Hamas and Islamic Jihad Triumph in Al-Najah
University Student Elections
Nablus' Al-Najah University: The Breeding Ground of Suicide Bombers Al-Najah University in Nablus is not a typical academic institution. Its students set the university's unique tone. The vast majority of the students support Palestinian terrorist organizations and favor uncompromising armed struggle against Israel, including suicide attacks.
Al-Najah Student Holding a mock anti tank Model
Military Training in the Al-Najah Campus
Al-Najah Student Holding a mock anti tank Model
The Al-Najah student council has traditionally been controlled by the Hamas movement, which has been labeled by Israel, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist organization.
The following table shows the results of the last student council elections, held in 2001:
Hamas and Islamic Jihad's triumph in the elections marks a strengthening of their political power at Al-Najah University, increasing their representation by 14%, at the expense of Fatah. This trend reflects the increasing strength of extremist Islamic movements among the Palestinian population.
Hamas has taken advantage of its traditional control over the student council to transform the university campus into a base for recruiting, directing, indoctrinating and operating terror cells. Hamas operations at Al-Najah are characterized by:
Preaching in favor of suicide attacks against Israel - The Hamas-led student council runs a systematic propaganda campaign in favor of Jihad (holy war against infidels) among the university's students. The aim is to have the message of Jihad spread throughout the broader Palestinian population. The campaign praises armed struggle against Israel and suicide attacks.
The student council frequently organizes rallies and conventions on the university campus, in which suicide attacks are praised as the highest form of Jihad. The conventions usually feature a telephone address by a Hamas or Islamic Jihad leader. On 13 November 2001, Abdallah Shalah, the leader of Islamic Jihad, addressed the students via telephone, cajoling them: "Youth of Palestine ? Yesterday's student council elections were a vote in favor of the Intifada, a vote in favor of the Jihad and the struggle, a vote in favor of the blood of the fallen heroes, ... a vote in favor of the heroic suicide bombers of the Iz Adin al-Qassam battalions and the Jerusalem squads. This is the righteous choice; this is the true referendum ? a test the students of Al-Najah passed with flying colors. They proved their high level of awareness and faith, and proved the depth of their connection to Islam, to Palestine and to Jihad."
Al-Najah Ceremony Commemorating Hamas'
First Three Suicide Bombers, Featuring the
Seven Upcoming Bombers in White Robes and
Explosives Belts
Al-Najah Assembly in Memory of Suicide Bombers
Symbol of the Islamic Palestine
Block of the Hamas Al-Najah
Students Cell, Praising Jihad
and Calling for Islamic World Domination
Encouraging murder of Israelis - Al-Najah University serves Palestinian terror organizations as a stage for promoting their beliefs regarding the armed struggle. Rallies by Palestinian terror organizations on the campus, which have attracted media coverage, have shown operatives armed with various types of weapons, including anti-tank missile launchers, marching and shouting slogans praising the armed struggle. A variety of "plays" demonstrate to the students how to murder Israelis and blow up Israeli passenger buses. In addition, the Hamas held an exhibition on the campus in 2001, proudly re-creating suicide attacks carried out by Hamas operatives earlier that year. The entrance to the exhibition was designed to resemble the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem, scene of a suicide attack carried out in August 2001 by Iz Adin al-Masri, a Hamas operative from Jenin.
Hamas Operatives from Al-Najah Demonstrate
Methods of Murdering Israeli Soldiers and Exploding Israeli Buses
Hamas Operatives Demonstrate to Al-Najah
Students How to Prepare Explosive Charges
Recruitment of activists to the Hamas terrorist wing - Al-Najah University serves as a recruitment center for the various Palestinian terror organizations, but first and foremost for the Hamas. The Hamas student council invests great effort and funds in building a support system for new students. Every student receives a letter offering academic guidance counseling and assistance in obtaining financial aid. Combined with regular student meetings, this strengthens the students' link and commitment to Hamas and creating a natural transition to their becoming active members in the terrorist wing. The Hamas terror infrastructure in Nablus and its environs was formed and developed at Al-Najah University. Many of Hamas' leaders in Nablus, including leaders of the Iz Adin al-Qassam terrorist wing, began their involvement in the movement while students or professors at the university. The Hamas terror infrastructure that sprouted at Al-Najah was behind suicide attacks in Jerusalem in July and September 1997.
The more notorious Hamas terrorists who attended Al-Najah University include:
- Kays Adwan - Former head of the student council nominated by Hamas. Was head of the Hamas terrorist wing in northern Samaria. Considered to be the "engineer" who prepared suicide bombers and equipped them with explosive belts. Responsible for coordinating many suicide attacks (Jerusalem, Haifa, Nahariya and elsewhere). Involved in manufacturing weapons, explosives and Kassam rockets.
- Ali Hadairy - Attended the engineering faculty. Among the senior operatives of the Hamas terrorist wing in Nablus and Tul-Karem.
- Taher Jarara - Attended the science faculty. Succeeded Mahmud Abu-Hanud as head of the Hamas terrorist group in Nablus after Abu-Hanud was killed by Israel.
- Yusuf Surkaji - Masters degree graduate of Al-Najah. Among the senior members of Hamas' operational infrastructure in Nablus, sent terrorists to carry out suicide attacks in Israel between 1997 and 2002.
- Karim Mafarja - Attended the Islamic law faculty. Aide to Yusuf Surkaji. Assisted in the perpetration of suicide attacks.
- Jassar Samaro - Attended the Islamic law faculty. Was responsible for setting up factories where explosives were manufactured for use by suicide bombers. Worked closely with Mahmud Abu-Hanud.
According to Hamas data (updated: 16 June 2002), more than 70 Al-Najah students were arrested by Israel during the last two years on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity.
Muhamad Aran, Senior Operative in an
Extremist Islamic Group, Perpetrator of
Terrorist Attacks and a Student in Al-Najah
Addressing Al-Najah Students Wearing Uniform
Al-Najah Assembly in Memory of Suicide Bombers
Top Hamas Officials, including Hamed Bitawi,
Justify Suicide Attacks on a Visit to Al-Najah
Dispatching suicide terrorists from Al-Najah to carry out suicide attacks inside Israel - The Hamas movement has often, and with great pride, pronounced Al-Najah University "a greenhouse for martyrs" or, in other words, a breeding ground for suicide bombers. This claim is supported by the facts. More suicide bombers attended Al-Najah than any other Palestinian university or academic institution.
The suicide bombers who attended Al-Najah were:
- Hashem Najar - Attended the media and communications faculty. Carried out the suicide attack in a restaurant in the village of Mekhola on 22 December 2000.
- Hamed Abu Hijla - Attended the engineering faculty. Carried out a car-bomb suicide attack in Netanya on 1 January 2001.
- Jamal Nasser - Studied civil engineering. Carried out a car-bomb suicide attack next to an Israeli bus west of Nablus on 29 April 2001.
- Muayad Salah - Studied civil engineering. Carried out a suicide attack near Baka al-Sharkiya on 8 November 2001.
- Asam Reihan - Attended the economics faculty. Participated in the combined bombing and shooting attack on an Israeli passenger bus near Emanuel on 12 December 2001. Even though he wasn't wearing an explosive belt, the Hamas characterized this as a "mission of martyrdom," and he received the same recognition accorded to suicide bombers.
- Darin Abu Aisha - She attended Al-Najah and was a Hamas activist. Volunteered for a suicide mission but was turned down by Hamas. She then volunteered to carry out a suicide mission for Fatah, and carried out her suicide bombing attack at the Makabim checkpoint on 27 February 2002.
- Muhamad Alrul - Attended the Islamic law faculty. Carried out a suicide attack on a bus in Jerusalem on 18 June 2002. The Hamas-led Al-Najah student council issued a special proclamation in late July 2002 calling Jews "pigs" and "Satans" and declaring that the Hamas will continue perpetrating suicide attacks against Israeli civilians.
Al-Najah Ceremony Commemorating Suicide Bombers
Al-Najah Assembly in Memory of Suicide Bombers
Former Al-Najah Student Muhamad Ruhl,
Perpetrator of a Jerusalem Suicide Attack
Hashem Najer and Hamed Abu Hijla, Two
Former Al-Najah Students who Carried Out Suicide Attacks
Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine have been carrying out similar activities at Al-Najah University, although on a smaller scale. These terror organizations have conducted armed marches on campus. They have also held ceremonies in which models of Israeli villages are destroyed, as an expression of their commitment to the armed struggle against Israel and their ideological view that every Israeli living or visiting in the West Bank is a legitimate target for Jihad.
The professors at Al-Najah share this anti-Israeli sentiment. In mid-2002 75 Al-Najah professors and staff members sent an open letter to Arabic satellite television stations, calling for a boycott of all Israelis and urging that they not be given any forum for expressing their views. Excerpts from the letter follow:
"We the undersigned, professors, academicians and scholars denounce and oppose the actions of the satellite television stations, particularly Al-Jazeera, Abu Dhabi and MBC, which beautify the occupation by regularly hosting 'Israeli' personalities. We fear these stations will become podiums that will be exploited by the Zionists. We call for rapid action to terminate this phenomenon, which causes damage to the Palestinians."
Among those who signed the document was Dr. Abed Alsatar Kassam, a professor who has declared his intention to run against Arafat in the elections for chairmanship of the Palestinian Authority. Kassam openly supports the armed struggle against Israel, having stated that his ultimate goal is the establishment of the "State of Palestine" throughout the entire territory of the State of Israel.
Students Demonstrating in Support of
Suicide Bomber, Perpetrator of Gilo Bus Attack
Al-Najah Assembly in Memory of Suicide Bombers
Fatah Operative from Al-Najah carrying an
Anti-Tank Missile - captured off Nablus TV Broadcast
Al-Najah Student Holding a mock anti tank Model
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