1978, near Ramallah. Both were sentenced to life but were released in the Shalit prisoner exchange deal in 2011. Nael Barghouti was arrested again in 2014 for violating the terms of his release by offering Hamas to serve as its minister of prisoners' affairs, and is serving a life sentence plus an additional 18 years.
Headline: "The Fatah parliamentary faction: Marwan Barghouti is still a shining and renewing flame of resolve and struggle"
"The Fatah parliamentary faction said in a statement for the 15th anniversary of the arrest of leader, [PA] Parliament member, prisoner, and Fatah Central Committee member Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three shooting attacks in which 5 were murdered): 'Prisoner Barghouti, who has begun his 16th year in prison, still constitutes a shining and renewing flame of struggle, and together with his comrades is heading an epic of resolve and heroism in the face of the captivity, the jailors, the occupation's injustice, and the ongoing oppression of our heroic prisoners and our people everywhere.'
The Fatah faction sent its regards and pride to leader Parliament member Barghouti and to all of the heroic male and female prisoners who will begin a new epic of resolve and heroism in a few days when they go on a hunger strike against the Israeli occupation and its racist policy of oppression, which denies the rights of the prisoners and the rights of our Palestinian people."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 16, 2017]
Headline: "The reading of leadership member prisoner Marwan Barghouti's letter in the schools, and the [PA] Ministry of Education expresses solidarity with the prisoners' dignity"
"The [PA] Ministry of Education and Higher Education organized a mass support rally [for the prisoners] in the ministry plaza, in which [PA] Minister [of Education] Dr. Sabri Saidam, Deputy Minister [of Education] Dr. Basri Saleh, the minister's aides, and all of the ministry employees participated.
In this context, Saidam emphasized the education system's standing by the side of the heroic prisoners and its support for them in the battle that they are waging against the occupation in order to defend their dignity and achieve all of their rights. He added: 'Leadership member Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three shooting attacks in which 5 were murdered) and all of the prisoners are emphasizing that we are one people that refuses to be broken, and which has grown accustomed to not breaking.' He praised the education system that always proves its loyalty to the national causes, including the prisoners' cause.
Saleh read leadership member Marwan Barghouti's speech (i.e., letter) addressed to the school students, and emphasized the loyalty of the education system, in all of its parts, to the prisoners and its standing by their side in this heroic battle.
In the same context, students of all the Palestinian schools made calls of support for the prisoners in the battle that they are waging in order to achieve all of their rights. Likewise, the morning assembly in all of the schools included many sections of support for the prisoners, including reading leadership member prisoner Marwan Barghouti's letter addressed to the school students. The students also held a symbolic hunger strike for an hour as a message of support for the prisoners in their heroic battle."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 18, 2017]
Headline: "Saidam: We in the [PA] Ministry of Education have decided to join the strike as a sign of solidarity with the prisoners"
"The [PA] Ministry of Education and Higher Education today [April 13, 2017] announced its joining the unlimited hunger strike of the prisoners in the occupation's prisons by holding a series of activities and events of solidarity with the prisoners on Monday, April 17, 2017, which is Prisoner's Day.
In this context, [PA] Minister of Education and Higher Education [and Fatah Central Committee Deputy Secretary] Dr. Sabri Saidam emphasized that... these events will include reading the letter written by brother fighter Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three shooting attacks in which 5 were murdered) to the schools before the students at the morning assembly after raising the flag and playing the national anthem, and this will be in all of the Palestinian schools in the homeland and abroad. Likewise, all of the students will hold a symbolic hunger strike for an hour at the start of the school day."
[Donia Al-Watan, independent Palestinian news agency, April 13, 2017]
Marwan Barghouti - Palestinian terrorist who is serving 5 life sentences for orchestrating three shooting attacks that killed 5 people: one attack in Jerusalem (June 12, 2001) in which Greek monk Tsibouktsakis Germanus was murdered by terrorist Ismail Radaida and another unidentified terrorist, another attack at a gas station in Givat Zeev near Jerusalem (Jan. 15, 2002) in which Yoela Hen, 45, was murdered by terrorists led by Mohammed Matla, and one shooting and stabbing attack at the Sea Food Market restaurant in Tel Aviv (March 5, 2002) in which Eli Dahan, 53, Yosef Habi, 52, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat, 33, were murdered by terrorist Ibrahim Hasouna. When arrested by Israel in 2002, Barghouti headed the Tanzim (Fatah terror faction). After he was convicted and imprisoned, he was re-elected member of the Palestinian Authority parliament. On Dec. 4, 2016, he was elected to Fatah's Central Committee.
