The 39th anniversary of the death of terrorist Dalal Al-Mughrabi, in the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre in Israel,[1] was marked by the Palestinian Authority (PA) like it is every year – with events featuring speakers praising her heroism and courage.[2]
Following is a review of some of the anniversary events and statements:
PA Daily: Dalal Al-Mughrabi Is "One Of The Bravest Palestinian Warriors"
On March 11, 2017, the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida published an article describing Al-Mughrabi as a "martyr" and calling her "one of the bravest Palestinian warriors" and a great patriot loyal to Palestine.[3] It should be mentioned that the daily's account of the Coastal Road attack in which Al-Mughrabi was killed is full of inaccuracies. For example, it falsely stated that the passengers of the hijacked bus were Israeli soldiers.
The Al-Hayat Al-Jadida article (Alhaya.ps, March 3, 2017)
Fatah Official: Al-Mughrabi Was "A Qualitative Turning Point In Military Operations Against The Occupation"
Al-Mughrabi was also lauded by officials in Fatah and the PA. Thus, for example, Fatah Central Committee Member Abbas Zaki, in an interview with Palestinian Broadcast Company radio, praised her and compared the "Martyr Kamal 'Adwan Operation" – the Palestinian name for the Coastal Road Massacre – to the Battle of Karameh[4] because of its extensive ramifications, the spirit of victory it brought the Palestinians, and the blow it dealt to the Israeli occupation. Zaki said: "On the 39th anniversary of the martyrdom of Palestinian warrior Dalal Al-Mughrabi, we remember the mastermind of the operation, the commander martyr Abu Jihad, who turned this female warrior martyr into a legend that goes beyond military ranks; she was a qualitative turning point in military operations against the occupation..." He added: "The date of the operation, March 11, 1978, will remain etched in the Palestinian revolutionary memory... The occupation, which has been in possession of the martyr Dalal Al-Mughrabi's body for 39 years, still fears her memory."[5]
Jibril Al-Rajoub: Dalal Al-Mughrabi Is An Inspiration To Palestine's Women
On March 12, 2017, a Bethlehem ceremony honoring "fighting, creative and outstanding" Palestinian women was held, under the auspices of Fatah Central Committee Secretary Jibril Al-Rajoub. The ceremony was attended by Bethlehem regional governor Jabarin Al-Bakri and Fatah's Bethlehem secretary Muhammad Al-Masri. Al-Rajoub said that honoring the women was part of the Palestinian national struggle, and added: "The Palestinian women draw [their inspiration] for giving and for struggle from Palestine's first female martyrs, headed by Dalal Al-Mughrabi and Leila Khaled. [6]
Al-Rajoub at the ceremony (Al-Ayyam, PA, March 13, 2017)
Ramallah And Al-Bireh Governor: History Will Not Forget Our Sons And Daughters, Who Sacrificed Their Lives
Another ceremony marking Al-Mughrabi's death, on March 11 in Ramallah, was attended by Laila Ghannam, the governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, as well as by Abbas Zaki and other Palestinian officials, including security forces members.[7]
After the ceremony, Ghannam told Palestinian TV: "Our sons and daughters have sacrificed their lives so that we can live in freedom. The extremist terrorist [Israeli] government distorts history and presents our fighters as murderers or terrorists, but history will not forget or ignore [them]."[8]
Ghannam and Zaki's Facebook pages also featured images from the ceremony.
Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governor Laila Ghannam speaking at the ceremony for Al-Mughrabi (Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate, March 11, 2017)
Abbas Zaki speaking at the ceremony for Al-Mughrabi (Facebook.com/337638652954832, March 12, 2017)
Youth Training Camp Named For Al-Mughrabi; Palestinian National Security Forces Facebook Page Praises "The Martyr Dalal Al-Mughrabi, The Bride Of Jaffa"
On March 12, Fatah in Nablus reported that it and the Palestinian National Security Forces had together opened the Dalal Al-Mughrabi youth training camp, in the village of Al-Nuway'imah north of Jericho. The camp's inaugural ceremony was attended by Jericho Governor and Fatah Revolutionary Council Secretary Majed Al-Fatyani, Fatah's Nablus Regional Secretary Jihad Ramadan, and Fatah Executive Committee Secretary Saeb Erekat, among others.[9]
At the Dalal Al-Mughrabi youth training camp (Facebook.com/fatah.nablus, March 12, 2017)
Earlier, on March 11, the PA National Security Forces posted Al-Mughrabi's image on their Facebook page, with the caption: "The martyr Dalal Al-Mughrabi, the bride of Jaffa, on the 39th anniversary of her martyr's death."[10]
[1] Mughrabi, a Lebanese-born Palestinian Fatah member, was deputy commander in the attack, which left 35 Israelis dead and 71 wounded.
[2] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6351, Fatah Commemorates Female Terrorist Dalal Al-Mughrabi At Palestine Red Crescent Center In Ramallah, March 17, 2016.
[3] Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (PA), March 11, 2017.
[4] On March 21, 1968, the Israel Defense Force made a foray into the Jordanian village of Karameh in search of terrorists. The Israeli troops were confronted by Palestinian irregulars and Jordanian Army forces, and sustained casualties. It was also seen by the Palestinians as a major victory and a blow against the myth of Israeli invincibility.
[5] Pbc.ps/news, March 11, 2017.
[6] Al-Ayyam (PA), March 13, 2017. Leila Khaled was a senior PFLP operative, who participated in an airplane hijacking in 1969 and in an attempted hijacking in 1979. See MEMRI Special Dispatch No.6344, On International Women's Day, Palestinian 'Al-Quds' Daily Lionizes Terrorists As Paragons Of Palestinian Womanhood
[7] Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate, March 11, 2017; Facebook.com/337638652954832, March 12, 2017.
[8] Facebook.com/PalestineTV, March 11, 2017.
[9] Facebook.com/fatah.nablus, March 12, 2017.
[10] Facebook.com/alamn.alwatane, March 11, 2017.
