On March 12, 2016, the Fatah movement held a ceremony marking the 38th anniversary of the death of female terrorist Dalal Al-Mughrabi in Fatah's March 11, 1978 Coastal Road terror attack, in which 35 Israeli civilians, among them 13 children, were killed and 71 were wounded. She had been deputy commander of the attack. The ceremony was held at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) center in Al-Bireh, in the Ramallah governorate.[1]
Fatah's Mobilization and Organization Commission tweeted posters commemorating Dalal Al-Mughrabi on the anniversary of her death, as well as an official notice inviting the public to attend the memorial ceremony at the PRCS center.[2]
Fatah poster commemorating Dalal Al-Mughrabi
Public invitation to ceremony
Ramallah Governor: Palestinian Women Are Proud To Be Called "Dalal's Sisters"
Ceremony participants included Ramallah and Al-Bireh governor Laila Ghanam, as well as members of the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah's Central Committee. Ghanam praised Al-Mughrabi and said: "The nickname 'Dalal's Sisters' is the pride of all Palestinian women. Dalal insisted on bearing arms alongside her male counterparts and be with them in the field."[3]
PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef said: "Our people will not abandon the option of struggle and resistance until we can realize our national project... Blessings to all the martyrs who gave their most precious possessions - their souls - for the homeland."[4]
Ramallah
governor Laila Ghanam at the memorial ceremony (Facebook.com/Dr.Laila.ghanam,
March 12, 2016)
Fatah Official: Israel Forces Our Children To Carry Out Knife Attacks
Fatah Central Committee member General Sultan Abu Al-'Einen said: "Our people has wearied of chasing false peace. Israel and its extremist government must stop [their] incitement and stop spilling Palestinian blood, so that our children and young people will stop responding [to this]. Israel bears the full responsibility for the escalation we are witnessing in the Palestinian territories, following the operations of the terrorist settlers. We can either live on our soil in honor and pride, or the soil will embrace us [as we die] with honor.
"It is Israel that forces our children to carry out stabbing operations against soldiers and settlers. We have no honor in the presence of the mothers of the martyrs unless we act to establish our independent state. The popular resistance is not just a slogan. It is being put into practice, much to the displeasure of the occupation. Today, more than ever, we need national unity and unity in the ranks."[5]
At
the ceremony. In the front are Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki ,
Governor Laila Ghanam, PLO Executive Committee member Wasel Abu Yousef, and
Dalal Al-Mughrabi's sister Rashida (Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate,
March 13, 2016)
Dalal Al-Mughrabi's sister Rashida, who also participated in the ceremony, called on the Palestinian Authority to retrieve the body of Dalal, who is buried in Israel. She added: "Dalal's blood courses through the veins of all Palestinians. Dalal loved the Palestinian people and Palestine before even setting eyes on Palestine."[6]
During the artistic part of the ceremony, a little girl named Majd Abu Rmeileh recited a poem, and a Scout troop gave a musical performance.[7]
Governor
Laila Ghanam and a Scout troop, at the ceremony (Facebook.com/R.b.Governorate,
March 12, 2016)
PA Papers Present Coastal Road Attack In Positive Light
The Palestinian press also marked the anniversary of Al-Mughrabi's death, and presented the Coastal Road massacre that she helped lead in a positive light. For example, the March 11, 2016 front page of the PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida featured an article calling the attack "an operation of sacrifice and heroism."
Additionally, on International Women's Day (March 8, 2016), the East Jerusalem daily Al-Quds published an article featuring the stories of Al-Mughrabi and other Palestinian women, some of whom had carried out terrorist attacks, and said that they "took part in making history." The article presented Al-Mughrabi as "one of the most famous Palestinian fighters."[8]
Al-Quds article on International Women's Day
Endnotes:
[1] The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) receives financial and professional support from the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It also receives financial support from Red Cross societies in European countries including Germany, Spain, and Denmark. The PRCS's programs are funded by the EU, and it holds ties with the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNRWA, and also received a $100,000 grant from the Thai government. Additionally, the PRCS is also supported by the Taawon association, which in turn is funded by foreign bodies such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, OCHA, the EU, UNESCO, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Canadian embassy in Lebanon, and more. Palestinercs.org; eeas.europa.eu; adora.ifrc.org; welfareassociation.org. See also MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 1234, Incitement To Terrorism By Palestinian Civil Society Organizations That Receive Foreign Funding, March 14, 2016.
[2] Twitter.com/fateha1965, March 9-10, 2016.
[3] Amad.ps, March 12, 2016.
[4] Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (PA), March 13, 2016.
[5] Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (PA), March 13, 2016.
[6] Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (PA), March 13, 2016.
[7] Al-Hayat Al-Jadida (PA), March 13, 2016.
[8] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6344, On International Women's Day, Palestinian 'Al-Quds' Daily Lionizes Terrorists As Paragons Of Palestinian Womanhood, March 10, 2016.
