Emphasizing the message to Palestinians that “sacrificing” oneself for “Palestine” and dying as a “martyr” (shahida) while carrying out a terror attack against Israelis is an admirable act, the Bethlehem branch of Abbas’s Fatah Party lauded the female suicide-bomber Andalib Takatka, who murdered six people when she carried out a suicide bombing in 2002.
Fatah stated that the bomber hurried and carried out her attack a few days before her birthday because she “preferred” celebrating in Paradise, and that “her desire to take revenge against the Jews” was stronger than her desire to blow out birthday candles:
Posted text: “Sixteen years ago, on April 12, 2002, heroic self-sacrificing fighter Andalib Takatka carried out a self-sacrificing operation in occupied Jerusalem that led to the death of 6 Zionists and the wounding of another 85 …
It was a deeply moving sight to see Andalib read her will … while holding Allah’s book and saying: ‘This life is fleeting, pointless, and worthless, and the best thing man seeks is a dignified life in Paradise.’ … Andalib carried out the April 12, 2002 self-sacrificing operation, and did not wait until Sunday, April 14, in order to celebrate her 20th birthday. This was because she preferred to celebrate it in a different place and a different manner, and she hurried to extinguish the flame of her desire to take revenge against the Jews instead of extinguishing her 20th candle in her father’s house …
We all bow in admiration and appreciation before the soul of heroic Martyrdom (Shahada) seeker Andalib Takatka.”
[Facebook page of the Fatah movement, Bethlehem branch,
April 12, 2018]
Another post, by Fatah’s Jerusalem branch, lauded the suicide bomber as “heroic Martyrdom-seeker Andalib Takatka” and as being “more honorable than all of us,” sent her “one thousand blessings” and included a poster with the text:
“Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people [Koran, Sura 9:14, Sahih International translation]”
[Facebook page of the Fatah movement, Jerusalem branch, April 13, 2018]
Earlier, Fatah’s Bethlehem branch honored a different female suicide-bomber, Ayyat Al-Akhras, who murdered two people in 2002:
Posted text: “So that we will not forget the blood and souls of our Martyrs: 16 years ago today, March 29, 2002, Ayyat Al-Akhras, the Palestinian self-sacrificing fighter and heroic Martyr, a resident of the Deheisheh refugee camp … ascended [to Heaven] while resisting the oppression, brutality, and terror of the Zionist occupation forces. She sacrificed her soul, which she placed in her palm, for the liberation of Palestine—all of Palestine. Long live free and Arab Palestine, Eternity and glory to our righteous Martyrs.”
[Facebook page of the Fatah movement, Bethlehem branch,
March 29, 2018]
Full report can be read at PMW here.
