Posted on 04/26/2002 10:57:23 PM PDT by ABrit
Palestinians question martyrdom cult after boys' suicide prank
By Alan Philps in Bethlehem
(Filed: 27/04/2002)
A WAVE of soul-searching is gripping Palestinian society after three schoolboys aged 13 and 14 answered the call to martyrdom and were shot dead by the Israeli army.
A cult of martyrdom, encouraged by militant groups and the media, has gripped the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Every Palestinian town is plastered with bright posters announcing the deaths of those killed by the Israeli army or in suicide operations.
The three boys were classmates in the Saladin school in the Gaza City. On Tuesday evening, they set off to attack Netzarim, an army camp and Jewish settlement established to divide Gaza City from the rest of the Gaza Strip.
The children took three knives and some home-made explosives in their school bags. As soon as they entered the free-fire zone around Netzarim, where the army shoots at anything that moves and no questions are asked, they were killed.
Bassem Zakkout, the father of 14-year-old Youssef Zakkout, refused to adopt the expected delight that a son had achieved martyrdom in the fight against Israeli occupation.
"I loved him and took care of him for 14 years, and now he is gone," he said. "I am against all this, especially at his age. We should not destroy this generation. They are the leaders of the future."
Mr Zakkout blamed his son's action on the "massacres" shown on Palestinian and Arab satellite television stations.
"On television our children see people killed by the Israelis in their homes, and they think, better not to die at home," he said.
A poster was issued of the three boys - Youssef, Ismail Abu-Nada, 14, and Anwar Hamdona, 13 - but the Palestinian factions which usually rush to claim martyrs were too ashamed to put their names to the boys' suicidal prank.
Hamas issued a statement calling on young fighters to wait until they were properly trained. "The blood of our cubs should be preserved for a coming day when they become strong men. Their role in jihad is for later."
The statement called on teachers to relay this messages in their classes and for preachers in mosques to put an end to the sacrifice. Dr Fadl Abu-Heen, director of the Community Training and Crisis Management Centre in Gaza City, found that 70 per cent of schoolchildren aged eight to 15 said they wanted to be martyrs.
"Society gives high esteem to martyrs, and children want to share in that," he said. "They see that the martyrs' pictures are pasted on walls, their families are honoured and their wakes are like weddings.
"This is a dangerous mistake for our children and for the future of our society."
Palestinian Media Watch, an Israeli organisation that monitors the Palestinian press and television, has produced a dossier showing that school books and newspaper articles all glorify the role of martyrs.
The Palestinian deputy education minister, Naim Abu-Hummos, said: "What's happening is crazy." Teachers would be told to address the issue, he said.
Translation of the article boils down to: "Oops, the suicide bombing thing backfired and is making us look bad overseas... stop it until our poll numbers go back up"
Increasing the opportunity costs of turning children into human bombs is a good thing.
Bingo
Islemmings.
That's a great word, you concocted; I love it . Islemmings... giggle, giggle, giggle ... that IS just what they are !
It's just as stupid and hopeless and ultimately suicidal for the lemmings as islam's current go-for-broke global jihad is going to be for the islemmings.
I seriously doubt it...they've been training and using kids like this for ages....and all of this sudden, these kids' paren't are "shocked"? Right, yeah, and Richard Simmons loves the ladies. The Palistinian PR machine turns, turns, turns....
Not a chance...
Dr Fadl Abu-Heen, director of the Community Training and Crisis Management Centre in Gaza City, found that 70 per cent of schoolchildren aged eight to 15 said they wanted to be martyrs.
"Society gives high esteem to martyrs, and children want to share in that," he said. "They see that the martyrs' pictures are pasted on walls, their families are honoured and their wakes are like weddings.
This is not some teenage fad that swept through the schools unnoticed by busy parents. Islamic parents control every aspect of their children's lives.
This is pure PR, right down to calling the attempt to commit suicide while blowing up Israeli soldiers a "prank"...
... well, I can't speak to the inteligence of the writer, but it is just another example of the bias against Israel in the European press. He mentions in passing, the fact that the boys are carrying knives and home made explosives, but then calls their action "a prank." He also makes note of a "free fire zone," where the children are immediately killed.
Mark
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