Democratically-Elected Arab-Israeli Political Party Promotes Martyr's Summer Camp

"With spirit and blood we will redeem you, martyr."

8.30.2017 

 

News

 

 Tiffany Gabbay 

 

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We all know that Palestinian leadership routinely reward terrorists and their families, thus ensuring the cycle of Jew-hatred and violence continues. It's also worth noting, however, that even the official Arab-Israeli political parties -- ones that are democratically elected -- do the exact same thing. 

Case in point: 

The Balad political party in Israel just organized a youth parade for its summer camp and concluded with a procession glorifying all the "martyrs" (i.e. those who die killing Jewish people). 

Ynet reports that the procession marched through the Dheisheh refugee camp, Palestinian flags on high and chanting, "Palestine with spirit and blood."

The youth summer camp, according to Ynet, was "divided into groups named after Palestinian leaders Yasser Arafat, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam; MK Zoabi praises 'spirit of struggle, vigor and force.'" Lovely. The outlet provides additional details below: 

A summer camp for Arab-Israeli youths organized by the Arab-Israeli Balad party held its concluding ceremony this week in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem, with campers marching alongside the camp's children in a procession honoring the "martyrs." 

Draped in Palestinian flags, the children attending the camp marched through the refugee camp chanting invectives aimed at Israel. 

The march's repertoire included calls saying "with spirit and blood we will redeem you, martyr" and "with spirit and blood we will redeem you, Palestine." 

At the parade's conclusion, they visited families of terrorists who were killed or wounded during terror attacks. "We pay our respects to the families of the martyrs," said one of the march's leaders. 

As part of the summer camp's activities, children were divided into groups. One such group was named after former Palestinian Liberation Organization chief Yasser Arafat and another after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, the eponym for the military arm of Hamas. Another group is named after Gamal Abdel Nasser, former President of Egypt who repeatedly spoke of Israel's annihilation.

"The Balad youth's 18th summer camp has concluded," wrote Joint List MK Haneen Zoabi on her Facebook page. "Balad is proud of its young men and women and hitching its activities and ideology to the spirit of struggle, vigor and force." 

Balad's youth organization noted that the martyrs procession was "encouraging the Arab-Palestinian identity, democratic values and the 'state for all its citizens' concept."

They always tell us who they are and what they stand for. If only the world would listen.  

An important distinction to reiterate is that this is not Palestinian leadership talking -- this is an officially elected Arab-Israel political party within Israel, represented in the Knesset. So, what hope is there for peace?