Thursday, April 18, 2013

PA kids' education: "To war that will... destroy the Zionist's soul"

On PA TV, 3 different kids recite same poem 
promoting violence against Israel
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
 
Recently, over a period of two months, three Palestinian children have recited the same poem promoting violence on PA TV. The poem, which the three children knew by heart, includes a call for "war... to destroy the Zionist's soul":

"I am a Palestinian, my name is Palestinian
I've etched my name on all the town squares...
Saladin (Muslim conqueror of Jerusalem), calls to me from the depths of my heart
All my Arabness calls me to vengeance and liberation...
Thousands of prisoners and thousands who are jailed
call to this great nation and call to millions
They say: To Jerusalem, the [first] direction of prayer [in Islam]
To war that will smash the oppression
and destroy the Zionist's soul
and raise the Palestinian banner in the world's sky
And strengthen my word that goes on: Palestinian, Palestinian, Palestinian."
 
At one of the recitals, the host of the PA TV children's program responded enthusiastically: "Bravo, applause, applause, applause to Shayma."

The fact that all three children knew the poem by heart and all recited it in a period of two months might suggest that PA educational frameworks may be teaching children to memorize this poem promoting violence, war and "destroying the Zionist's soul."

Click here, here and here, to view the three children reciting the poem.

The poem is written by Bilal Abdallah, a Palestinian-Danish actor and poet. Bilal Abdallah was born in a refugee camp in Lebanon but has lived in Denmark since he was 10. Bilal Abdallah received the Danish Refugee Council's Artist Award in 2004.

Recently Palestinian Media Watch documented a girl's recital of a hate poem referring to Jews as "Allah's enemies, the sons of pigs."

The following is the transcript of the poem recited by the three Palestinian children on PA TV on Jan. 29, Feb. 1, and March 1, 2013:

"I am a Palestinian, my name is Palestinian
I've etched my name on all the town squares
In letters that stand out over the placards
The letters of my name pursue me, enliven me, nourish me,
They enflame my spirit and beat in my veins...
Saladin (Muslim conqueror of Jerusalem),
calls to me from the depths of my heart
All my Arabness calls me to vengeance and liberation
My flag that was folded in Hattin (Saladin battle in 1187)
The person who summons to prayer in the Al-Aqsa [Mosque]
calls to us: "Save me"
Thousands of prisoners and thousands who are jailed
call to this great nation and call to millions
They say: To Jerusalem, the [first] direction of prayer [in Islam]
To war that will smash the oppression and destroy the Zionist's soul
and raise the Palestinian banner in the world's sky
And strengthen my word that goes on:
Palestinian, Palestinian, Palestinian."
[Girl's recital on PA TV prisoners' program
In a Fighter's Home , PA TV (Fatah), Jan. 29, 2013;
and boy's recital on PA TV live broadcast, March 1, 2013]

One girl ended her recital with the words "To war that will smash the oppression and destroy the Zionist's soul."
The PA TV host responded: "Bravo, applause, applause, applause to Shayma."
[Girl's recital on PA TV children's program The Best Home
PA TV (Fatah), Feb. 1, 2013]

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