| "Ask
for Death!"
The Indoctrination of Palestinian Children to Seek Death for Allah – Shahada by Itamar Marcus Director, Palestinian Media Watch
Executive Summary "Ask for death" is the message that the Palestinian Authority [PA] has been conveying to its children since the start of violence in October 2000. In June 2002, two articulate 11-year-old girls were interviewed in the studio of official Palestinian Authority TV. Among other topics, they spoke of their personal yearning to achieve death through Shahada – Death for Allah – and of a similar desire they said exists in "every Palestinian child." It is striking that their desire for death was expressed as a personal goal, not related to the conflict with Israel. Having been convinced that dying for Allah is preferable to life, their goal in living is not to experience a good life, but to achieve the proper death – Shahada. The following is a selection from their remarks: Host: "You described Shahada as something beautiful. Do you think it is beautiful?" Walla: "Shahada is very, very beautiful. Everyone yearns for Shahada. What could be better than going to paradise?" Host: "What is better, peace and full rights for the Palestinian people, or Shahada?" Walla: "Shahada. I will achieve my rights after becoming a Shahida." Yussra: "Of course Shahada is a good thing. We don’t want this world, we want the Afterlife. We benefit not from this life, but from the Afterlife... The children of Palestine have accepted the concept that this is Shahada, and that death by Shahada is very good. Every Palestinian child aged, say 12, says ’Oh Lord, I would like to become a Shahid." [PATV, June 9, 2002]
What has caused this compelling desire for death among these children, a desire that conflicts with the basic survival instinct of every human being? During the more than two and a half years of armed conflict, the Palestinian Authority [PA] has been making a paramount effort to convince their own children that there is no greater achievement than to die for Allah in battle, known as Shahada. This has been done via the many mediums at its disposal, including children’s TV broadcasting, the educational system, cultural programs, directives from political and religious leaders and even encouragement from within the family. In November 2000, a mere six weeks after the start of violence, Palestinian Media Watch published a report documenting the first indications that this was a PA goal. The official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, glorified children who were killed in confrontations and described their deaths as personal achievements. It wrote of a 14-year-old: "He responded to the call of Allah and achieved the Shahada he yearned…. He reached the highest levels with Allah…" The paper reported with admiration that the dead boy’s "classmates swore they would continue on the path of Shahada…" [PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 9, 2000] Other children were said to have been disappointed at having merely been injured and not killed. An injured 13-year-old: "My goal is not to be injured, rather something loftier: Shahada." [PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, November 8, 2000] Since then, Palestinian Media Watch has published numerous reports on the progress of this PA indoctrination of its children and on the varying methods the PA employs to portray death for Allah to its children, not only as an ideal, but, as something that is expected of them. The
Results of the Indoctrination Still more grave are the cases in which 14 year-olds have fulfilled this PA directive, writing farewell letters to their parents proudly describing their desire to be Shahids, and embarking on suicide terrorist missions hoping to die. It must be emphasized: the children’s farewell letters have included phrases identical to phrases from the propaganda films produced by the PA, such as "Mother, don’t cry for me," showing a direct link between the PA propaganda and the children’s drive for heroic death. The Research This paper documents the PA’s indoctrination of Palestinian children to seek death, and its effects on the children. With the exception of statements made by parents, all the indoctrination cited in this report is directed by the Palestinian Authority. Part I: The Indoctrination of Children to Seek Death a.
Short Propaganda Films for Children Part II: Results of the PA Shahada Indoctrination a.
Ages 6-9: Playing Death Games Part III: Findings and Conclusions
Part I: The Indoctrination of Palestinian Children to Seek Death for Allah – Shahada
1.
The "Farewell Letter" The following are selections from the boy’s letter, which are sung accompanying scenes of the boy calmly heading toward his death:
The
words "How sweet is Shahada when I embrace you, oh my land!" are sung
as the child actor is seen in the above picture falling dead and "embracing"
the land. 2. The Film-Clip: "I am the Shahid, My Mother"
3.
The Muhammad Al-Dura Clip: "Follow me" to a Child’s Paradise The film-clip opens with the following invitation from Al-Dura displayed on the full screen:
B.
Schools and Textbooks 1. "The Shahid" in Four Different Grades’ Curricula
[Our Arabic Language for 5th grade, p. 60, Our Beautiful Language for 6th grade, section 1, p. 47, Our Beautiful Language for 7th grade, section 1, p. 97, Arabic Language Improvement Guide for 12th grade, p. 84] 2. Textbooks Educate for Shahada "The
Moslem sacrifices himself for his belief, and wages Jihad [Holy War]
for Allah. He is not swayed, for he knows that the date of his death
has been predetermined and that his death as a Shahid on the field of
battle is preferable to death in his bed…" 3.
In School
4.
Higher Education: "We do not Love Life!"
"…Allah rewards those who offer Shahids for the sake of heroism and
honor with great compensation. We are not afraid to die, and do not
love life..." Many cultural programs idolize Shahada and the Shahids – those who died for Allah. The regular PA TV programming includes song and dance accompanying scenes of violence and words glorifying willingness to die for Allah. The following are some examples of cultural PA TV broadcasts glorifying Shahda:1. A Song of Praise to Wafa Idris, the First Woman Suicide Terrorist A song honoring Wafa Idris, the first woman suicide terrorist, who blew herself up in the center of Jerusalem, was broadcast on PA TV three times in two weeks. The song extols and praises both Idris and her act of suicide terrorism. It calls her a "blossom" and a "heartbeat of pride" and applauds her choice of death: "You chose Shahada, in death you have brought life to our will."
This song calls upon children to attack Israel with stones: "You will not be saved, Oh Zionist, from the volcano of my county’s stones." It reiterates the preparedness to die: "I will even willingly fall as a Shahid!," is sung to scenes of children throwing stones and participating in a frenzied "war dance." [See picture]
The Shahada mandate to children comes from the Palestinian political leadership. Arafat presents the actions of children who intentionally died as Shahids as model behavior. 14-year-old Faris Ouda died a week after having been broadcast on TV hurling stones at an Israeli tank. The story of his successfully achieving death was glorified in the PA official press: "On the day of his death Faris Ouda left his home with a slingshot, after having made himself a wreath decorated with photos of himself and having written on it ’The Brave Shahid Faris Ouda’…" He said to his mother: "Don’t worry, mother, Shahada is sweet…" [PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Nov. 30, 2000, Feb. 3, 2001] Yasser Arafat has singled out Ouda as a role model for children. Addressing an assembly of summer camp children, he praised Ouda’s action, and called the children there "peers of Faris Ouda." Asked in a TV interview what was his message to Palestinian children, he cited Ouda’s suicide act, saying dead Palestinian children Shahids are "the greatest message to the world." 1. Arafat: Displaying Dead Palestinian Children to the World is "The Greatest Message."Question: "Mr. President, what message would you like to send to the Palestinian people, in general, and, in particular, to the Palestinian children?" Arafat: "…This child, who is grasping the stone, facing the tank, is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a Shahid? We are proud of them…" [PATV Jan. 15, 2002]2. Yasser Arafat: Palestinian Children are "Peers" of Faris Ouda. The Children: "Millions of Shahid’s Marching to Jerusalem!"
E. Parents and the Palestinian public In order to present Shahada-seeking as a popular and broad based phenomenon, the Palestinian Authority gives significant media exposure to parents who praise their children’s choice to die, and express gratification and joy with their Shahada. The PA media also highlights praise offered anonymously by the "man on the street" for acts of Shahada. The following are a number of examples.1. Mother of a Shahid and the Palestinian Public Express Satisfaction with ShahadaThe mother of Ashraf Zwayed: "Praise to Allah... I hold my head high. The honor is mine; the pride is mine. I have a son who is a Shahid. And not only is my son a Shahid, but all the Shahids amy children, Praise Allah.... The honor is mine; the pride is mine."Man on the street #1: "Their death as Shahids is a source of great joy for us. They responded to the call of the country. May Allah’s mercy be upon all of them. They are Shahids, close to Allah, in a position of the highest status."Man on the street #2: "Praise Allah for giving us the Shahada. We are a people who love the Shahada and love defending our country..." [PATV, September 24, 2002]2. Mother’s Pray for Son’s Death "Before I made my pilgrimage [to Mecca], Naji [my son] put his hand on my head and said: "... pray for me that I will be a Shahid, or it will be your sin, and I will not forgive you until the Judgment Day. Actually, during the circuit [ceremony], in Mecca and Medina, I prayed for him, by Allah, I prayed for him, because it was entrusted to me. I said: "Praise Allah, my children asked for Shahada, and it is better than the way we will die." PATV Dec. 5, 2002 Mother of Abdallah: “He would always dream of Shahada, it was his first and last goal in life…I told him: By Allah, we all want to be Shahids… He said: “In this entire world we live in, there is no one I want to marry here… I want to marry the Dark Eyed (Virgins of Paradise).’ [In Islamic tradition the Dark Eyed Virgins of Paradise are promised to the male Shahids.] I said: “If he has these thoughts I will wish for him Shahada.” [PATV, Jan.21, 2003] 3. A Child’s Death – a Mother’s Day PresentThe Mother of Abbas Al Awiwi: "The best Mother’s Day present I got this year was the death as a Shahid of Abbas.’ The mother of the Shahid Munib says to the mothers of Shahids on Mother’s Day: ’A blessed day and a blessed Shahada’." [PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 21, 2001]4. A Mother Encourages Her Son to Shahada"She is interested in nothing, other than to encourage her sons to sacrifice and to die as Shahids for the sake of the land of Palestine." [Al-Ayyam, November 1, 2000]5. "Praise Allah, I Gave Birth to Heroes"– Mother of Dead Boys"After Fatma read this passage [her son’s desire for Shahada] aloud, her expression took on a look of pride and honor at her sons’ sacrifice, and her own sacrifice. Then she said: ’Praise to Allah, I gave birth to heroes’…" [’Voice of the Women’, Al-Ayyam, February 28, 2002]6. For the TV camera, a Mother Sends her Son to be Killed Some of the suicide terror attacks were preceded by a parting ceremony of the terrorist from his mother. One such ceremony was filmed of a 17-year-old terrorist, who later killed 5 Israeli teenagers before he was shot dead. The following are the TV narrator’s description of her hugs and kisses, and an interview after the attack, in which she explains her sending him to his death:
F. Religious leadership In
Islam, religious teaching is not limited to the realm of worship, as
social and military activities are considered within Islam’s jurisdiction.
Palestinian religious leaders have been a driving force, through their
religion classes and their televised sermons, in calling for Palestinians
to kill Jews, especially through suicide bombings. They teach that seeking
death for Allah as a Shahid is every Moslem’s duty, and direct these
messages to children as well. Religious rulings [Fatwas] have also established
that children are obligated to participate in these activities. The
following are a number of examples: Question: "Is children’s participation in Shahada-Seeking missions permitted?" Al Bitawi: "The sages say: ’They should go [on Jihad], the men and the women, and even the children’. In the time of the Prophet [Muhammad] it was shown that children, who had not reached maturity, participated in Jihad… We in Palestine have a great love of Jihad and Shahada, and that makes many children compete among themselves in carrying out Jihad and Shahada-seeking missions." Question: "What is the obligation to be obedient to parents in cases where they insist their child not participate in the confrontations with the enemy?" Al Bitawi: "…if the enemy conquers a portion of Moslem land, Jihad becomes a personal obligation on every Moslem man and woman… and as the Prophet said: ’One must not obey a creation [the objecting parent] and disobey the Creator [Who demands Jihad].’ The principle is that this son and others like him will take part in Jihad against the enemy." [www.islamonline.net, September 28, 2002] 2. "The Moslem was Created to Die for Allah"
will make us masters over this riff-raff. We will fight against them
and rule over them until the Jew will hide behind the trees and stones
and the tree and stone will say: ’Moslem! Servant of Allah, there is
a Jew behind me, kill him.’ We shall enter Jerusalem as conquerors,
and Jaffa as conquerors, and Haifa as conquerors and Ashkelon as conquerors.…
Blessings upon he who educates his sons in the path of Jihad and Shahada!"
[Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Madi, Friday sermon, PATV, August 3, 2001]
Part II:Results of the Shahada Indoctrination Palestinian
polls show that 72% - 80% of Palestinian children desire death as Shahids.
In games and in conversation, the yearning to die for Allah is an integral
component of the Palestinian child’s worldview. Children are already
acting on the indoctrination – a 17-year old girl has blown herself
up in a terrorist attack in a Jerusalem supermarket. 14-year-old children
have written "farewell letters" to their parents, incorporating expressions
from PA propaganda film-clips. In the letters they took pride in their
eagerness to die as Shahids and then set out on attacks in which they
did, in fact, die. Following are some examples, listed by age groups.
Host: "You described
Shahada as something beautiful. Do you think it is beautiful?" [’Sout Al-Nissa’-Voice of the Women, Al-Ayyam, January. 24, 2002]"…79-80% of the children expressed willingness to be Shahids." [PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 18, 2002]3. Children’s Poetry"I swear to you by all that I hold dear that I will purify your land… For your land we will die, we shall advance to Shahada in groups!" [10th grade boy reads a poem, PATV, August 23, 2002]4. Three Girls go to Seek Shahada"The residents of the village Yassid…found the 3 girls who had disappeared two days ago, following a full day of extensive, strenuous searching. Yassid residents said that the three girls, aged 10,11 and 12, packed clothes, food and some money, and left eastward, looking for the way to Jerusalem, in order to achieve Shahada there. The girls got as far as a PA checkpoint, and there the officer on duty convinced them to go back. The children said they had wanted to get weapons and to go to Jerusalem in order to achieve Shahada there, and that the Israeli Army checkpoint would not have prevented them from their aspiration to achieve Shahada."Ages 14-17: Embarking on Suicide AttacksThe PA indoctrination has already led to the death of Palestinian children. Young chlidren have written "farewell letters" to their parents in which they express pride in their desire to die, and have set out on suicide terrorist attacks. These children’s farewell letters included phrases identical to "farewell" phrases from the propaganda films produced by the PA: "Mother, don’t cry for me," indicating a direct link between the PA propaganda and the children’s desire for heroic death. In addition, a 17-year-old girl blew herself up in a suicide terrorist attack in Jerusalem.Following are the stories from the press:1. Leaving Farewell Letters: "Do Not Cry for Me" Three 14-year old boys set out to attack an Israeli village, hoping to be killed. They left farewell letters which included phrases from the TV clip "Farewell Letter" which was broadcast hundreds of times on PA TV: "The child Yussouf Zaakut wrote: ’…Don’t cry for me. Bury me with my brothers and with the Shahids…’" [The New York Times, April 25, 2002]2. Brothers Leave Farewell Letters: "Don’t Cry for Me, My Mother" Two brothers who took part in the confrontations left farewell letters to their parents expressing their hope of being killed: "He wrote phrases of love of the counrty and love of Al-Aqsa and becoming a Shahid, for liberty and independence. He referred to himself as a Shahid. On one of his notebooks he wrote: ’The hero Shahid, Yasser Sami Al-Koussba died as a Shahid on the land of Palestine…’""Sammer wrote the following phrase on one of his notebooks, a few days before he became a Shahid: ’Mother! Don’t cry over me if I am killed. Death does not scare me, my aspiration is to be a Shahid’" [’Sout Al-Nissa-Voice of the Women’, Al-Ayyam, Feb. 28, 2002] 3. 17-year-old Girl commits Suicide Terrorist Bombing in JerusalemAyyat Al Achris, wearing a belt of explosives, walked into a supermarket in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Yovel neighborhood, on March 29, 2002. She was 17 years old. The security guard at the door, suspecting she was a terrorist, pushed her outside, and she detonated her explosives, killing the security guard and a 17-year-old Israeli girl. Part III:Findings and Conclusions The Palestinian Authority has created a violent, death seeking reality for their young children, having taught them to see death for Allah – Shahada – as an ideal, which they are expected to achieve. As Arafat said in his message to children: "Is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a Shahid?" The examples presented in this report are a representative selection, demonstrating the comprehensive campaign waged by the Palestinian Authority. If just 1% of the children attempt to fulfill their "duty" and seek Shahada through suicide terrorism, the ramifications will be cataclysmic. The targets of the future Palestinian terror wave will be Israel, and in all likelihood, other Western democracies, as well. Today an entire generation of Palestinian children, victims of the PA’s indoctrination and propaganda, believe that their death for Allah in war is the highest achievement attainable in life. This education is an indelible stain on Palestinian society, and places the Palestinian Authority among the greatest child abusers in history. |
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