PMW: PA TV glorifies murderer of US tourist, Taylor Force, calling the
killer a “Martyr” 11 times
For links to videos:
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=18019

-Official PA TV reporter: “Martyr Bashar Masalha, 22, ascended to Heaven in
Jaffa on March 8 [2016]... He returned and was embraced by his homeland as a
Martyr within it.”
-Poster at funeral called him “Heroic Martyr”
-Offical PA daily: “Masalha died as a Martyr... after carrying out a
stabbing operation in Jaffa, in which he killed an American tourist.”
Itamar Marcus

On March 8, 2016, Palestinian terrorist Bashar Masalha attacked civilians in
Tel Aviv-Jaffa, stabbing to death an American tourist, Taylor Force, and
wounding 11 others. The terrorist was shot and killed by Israeli police. The
day after the murder, Palestinian Media Watch reported that Abbas’ Fatah
praised the murderer as “the heroic Martyr.” Last week, Israel gave his body
to the Palestinian Authority.


Reporting on the funeral in which hundreds participated, official PA TV
glorified the murderer calling him “the Martyr” - “Shahid” - 11 times.
Becoming a Martyr in Islam represents the highest religious achievement that
can be attained by a Muslim, according to PA teachings, and the Martyr is
granted numerous rewards. The PA TV reporter explained that the funeral was
“a large national wedding befitting of Martyrs.” The reference is to Islamic
belief that a Martyr marries 72 Dark-Eyed Virgins in Paradise:

PA TV reporter: “His family, friends, and people of the region took it upon
themselves to ensure that this [burial] would be a large national wedding
befitting of Martyrs... The Martyr was accompanied to his last resting place
in the cemetery for Martyrs in Hajja.”

[Official PA TV, May 21, 2016]


The official PA daily also honored the murderer as a “Martyr”:

“Masalha died as a Martyr on March 8 [2016], after carrying out a stabbing
operation in Jaffa, in which he killed an American tourist.”

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 21, 2016]


Mahmoud Abbas has not condemned even one terror attack during the 8-month
terror campaign (2015-2016). Even when US Vice President Joe Biden urged
Abbas to condemn this terror attack in which a US citizen was murdered,
Abbas refused. He “offered condolences,” but never condemned the attack.
[The Jerusalem Post, March 10, 2016]

Worse still, Abbas has justified the attacks. After Palestinians had carried
out 65 stabbing attacks, 8 shooting attacks, and 8 car ramming attacks, in
which a total of 14 Israelis were murdered and 167 were wounded, Abbas
defended them as part of a “popular peaceful uprising”


“We want peaceful popular uprising, and that’s what this is. That’s what
this is.”

[Official PA TV, Nov. 16, 2015]


The following is a longer excerpt of the report on PA TV News, glorifying
the murderer as a "Martyr”:



Official PA TV newsreader: "In Qalqilya, hundreds of citizens accompanied
the body of Martyr Bashar Masalha [to his burial]..."

Official PA TV reporter: "After delays by Israel in the transfer of his
body, Martyr Bashar Masalha’s family, from the village of Hajja, east of
Qalqilya, received their son in the evening... The Martyr Bashar returned
from Qalqilya to his village Hajja in a procession... His family, friends,
and people of the region took it upon themselves to ensure that this
[burial] would be a large national wedding (i.e., to the 72 Virgins in
Paradise) befitting of Martyrs... The Martyr was accompanied to his last
resting place in the cemetery for Martyrs in Hajja..."

Funeral participant: "Despite the delays by the Israeli side transferring
the Martyr’s body... the PA did everything it could and applied national and
political pressure to the other side so they would transfer the Martyr’s
body. Despite what they (i.e., the Israelis) did, the Palestinian will
prevailed and we received the Martyr’s body..."


Official PA TV reporter: "Martyr Bashar Masalha, 22, ascended to Heaven in
Jaffa on March 8 [2016] (i.e., he was shot after killing US tourist)... He
returned and was embraced by the soil of his homeland as a Martyr."

[Official PA TV News, May 21, 2016]

Bashar Masalha - 22-year-old Palestinian terrorist who carried out a
stabbing attack, murdering Taylor Force, an American tourist, and injuring
11, in Tel Aviv-Jaffa on March 8, 2016. Masalha was shot and killed by
Israeli police.

A Martyr's funeral is considered a wedding to the 72 Virgins in Paradise, in
Islam.