Fatah Social Media Accounts Glorify Armed Struggle Against Israel, Incite To Violence

As the 53rd anniversary of the January 1, 1965 founding of the Fatah movement approached, and in light of increased Palestinian-U.S. tension following President Trump's December 6, 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Fatah announced that the main slogan for its anniversary would be "The Year of Confrontation [with Israel] and of Defense of the Holy Places."[1]

Against this backdrop, the Fatah movement posted numerous posts and tweets on its official social media accounts glorifying its years of armed struggle, with an emphasis on the second intifada, as well as female Fatah members' participation in this struggle, including in suicide attacks. The accounts also posted slogans supporting the armed struggle, calls to bear arms, and portraits of senior movement members imprisoned in Israel.

It should be noted that messages advocating violence were also posted recently on the Facebook account of the Fatah branch in Al-Doha village, in the Bethlehem area, that included expressing pride for Fatah members' stabbing attacks and firing of rockets. One of the messages even said that there was room in the country for only a single identity – the Palestinian identity.

The following are translated examples of these recent posts on Fatah's Facebook and Twitter account.

"The Year of Confrontation [with Israel] and of Defense of the Holy Places (Source: Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 30, 2017)

Praise For Female Fatah Suicide Bombers

In recent days, Fatah has posted various posters and banners on its official Facebook page and Twitter accounts to mark the 53rd anniversary of its activity. Notable among these were posters bearing the portraits of female Fatah members who carried out suicide attacks in Jerusalem. Among these was a portrait of Wafa Idris, the first female Palestinian suicide bomber; she was from the Al-Am'ari refugee camp on the outskirts of Ramallah and, on January 27, 2002, carried out a suicide attack on Jerusalem's Jaffa Road for which Fatah's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, claimed responsibility.

Also published were posters bearing the portraits of other female Fatah members who had perpetrated suicide bombings in Jerusalem: Ayat Al-Akhras, who carried out March 2002 supermarket attack; 'Andaleeb Taqataqa, who carried out the April 2002 Mahane Yehuda market attack, and Zainab Abu-Salem, who carried out the September 2004 French Hill junction attack.

Other posts included photos of other female Fatah operatives who had carried out attacks prior to the Oslo Agreements, such as Dalal Al-Mughrabi, deputy commander of the Fatah squad that carried out the 1978 Coastal Road attack in Israel in which 38 Israelis were killed and 71 wounded. Al-Mughrabi is a Palestinian icon; official events commemorating her are organized by the PA, and public buildings are named for her.[2]

Poster in praise of "The Palestinian Woman: Mother, Sister, Martyr, Prisoner, Fighter" (Source:  Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 30, 2017)

Poster with photo of suicide bomber Zainab Abu-Salem and symbols of Fatah and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, titled: "The 53rd Anniversary of The Inception of the Palestinian Revolution" (Source:  Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 30, 2017)

Poster featuring photo of Dalal Al-Mughrabi. (Source:  Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 30, 2017)

Emphasizing The Armed Struggle Against Israel And Inciting To Violence

In addition, the official Fatah Facebook and Twitter accounts published messages supporting the armed struggle. Thus, for example, on its Twitter account, it posted a tweet with a quote by Yasser Arafat: "Oh fighters, a stronger grip on the rifle's steel will bring victory. The decision is in your hands, and the future and victory belong to you."[3]

"Oh fighters, a stronger grip on the rifle's steel will bring victory. The decision is in your hands and the future and victory belong to you." (Source: Twitter.com/fatehorg, December 28, 2017)

In another tweet, Fatah published a poster of a masked fighter bearing arms, encircled by one of the movement's mottos: "Fatah is the revolution's continuity, and Al-'Asifa [an historic Fatah military wing] is the armed struggle's flame."

"Fatah is the revolution's continuity, and Al-'Asifa is the armed struggle's flame" (Image: Twitter.com/fatehorg, December 30, 2017)

On December 14, 2017, the Fatah Facebook page published a post encouraging the use of arms and quoting the opening line from a song by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praising the perpetrators of the 2001 assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi: "Hold tight to your weapon [despite] your wounds. The morning of your tomorrow will bring freedom."

"Hold tight to your weapon [despite] your wounds. The morning of your tomorrow will bring freedom" (Source:  Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 14, 2017)

On December 16, 2017, the Fatah Facebook page published a post encouraging children to throw rocks, and provided detailed instructions for doing so.

An official Fatah movement post encouraging children to throw rocks and providing them with detailed instructions (Source: Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 16, 2017)

Images related to the second intifada were also published, among them a photo of Marwan Al-Barghouti, currently imprisoned in Israel, who commanded the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and is a Fatah Central Committee member and a leader of the armed struggle.

Imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Al-Barghouti (Source: Facebook.com/officialfateh1965, December 30, 2017)

Fatah Branch's Facebook Page: Inciting Terror Attacks, Denying Recognition Of Israel's Right To Exist

Additional messages inciting to violence were also posted in recent weeks on the Facebook page of the Fatah branch in Al-Doha village, in the Bethlehem area, following President Trump's announcement of recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Thus, for example, on December 18, 2017, the page posted an image of a gunman along with the Fatah movement's emblem, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades insignia, and a map of greater Palestine. The caption states that these borders are "the only red line."[4]

The borders of Greater Palestine, "the only red line" (Source: Facebook.com/Dohafateh, December 18, 2017)

Further, on December 19, 2017, the same Fatah Facebook account published a post about December 15 statements by Fatah deputy chairman Mahmoud Al-'Aloul. The post included Al-'Aloul's statements that "the Oslo [Accord] is over" and that "all means are legitimate in opposing the occupation." It also stated: "The land is not broad enough for two identities: It is either us, or us. We will be the ones who remain; they [the Israelis] are transients."[5]

"The land is not broad enough for two identities: It is either us or us." (Source: Facebook.com/Dohafateh, December 19, 2017)

On December 22, 2017, the same Fatah Facebook account published an image of the bus blown up in Tel Aviv in November 2012, with the caption: "Fatah Was Here."[6]

"Fatah Was Here." (Source: Facebook.com/Dohafateh, December 22, 2017)

A December 22 post on the same Fatah account featured an image of masked gunmen in front of photographs of Yasser Arafat, with the caption: "This cowardly enemy only understands one language: the language of bullets and an eye for an eye. Death to Israel. Death to the Zionist murderers."

"This cowardly enemy only understands one language: the language of bullets" (Source: Facebook.com/Dohafateh, December 22, 2017)

A December 23 post reviewed the movement's struggle in the days since the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, explaining, inter alia, that a "stabbing attack operation in Tel Aviv" and rocket fire from Gaza that it said was carried out by Fatah members are a source of pride for every member of the movement. The post, which states "This post [is addressed to] everyone who takes pride in being a Fatah member,"  read: "A [source] of pride: 1) The person who carried out the stabbing attack operation in Tel Aviv is a Fatah member and currently a prisoner; 2) The rockets from Gaza at the occupied lands were fired by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which belong to the Fatah movement; 3) The six martyrs who fell in the West Bank and Gaza are Fatah members; 4) All the activists arrested by the occupation in Jerusalem are Fatah members and activists; 5) Most of the anti-occupation marches are led by the Fatah movement, with the participation of all members of the Central Committee; 6) Standing behind the international measures, beginning with the convening of the Arab League, followed by [the convening of] the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and concluding with the major victory in the UN Security Council, is the Fatah movement, headed by Chairman Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud 'Abbas]... The martyr Zakaria Al-Kafarna from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza strip, who was martyred yesterday, is a Fatah member as well..."[7]

"This post [addresses] everyone who takes pride in being a Fatah member" (Source: Facebook.com/Dohafateh, December 23, 2017)