Fatah official: Mercaz murderer 'martyr'

PA offers Arab residents of Jerusalem compensation for property damaged in right-wing protest.

Arab village 88 224 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Arab village 88 224
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The Palestinian Authority is offering monetary compensation to Arab residents of east Jerusalem whose property was damaged in a recent right-wing protest that turned violent. The compensation offer was made by senior Palestinian Authority official Hatem Abd al-Qader during a tour of the damaged property in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Jebl Mukaber, according to a report in the official Palestinian Wafa news agency. On Sunday night, dozens of far-right Israeli activists pelted stones at Arab property and scuffled with police in a bitter protest in the neighborhood as they tried to approach the home of the terrorist who murdered eight students at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva on March 6. "The [Palestinian Authority] government has decided to compensate the residents for the damage that was caused as a result of the hate attack by hundreds of settlers in their attempt to destroy the house of the perpetrator of the al-Quds operation, the shahid [martyr] Ala Abu Dhaim," Qader said. He added that "popular resistance committees" need to be established in Arab areas close to the settlers as a defensive option in case of renewed Israeli assaults. According to the Palestinian media watchdog, Palestinian Media Watch, the official Palestinian Authority daily newspaper has described Abu Dhaim as a "groom" and his burial as his "wedding celebration." The term "wedding" is the expression commonly used in Palestinian society, and in PA schoolbooks as well, to describe the deaths of martyrs, said the organization's director, Itamar Marcus. According to Islamic tradition, martyrs will wed the "72 Dark-Eyed Virgins of Paradise," he said.