As a series of deadly terrorist attacks have rocked Israeli cities in recent weeks, Palestinian social media has sparked support for the violence and encouraged future attackers.
Fourteen people have been killed in four deadly attacks across the country, a wave of bloody violence that Israel has not seen in years. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned two attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank, Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv.
But on Palestinian social media, several accounts relentlessly released clips praising the attacks. In some cases, users have set graphic scenes of violence to traditional music. The lyrics swear to the Israelites, “You will see Hell, and its gates will be opened on the Day of Resurrection.”
Other Palestinian social media users shared a song – originally broadcast by the Islamic Jihad-linked Palestine al-Yawm channel – praising Zenin’s opposition: “God bless Zenin’s champions with a Molotov cocktail and knife.”
Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist groups have sought to expose violence in their official media. Both terrorist groups issued statements praising the attacks after each incident.
Hamas military spokesman Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades praised the protest in a video report following clashes between Palestinian terrorists and Israeli soldiers in Jenin, the area where Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv terrorists arrived.
And you will see Hell, whose gates will be opened on the Day of Resurrection pic.twitter.com/qvcYinnI4X
– Huthaifa Azzam (@ HuthaifaAzzam1) March 30, 2022
“Our heroes and revolutionaries are not alone,” said Abu Haida, a Hamas military spokesman.
On other social media accounts affiliated with Hamas, commentators praised the attacks and received hundreds of likes. “After the Tel Aviv operations, I say to this month of Ramadan: You made us happy, Ramadan,” Faiz Abu Shemala, who writes a regular article for Hamas mouthpiece Palestine, wrote happily on Twitter.
In other videos, pro-Hamas Palestinians tried to use children to show their support for the latest terrorist attacks.
“He is a hero, he is a martyr by the will of God,” said Rath Hassam’s younger brother, who killed three people in a terrorist attack on Disenkoff Street in Tel Aviv last Thursday night.
God bless Jenin Championship ???????
Machine gun and piercing knife pic.twitter.com/A6LwlhuPUI– Palestinian Songs (@ Palestinian Song) April 9, 2022
The ruling Fatah party of the Palestinian Authority has also contributed to the wave of provocation. Although Abbas condemned the two terrorist attacks by Palestinians, several Fatah officials tried to prevent the attacks.
Fattah Central Committee member Abbas Jackie spoke at an event commemorating Palestinian gunmen Hassam and Ahmed al-Saadi, who were killed in clashes with Israeli troops in Jenin on Sunday night.
“I salute the determined Jenin,” Jackie said, calling the city a “National Fortress”.
Gen. Governor Akram Rajoub called Hasim, a resident of the city, a “Fatah fighter” and told The Times of Israel and other outlets that he did not consider him a terrorist.
The governor was later found in another mourning tent set up by the terrorist’s family, who was killed in a gun battle with police in Yafa just hours after the attack.
It is enough for Jenin to be with her loyal sons and daughters all over Palestine, and for the Qassam troops to be with her.
The breath of men greeting men, the hands of knights, and the determination of cubs are enough. pic.twitter.com/c1tTl927Yk
– Huthaifa Azzam (@ HuthaifaAzzam1) April 9, 2022
Rajoub, a longtime Palestinian power defense official and a member of the ruling Fatah party, serves as Gennil Abbas’ representative.
In a speech at the mourners’ tent, Rajob called Haseem “a fatah warrior, the bullets of aggression did not distinguish between him and his comrade Ahmad al-Sadi.”
Identification with terrorists has been extended to social media and to official Palestinian power outlets.
The Fatah page, which claims to be “the glory and eternity of our sincere martyrs”, is a picture of the Hebron branch of the Palestinian Party, which claims to have killed Diaa Hamarsheh, who killed five people in the March 29 terrorist attack in Bine Prague.
My brother raises our heads as a hero. Tiyagi Rath Haseem’s brother from Jenin Refugee Camp talks about his brother. pic.twitter.com/odfDIhjZ3p
– ❤️ ???? God, forgive my parents and my dear brother Abu al-Abd. (@ om_loai1311) April 9, 2022
Complaints of incitement in the official Palestinian state media preceded the current escalation of attacks. In March, tensions escalated in the West Bank following the killing of three Palestinian terrorists in Naples by Israeli forces, officials said.
During a live broadcast on Palestinian television broadcasting the demolition of one of the gunmen’s homes, Fatah official Abdul-Ila Atira praised the Palestinian opposition for “Allah giving us”.
“When you see a 15-year-old Palestinian child carrying a rock or other tool or knife, know that this cause continues in the blood of our people,” Adira said.
Other Fatah party officials have repeatedly praised the “war with the Jews” following the recent terrorist attacks in Israel.
“We are taking action for our Lord … Our goal is not Fatah, Fatah is a means. Fatah is a means to the liberation of Palestine. Our war is with the Jews,” Fatah’s party secretary Ada Abu Mayla told Al-Awta TV on March 27, the current After the start of the terrorist wave.
In an interview with the Palestinian media later, Abu Ramlah called Hamar Sheikh’s attack “heroic” and praised the terrorist actions of the pro-government crowd.
