On same day that Abbas talked peace at the UN: Abbas' speech read by Fatah official praised a terrorist who killed 15 as "the most noble among the noble... (with his death) Fatah lost a beacon"

Abbas: "He lived as a giant and died as a giant.

He should remain in our hearts with this glory,
this greatness"

Fatah official about bomb killing 15:

"A wonderful and high quality operation...

that made the enemies lose sleep"

http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=9813

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik

During the current peace talks, and on the same day Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas asserted at the UN the Palestinians' goal of achieving peace, an Abbas representative and other PA and Fatah officials were busy honoring terrorist Abu Sukkar.

The PA and Fatah held a well-attended memorial in Ramallah for Ahmad Jabara Abu Sukkar who planned a bombing attack, using a refrigerator filled with explosives, that killed 15 Israelis and wounded over 60 in Jerusalem in 1975.

At the ceremony, Abbas' speech, which was delivered by Fatah official Jibril Rajoub, referred to Abu Sukkar as "a hero" and "the legend" who "outlined a path for us." Abbas' speech stressed that Abu Sukkar is a role model and that "Fatah lost a beacon":

Moderator: "The speech of President Mahmoud Abbas will be delivered by Jibril Rajoub..."

Abbas' words read by Rajoub: "Abu Sukkar, the legend who walked on earth, Abu Sukkar, who with the sweat of his brow, with his faith, with his sincere belonging outlined for us a path and wrote a page [of history] that is unforgettable and indescribable... Believe me that Abu Sukkar is worthy of being named the most noble among the noble [prisoners]... [Abu Sukkar] is worthy of receiving the utmost honor and appreciation from us. To the people of [village] Turmus Ayya and to Abu Sukkar's family, I say: 'You lost a hero, but we, Abu Sukkar's comrades... in Fatah and in the Palestinian National Movement, lost a beacon...'"

Click to view

Abbas went on to praise terrorist Abu Sukkar as "a giant":

"I cannot but say that Abu Sukkar lived as a giant and died as a giant. He should remain in our hearts with this glory, this greatness."

During the ceremony, terrorist Abu Sukkar's family was given a plaque of honor by member of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub representing Mahmoud Abbas, Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake, District Governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam, and Chairman of the Prisoners' Club Qadura Fares.

As part of the ceremony, the organizers chose to show interviews with different people about Abu Sukkar's life. A released prisoner described how the attack "cost the Zionists many lives and contributed to raising the Palestinian people's morale."

The following day, official PA TV broadcast a film about the terrorist's life. In the film, member of Fatah Central Committee and Fatah Commissioner of Arab Relations and Relations with China, Abbas Zaki, praises the bombing attack:

"He started [out] with a wonderful and high quality operation (killing 15) using a refrigerator [bomb], that made the enemies lose sleep."

Click to view

In July, Palestinian Media Watch reported that the PA gave the "refrigerator bomber" an official military funeral, during which Abbas' representative, Secretary-General Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim, in an interview referred to Abu Sukkar's "good and wonderful deeds for this nation... [which] will always remain an example for us."

These words of praise were also included in the PA TV film about Abu Sukkar.

The official PA daily reported that the recent memorial was organized by the PA Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs and the Prisoners' Commission in the Fatah Recruitment and Organization [Commission], among others.

Terrorist Ahmad Jabara Abu Sukkar was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for the bombing attack, but was released from prison after 28 years as part of a goodwill gesture from Israel to the PA in 2003. He was a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council and an advisor to Arafat on prisoners' affairs. He died of a heart attack in July of this year.

PMW has documented how PA and Fatah officials continue to glorify terrorists. While Abbas at the UN asserted that the Palestinians wish for peace, a ping pong tournament named after terrorist Dalal Mughrabi and sponsored by Jibril Rajoub was announced.

The following are longer excerpts from statements made at the PA memorial for terrorist Abu Sukkar and from the film about his life broadcast on PA TV:

Moderator at the PA memorial for terrorist Ahmad Jabara Abu Sukkar: "The speech of President Mahmoud Abbas will be delivered by Jibril Rajoub, member of Fatah's Central Committee."

Member of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub: "Abu Sukkar, the legend who walked on earth, Abu Sukkar, who with the sweat of his brow, with his faith, with his sincere belonging outlined for us a path and wrote a page [of history] that is unforgettable and indescribable... Believe me that Abu Sukkar is worthy of being named the most noble among the noble [prisoners] because he is Abu Sukkar. Abu Sukkar, who spurned his American passport, who scorned the life of comfort, who returned to the homeland [from the US] to fulfill our dream, is worthy of receiving the utmost honor and appreciation from us. To the people of [village] Turmus Ayya and to Abu Sukkar's family, I say: 'You lost a hero, but we, Abu Sukkar's comrades... in Fatah and in the Palestinian National Movement, lost a beacon...'

I truly believe you did Abu Sukkar an injustice by asking me to speak, because I do not think that all the dictionaries would be able to do this man justice. Nonetheless, I suggest that everyone read about the life experience of Abu Sukkar, from the day he left [his village] Turmus Ayya until his return to Turmus Ayya. He went to jail. With his simplicity, his honesty and his sincere belonging he was a role model for tens of thousands of prisoners and detainees...

I cannot but say that Abu Sukkar lived as a giant and died as a giant. He should remain in our hearts with this glory, this greatness, with this sincere, honest and constant smile that lasted until the last moment of his life.

I salute our prisoners, one more time, brother commander Marwan Barghouti, our comrades in the [Fatah] Central Committee, brother Ahmad Sa'adat... We love and value you and your families, and foremost among them Um Al-Qassam (Marawan Barghouti's wife) whom we salute."

During the ceremony terrorist Abu Sukkar's family was given a plaque of honor by member of the Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub representing PA Chairman Abbas, Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake, District Governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam, and Chairman of the Prisoners' Club Qadura Fares.

[Official PA TV, Sept. 26, 2013]

Marwan Barghouti - serving five life sentences for orchestrating terror attacks against Israeli civilians. When arrested in 2002, he headed Fatah's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. After he was convicted and imprisoned, he was re-elected member of the Palestinian Authority parliament.

Ahmad Sa'adat - serving a 30-year sentence for heading the PFLP terror organization. A song at a PFLP event also praised him for planning the assassination of Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001, but he has not been tried for this crime.

Released prisoner Muhammad Al-Beiruti, about Abu Sukkar's terror attack, excerpt from film shown at PA memorial for Abu Sukkar:

"We all know that Abu Sukkar's operation (i.e., terror attack) was transporting a refrigerator that had been wired [with explosives] by another person, and placing it on Zion street [in Jerusalem]. This operation cost the Zionists many lives (15 were killed) and contributed to raising the Palestinian people's morale."

[Official PA TV, Sept. 26 (at memorial) and 27 (entire film), 2013]

Member of Fatah Central Committee and Commissioner of Arab Relations and Relations with China, Abbas Zaki, about Abu Sukkar's terror attack, excerpt from film shown on PA TV the day after the PA memorial:

"He started [out] with a wonderful and high quality operation (i.e., terror attack) using a refrigerator, that made the enemies lose sleep. He started [out] as an exemplary, self-sacrificing fighter and also in prison he was with a noble group of our Palestinian nation and they turned the detention centers into combat [training] schools."

[Fatah Culture and Information Commission's YouTube channel,
posted July 17, 2013, official PA TV, Sept. 27, 2013]

Secretary-General of the Presidential Office, Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim, about terrorist Abu Sukkar, excerpt from film shown on PA TV the day after the PA memorial:

"Brother Abu Sukkar was released 10 years ago. For over eight years, he has participated in activities and [attended] house visits to families of Martyrs (Shahids). We miss this man. He will remain in our minds and veins. His memory and his good and wonderful deeds for this nation and for this nation's cause will always remain an example for us to emulate."

[Fatah Culture and Information Commission's YouTube channel,
posted July 17, 2013, official PA TV, Sept. 27, 2013]

The following is an excerpt from the official PA daily, stating who organized the PA memorial for terrorist Abu Sukkar:

"The [PA] Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs, the Prisoners' Club, the Supreme Committee for Prisoners' Affairs and the Prisoners' Commission in the [Fatah] Recruitment and Organization [Commission] held a memorial in the Ramallah Auditorium for fighter (i.e., terrorist) Ahmad Jabara 'Abu Sukkar', most veteran of the Palestinian prisoners."

[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 27, 2013]

Ahmad Abu Sukkar - planned a bombing attack in 1975 in which a refrigerator filled with explosives was detonated on a main street in Jerusalem. 15 people were killed and over 60 people were wounded. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years, but was released from prison after 28 years as part of a goodwill gesture from Israel to the PA in 2003. He was a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council and an advisor to Arafat on prisoners' affairs. He died of a heart attack in 2013 in the PA.