The UN must recognize the 1000's of Israelis murdered by Palestinians as victims of religious violence
- August 22 was the UN’s International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
- As the world recognized the 9-11 victims of religious violence this week, PMW calls on the UN to recognize the 1000’s of Israelis murdered by Palestinians as “Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion” and condemn the PA’s religious-based terror
As the world this week remembered the Islamist Al-Qaeda terror attack on the US on Sept. 11, 2001, it is important to remember that one of the longest ongoing terror campaigns in history - the PLO/PA’s terror against Israel - is likewise a religious war for Allah against Jews and Israel.
The world finds it significant to highlight the danger of religious wars and the UN has designated August 22 as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. While the Palestinian Authority tells the international community that it kills Israelis on nationalistic grounds, it tells its own people that killing Israelis and Jews is for Allah, it is therefore critical that the UN recognize Palestinian terror as terror based on religion and condemn it as it condemns religious violence worldwide.
Some recent announcements by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party make it clear that not only the Muslim Brotherhood’s terror organization Hamas but even the so-called moderate Fatah see the murder of Israelis as a religious act.
After an Israeli kindergarten teacher and mother of three, Batsheva Nagari was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist while driving in a car with her daughter, Fatah publicized on one of its official Telegram channels, that the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades of Fatah took credit for the killing as an Islamic religious act, opening the declaration with a quote from the Quran:
“‘Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them’ [Quran 9:14, Sahih International translation] With Almighty Allah’s help, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades – Palestine, the military wing of the [Palestinian] National Liberation Movement ‘Fatah,’ announces its responsibility for carrying out the self-sacrificing operation in Hebron… Aug. 21, 2023, in which a female Zionist settler was killed and another was seriously wounded.”
[Fatah Movement – Bethlehem Branch, Telegram channel, Aug. 21, 2023]
Two days later, the terrorist who committed the lethal attack was captured and turned out to be a Hamas member. Hamas posted a video of the murderer Muhammad Al-Shantir speaking with his relatives just before being arrested. In the video the terrorist gave a final message making clear that his murder of civilians was for Allah:
Terrorist Muhammad Al-Shantir: “Raise your heads, by Allah they will retreat from our land… Allahu Akbar (i.e., “Allah is greatest”), victory for Islam and the Muslims. Those who have come to arrest me, by Allah they will be defeated, Allah willing they will retreat from this land, because we are the people of truth and they are the people of lies… Allah willing, they will be defeated.”
[Quds News Network, Telegram channel, Aug. 23, 2023]
On Aug. 11, 2023, Fatah posted a video on its official Telegram channel containing a “military statement” read by an armed and masked spokesperson. The statement was likewise a declaration that their terror against Israelis is because of their faith and religious beliefs:
Armed masked man: “‘And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision’ [Quran 3:169, Sahih International translation]. Allah’s words are true! The Palestinian nation has grown heroic Martyrs who dedicated themselves to death, and their souls aspired [to Heaven] while seeking Martyrdom-death, and their blood spoke while calling for freedom. O Martyr, happy are you. We live in your memory, and we are experiencing the Martyr’s wedding (i.e., a Martyr's funeral is considered his wedding to the 72 Virgins in Paradise in Islam) …”
[Fatah, Telegram channel, Aug. 11, 2023]
On Aug. 28, 2023, Fatah posted another “military statement” from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in the town of Jaba’, next to Jenin. Here as well, Fatah's terror wing defined killing as a religious act for Allah: “They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed.”
“‘Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed…’ [Quran 9:111, Sahih International translation]… O members of our people in Jaba’ of the Martyrs, the cradle of sacrifice and heroism… we congratulate you with the blessing of the rifle, with the blessing of the Martyrs and heroes.”
[Fatah, Telegram channel, Aug. 28, 2023]
The Fatah Movement has also shared text defining the killing of Israelis as fulfilment of religious instruction in the Quran “And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them”:
“In the name of All Merciful Allah:
‘And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you…’ [Quran 2:191, Sahih International translation]
A military statement from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (i.e., Fatah’s military wing) – Palestine the occupied land
Rapid response group – Tulkarem Brigade…
This land is either ours or ours
O public of our mighty people, we swear to you: Revenge or Martyrdom, Allah willing”[Fatah Movement – Bethlehem Branch, Telegram channel,
July 16, 2023]
But it’s not only the recent terror and murders that are defined as a religious war for Allah by the PA and Fatah. The explicit and unequivocal confirmation that the PA tells its people that killing every Israeli is for Allah, is the PA’s use of the term Shahid – Martyr who died for Allah, to categorize every single suicide bomber, every single terrorist who was killed in the act of murdering, and every single terrorist who was killed attempting to murder any Israeli including children. The PA and Fatah have always defined all murderers of Israelis who are killed while committing terror as “Shahids.”
Dying for Allah – Shahada - can only be achieved if the action is positive for Allah. The Quran calls this “killed in the cause of Allah.” [Quran 3:169, Sahih International translation] And whereas, many Muslims will not apply this quote to Palestinian terrorists, the Palestinian Authority does - 100% of the time. This means that according to the PA, when any Palestinian - even a suicide bomber - kills Israelis, soldiers or civilians, the murder of Israelis is by definition an “Act of Violence Based on Religion or Belief.”
Finally, the Palestinian Authority’s religious leadership for over 20 years has openly called for the murder of Israelis and Jews in the name of Islam and Allah on official PA TV. The following are just a few of the numerous examples:
Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Islam and Supreme PA Shari’ah Judge, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, publicly instructed Palestinians: “Kill them” [Quran 2:191] … Allah does not like transgressors.” Abbas’ advisor then cited 10 “transgressions” he attributes regularly to Israelis, informing Palestinians that the Quran’s “kill them” applies to all Israelis. He added another quote from the Quran at the end: “Kill them wherever you find them.”
[Official PA TV Feb, 2, 2020]
PA Shari'ah Judge Nasser Al-Qirem instructed to kill Jews for Allah citing the Hadith, the religious instruction attributed to Muhammad:
“‘The hour (i.e., Resurrection) will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews…’ Until the stones and trees speak and say: ‘O Muslim, O servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!’”[Official PA TV, Feb. 21, 2020]
Official PA TV host:
"All the religious rulings that were issued by the nation’s religious scholars obligated fighting against the thieving Jews…"
PA Mufti Muhammad Hussein:
"The texts clearly say that if an inch of the Muslims’ lands (i.e., all of Israel) is stolen, Jihad becomes a personal religious commandment for everyone who is capable of it. This is the Shari’ah law."[Official PA TV, Sept. 18, 2020]
Director of the PA Ministry of Religious Affairs Department of Preacher Training Sheikh Majed Saqr:
“Allah willing, the end of the Jews and America that supports the Jews will be in Palestine.”[Official PA TV, May 9, 2021]
Prayer for Ramadan by Imam:
“Master of the Universe. Allah, delight us with the extermination of the evil Jews, O Master of the Universe.”[Official PA TV, April 17, 2022]
Sheikh Osama Al-Tibi on PA TV:
"These are the Jews who expose their fangs whenever they get the chance... Allah wrote in His book [the Quran]... They are cursed... ‘And made of them apes and pigs and slaves of Taghut’ [Quran]. These are the Jews... Always plotting against humanity... These malignant genes and cursed characteristics continue in them... from generation to generation. They inherit it from father to son... Humanity will never be able to live together with them... Our Prophet [Muhammad] informed us [that] at the end of time the Muslims will fight the Jews... ‘‘Until the Jews hide behind a stone or a tree... and the stone or a tree will say: ‘Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him’”... Count them and kill them one by one, and do not leave even one."[Official PA TV, Dec. 14, 2018]
It is not only messages to adults that present the “struggle” against Israel as a religious war. Palestinian youth are also brought up on the message that war and terror against Israel is a religious war for Allah. PMW’s report on Waed, Fatah’s educational magazine for children age 6-15, shows that Fatah/PA teaches children that Israel's destruction by Palestinians is both inevitable and a religious fulfilment.
An important section defining the religious war for Islam opens with words “Almighty Allah commands,” that don't leave the child any choice but to fight the “the Zionist thieves, those who stole our land”:
“Almighty Allah commands that the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings remain under our guardianship forever and ever and that we shall protect it forever and ever. Prophet [Muhammad] prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque… We are trustees over this mosque until the day of Resurrection. Therefore, the Arabs always rush to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Zionist thieves, those who stole our land… We the Palestinian Arabs, Muslims and Christians alike, will defend our Jerusalem and our land, our mosques, and our churches, and we will redeem them with our blood.” [Waed, link to page in report with this quote on site]
The children are taught that Muslims worldwide are called to join the religious war against Israelis:
“We say to [the Islamic nation]: [Come] to Jerusalem, to the direction of prayer of the religion, to the war that will crush the injustice, kill Zion, and wave the Palestinian flags in the skies of the world.” [Waed, link to page in report with this quote on site]
The United Nations must take a stand:
The UN website states that on May 28, 2019:
“[The UN] General Assembly adopted the resolution A/RES/73/296, titled ’International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief‘ strongly condemning continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.”[https://www.un.org/en/observances/religious-based-violence-victims-day]
Accordingly, since the Palestinian Authority, Fatah, and Hamas, all present their acts of terror and murdering Israelis as religious acts, and since every murderer of Israelis who dies in the act is said to have died carrying out a religious act for Allah, the Palestinian Authority and all the other terror factions are in agreement: All Israelis murdered by Palestinians are victims of violence based on religion and belief
PMW calls on the UN to recognize all the thousands of Israeli victims of Palestinian terror as “Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief” and to condemn the PA’s violence and terror based on religion.