On International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate women and their positive contributions to society, Palestinian Authority (PA) TV celebrated what it considered “positive” contributions by women: terrorism.

According to watchdog Palestinian Media Watch (PMA), the PA used International Women’s Day “to glorify some of the Palestinians’ most notorious terrorists, like Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist who led the murder of 37, 12 of them children, and Leila Khaled – a hijacker and accomplice to murder.”

On PA TV, a host said:

“Starting with Laila Khaled (i.e., terrorist plane hijacker, involved in murder of 1) and on to thousands of women whose names were not mentioned in the book [of history], but they wrote the history of Palestine with their endurance, women who led the struggle and protected the home, women who created hope in the most difficult times.”‘

Fatah’s “Shabiba” student group also posted on Facebook disturbing praise for Dala Mughrabi, the terrorist who led the Coastal Road Massacre.

This should not come as a surprise, considering the PA has a long history of glorifying terrorists. For example, Dala Mughrabi is so celebrated as a martyr and hero in Palestinian society, that she has a square in the West Bank named after her (p. 240). Mughrabi is not the only terrorist to have land named after her in honour of “martyrdom.” Palestinian terrorists of other organisations are also honoured in Palestinian society, such as the Hamas bomb maker, Yayha Abd-al-Latif Ayyash, who has a street named after him in Ramallah, next to the presidential compound (p. 240).

Why honour terrorists like them so much? Not only is it driven by hatred of Israel and Jews, but is also used to encourage the next generation of Palestinians to continue the “struggle.”

PMW explains the thinking:

“The messaging that the PA is publicly sending out to young Palestinian women is unambiguous: Terrorist murderers like Laila Khaled and Dalal Mughrabi are our heroes, and all young women should aspire to follow their path of murder and violence as part of their national duty.”

This is only some of the recent cases where the PA has promoted terrorism, specifically aimed at Palestinian women. The PA has done this with many other parts of Palestinian society, such as children. In schools terrorist attacks like Oct 7 are glorified and school material is filled with jihadi rhetoric.

While the PA is busy encouraging its people to commit terrorist acts against Israel, the West portrays the PA as the moderate option for peace. Peace cannot come when the ‘moderate’ option is promoting and glorifying terrorism.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)