AJC Ad: Why Palestinian leaders make martyrs of Palestinian children

American Jewish Committee
Wednesday, 20 December 2000

In an ad on today's New York Times op-ed page, the American Jewish Committee poses the question: who is making "martyrs" of Palestinian children. AJC ask several questions about why Palestinian children are being educated in hate, not for peaceful coexistence with Israel, and why children are being led into harm's way by Palestinian political and religious leaders.

"Palestinian leaders owe their people and the world an answer: Instead of preparing for peace, why are they making 'martyrs' of children?" says the AJC ad.

The ad also will appear on the op-ed page of the International Herald Tribune.

The full text of the ad follows:

Who is making 'martyrs' of Palestinian children?

Ask the Palestinians.

Ask why children are being taught lessons of hate and methods of war, instead of the citizenship values and skills they will need to build a future Palestinian state in peaceful coexistence with Israel.

Ask why Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization runs camps to train children in the use of weapons and in techniques to assault and kidnap Israelis.

Ask why, after seven years of Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements, maps in new Palestinian textbooks exclude Israel.

Ask why the Mufti of Jerusalem, the most influential Islamic cleric appointed by the Palestinian Authority, says: "The younger the martyr, the more I respect him."

Ask why schools, teachers and the media encourage children to join in conflict.

Ask why children, instead of being kept at home or in school, are often led directly to points of confrontation between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers.

Ask why armed Palestinians often fire at Israelis from behind children, knowing the gunfire will be returned.

With this kind of leadership, it is no wonder

- A 12-year-old Palestinian boy told the London Times, "I want to die as a martyr. I will go straight to paradise if I do that."
- Palestinian women proclaim that they must bear more children to replace others of their offspring who may become "martyrs."

"They willingly sacrifice their offspring for the sake of freedom," says the Mufti of Jerusalem. "The mother is a participant in the great reward of the Jihad…"

Why are so few crying out to end this lamentable and irresponsible use of children?

"What kind of independence is built on the blood of children while the leaders are safe and so are their children and grandchildren?" an Arab journalist wrote in the London-based newspaper, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

Why are Palestinian children dying?

Typically, that question is posed only to Israel. But Palestinian leaders owe their people and the world an answer: Instead of preparing for peace, why are they making "martyrs" of children?

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org