Palestinian Authority Proclaims Child Murderer a "Hero", "Leader" and "Model of a Brilliant Warrior"

Israel and Islam

(Palestinian Media Watch, September 7, 2004, www.pmw.org.il)

Societies measure their heroes in different ways. Some societies honor athletes or performers. Others celebrate caregivers and humanitarian workers. The Palestinians, on the other hand, have consistently chosen to honor murderers as their national icons.

During the recent PA prisoners' hunger strike, Palestinian TV repeatedly singled out one such murderer - Samir Quntar - and turned him into a Palestinian hero.

In 1979, Quntar crossed into northern Israel from Lebanon, and took Danny Haran and his four-year-old daughter, Einat, as hostages, to bring them to Lebanon. When the Israeli army arrived, Quntar murdered Danny and Einat. Danny's other daughter also died in the attack. Quntar was captured, and received multiple life sentences totalling 542 years in prison.

PATV and PA leaders see Quntar as a hero, and the hunger strike was used as an opportunity to promote Quntar. His picture was repeatedly shown on TV and he was proclaimed the "model warrior," "brave," and a "leader" and "head" of the prisoners.

PA Minister of Prisoners, Hisham Abdul Razeq, defined Quntar as the leader of the prisoners, proclaiming, "The torch of freedom [that] was lifted by our heroic prisoners and headed by the great warrior Samir Quntar...and our thanks to you" (PATV, Aug. 15, 2004).

PA TV extolled him, "Quntar is a model of a brilliant warrior - who believes in his goals, knows his way, and perseveres in achieving those goals..." (PATV, Aug. 18, 2004).

[TBC: While the atrocities committed in the name of Allah are indeed deplorable, the reporting of these crimes should not provoke our own wrath against a people bound by hideous lies of the Destroyer. Rather, remember God's word that exhorts us to "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew:5:44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
See All...) and that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians:6:12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
See All...).]