The Palestinian Authority (PA), headed by President Mahmoud 'Abbas, is continuing its policy of glorifying terrorists and extending material support to their families.[1] On June 6, 2021, Laila Ghanam, governor of the Ramallah and Al-Bireh district, met with the parents of Muhannad Al-Halabi, an operative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) who fatally stabbed two Israeli civilians in Jerusalem's Old City on October 3, 2015, and was shot to death by the Israeli security forces during the attack. This incident, which was the first in a wave of similar attacks, earned Al-Halabi the nickname "Instigator of the Al-Quds Intifada."[2] During her meeting with the family, Ghanam handed them a grant of 30,000 Jordanian dinars (about $42,000) on behalf of Palestinian President Mahmoud 'Abbas to "complete the payment of the cost" of their home, which was demolished by Israel following the attack. The governor stressed that the meeting was being held on instructions from 'Abbas, who had ordered to handle the issue of the house "in order to preserve the dignity of the family." Ghanem thanked 'Abbas, who she said "attributes special importance to the families of the martyrs, prisoners and fighters" and is "like a compassionate father to all our [Palestinian] people."[3]
Laila Ghanam with the family of terrorist Muhannad Al-Halabi (Wafa.ps, facebook.com/Dr.laila.ghanam, June 6, 2021)
This is not the first time the PA has officially honored Muhammad Al-Halabi and his actions. About a week after the stabbing, the PA mouthpiece Al-Hayat Al-Jadida published an article by Palestinian author Sama Hassan, who described the joy that had flooded her when her daughter expressed a wish to "carry out a martyrdom operation and kill some Israeli soldiers." Sama added: "My daughter decorated her phone with all the pictures she could find of the freedom martyrs killed in the recent days. She was happy to inform me that a father in Gaza had named his newborn son after Muhannad Al-Halabi, in honor and in memory of that martyr who was killed in Jerusalem." [4]
Al-Halabi's mother holds up a portrait of him wearing the uniform of the PIJ military branch (Paltoday.ps, December 17, 2015)
Furthermore, following the attack a delegation of Fatah officials close to 'Abbas visited the Al-Halabi family home in Al-Bireh to express their condolences. The delegation included Fatah Central Committee members 'Azzam Al-Ahmad, Nabil Sha'ath, Mahmoud Al-'Aloul and Jamal Al-Muhsin; Fatah spokesman Ahmad 'Assaf; the secretary of Fatah's Ramallah branch, Muwaffaq Sahwil; assistant commissioner of recruitment 'Abd Al-Mun'im Wahdan; Hassan Faraj, secretary-general of Fatah's Shabiba youth movement, and Mustafa 'Abd Al-Hadi, member of Fatah's leadership in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, among others. During the visit, 'Azzam Al-Ahmad said on behalf of Fatah: "The Palestinian people will continue to defend itself against aggression and it is very determined to struggle, no matter what the cost, until the occupation ends."[5]
A monument in Al-Halabi's honor was erected in the Ramallah governorate. Shaped like a map of Palestine from the river to the sea, it bears his portrait and name over the inscription "State of Palestine" (see photo below).
Al-Halabi was also commemorated in sports competitions. In December 2015, the "Martyr Muhannad Al-Halabi table tennis tournament" was held, sponsored by Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rajoub, in which 14 teams participated. At the tournament's opening ceremony, Palestinian Table Tennis Association representative Radwan Al-Sharif said that Al-Halabi had sacrificed his life and soul for the honor of the free women of the Al-Aqsa Mosque (meaning the Murabitat, women activists who stage protests in the Al-Aqsa compound, especially against any Israelis who visit it). On October 30, 2015, the Martyr Yasser Arafat Youth Center held the "Muhannad Al-Halabi football tournament" in Ramallah governorate. The notice announcing the tournament bore the emblem of the "Palestinian State's Supreme Youth and Sports Council - the Martyr Yasser Arafat Youth Center." [6]
The Martyr Muhannad Al-Halabi tournament, sponsored by "General Jibril Rajoub" (Source: Maannews.net December 19, 2015)
[1] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 7632, Fatah And Palestinian Authority Headed By Mahmoud 'Abbas Praise Terrorists And Their Families, Provide Housing For Families Of Martyrs, August 21, 2018.
[2] On this terror wave see MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6627 - Wave Of Incitement On Palestinian Social Media Pages Following Recent Spike In Attacks On Israelis – September 26, 2016.
[3] Wafa.ps, facebook.com/Dr.laila.ghanam, June 6, 2021.
[4] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6179 - Columnist In Palestinian Authority Daily: My Daughter Made Me Happy When She Said, 'I Want To Carry Out A Martyrdom Operation And Kill Some Israeli Soldiers' – October 9, 2015.
[5] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6184 - Fatah Officials, Palestinian Social Media, Palestinian Authority Dailies Encourage Continued Violence – October 12, 2015.
[6] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 6249 - PA Commemorates Perpetrators Of Stabbing Attacks – December 30, 2015.
