At Fatah Youth Summer Camp in Salfit, Held In Coordination With Palestinian Authority Security Forces, Children Receive Firearms Training, Visit Graves of Terrorists

During the summer break, Fatah held a youth summer camp in the West Bank town of Salfit in coordination with the Palestinian Authority’s National Security Forces (NSF). Called "Al-'Asifa"[1], the ten-day camp was attended by 70 members of the Fatah’s Shabiba youth movement.[2]

In addition to culture and sports activities, the camp featured activities of a military nature, such as practice in assembling and disassembling firearms, seizing weapons from an opponent, clearing out injured persons during clashes, and lessons on "the history of the [Palestinian] people’s struggle."[3]

The campers also visited the cemetery in the Jenin refugee camp, where they learned about, and visited the graves of Fatah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) members who were killed in Israel's July 2023 counterterrorism operation in the camp.

At the camp’s closing ceremony the attendees demonstrated some of the skills they had learned, such as assembling and disassembling weapons and seizing firearms. The PA governor in Salfit, 'Abdallah Kamil, said at the ceremony that Fatah “emphasizes its pledge to the martyrs to continue on the path of establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital”, and added that the educational programs in the camp are very important for Fatah’s youth.[4]

Officer in PA security forces with one of the campers (Source: Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084379056984, August 1, 2023.)

This report presents details about the activities at the Al-'Asifa camp in Salfit, as well as photos of these activities posted on the Facebook pages of the NSF and of Fatah’s Salfit branch.

Assembling and Disassembling Firearms, Taught By NSF Officers

NSF officers taught the campers how to assemble and disassemble AK-47 rifles. The program also included a competition in doing this while blindfolded.

Source: Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079087800571, July 27, 2023.

Closing Ceremony Showcasing Handling And Seizure Of Weapons

At the closing ceremony, the camp graduates – with their faces masked and wearing yellow Fatah headbands – showcased the skills they had learned in handling firearms, clearing away injured fighters during simulated clashes, and seizing weapons from opponents. The ceremony also included a lineup, at which the graduates received copies of the Quran from Fatah's secretary in Salfit, 'Abd Al-Sattar 'Awwad.

Assembling and disassembling AK-47 rifles.[5]

Seizing rifles [6]

Clearing away the wounded.[7]

Fatah’s secretary in Salfit 'Abd Al-Sattar Awwad handing out copies of the Quran.[8]

Fatah and PA officials at the camp’s closing ceremony.[9]

Camp graduates at the closing ceremony.[10]

Visiting the Graves of Jenin Refugee Camp "Martyrs"

On July 28, 2023, the Fatah branch in Salfit shared on its Facebook page a short video showing the campers visiting the cemetery at the Jenin refugee camp as part of a camp activity. In the video, Fatah secretary in Jenin, Ata Abu Rumeileh, who is known for his support for terrorism and armed struggle,[11] can be seen explaining about the graves of fighters who “were martyred during the recent [Israeli] aggression against the camp [on July 3-5, 2023, in which 12 Fatah and PIJ operatives were killed].”

The visit to the cemetery at the Jenin refugee camp.[12]

Fatah secretary in Jenin Ata Abu Rumeileh with the campers at the cemetery.[13]