Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) recently noted the latest in an ongoing and long-term practice in the Palestinian Authority to name children’s sporting events and teams, educational programs, camps and institutions, after notable terrorists, including suicide bombers, who have killed large numbers of Israelis.

On July 13, 2003, al-Hayat al-Jadida, the main PA daily, reported on a trip sponsored by one such summer camp to the home of the camp’s namesake. The camp, with 150 boys and girls aged 12 and 13, is named for Jihad al-Amarin, the founder of the suicide terror division of the Fatah, the al-Aksa Martyrs’ Brigade. The report, notes Marcus, “follows numerous stories in the PA press this summer of children’s summer camps named for other terrorists.”

Excerpts from the report in the PA daily, as provided by PMW: “The Palestinian Union for Culture, Sciences and Development continues with the activities of the fifth round of the summer camps (which) bears the title: “The Shahid al-Amarin.” This with the cooperation of the children’s organization, “Da’una Nafrach”…. Yesterday the camp’s participants went to the home of the shahid [died for Allah] Jihad al-Amarin, where (they were greeted by) the shahid’s wife, children and family. During the visit, there were speeches praising the virtues of the shahid Jihad al-Amarin, who was assassinated a year ago by the forces of the occupation…. The shahid’s wife expressed her joy at our people’s loyalty to her husband, stating that the shahid Jihad followed a national mission. During the visit, the shahid’s wife was presented with the camp’s shield

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2003 and is filed under arabpress.