Seems that not all Palestinians are martyrdom-oriented in their thinking as some folks would like to have us believe:-
straitstimes.asia1.com.sg
SHOOTING DEATHS OF THREE PALESTINIAN BOYS
Prank by teens ends in tragedy
The wisdom of promoting 'martyrdom' is questioned after the boys took it upon themselves to attack an Israeli army camp
BETHLEHEM - Palestinian society has been gripped by a wave of soul-searching after three schoolboys took it upon themselves to attack an Israeli army camp and were shot dead.
Youssef Zakkout, 14, Ismail Abu-Nada, 14, and Anwar Hamdona, 13, classmates from Gaza City, sneaked up to Netzarim, an army camp and Jewish settlement dividing Gaza City from the rest of the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday evening, The Telegraph reported yesterday.
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They were shot dead as soon as they entered the free-fire zone around the camp.
Youssef's father Bassem Zakkout blamed his son's action on the 'massacres' shown on Palestinian and Arab satellite television stations and refused to take any delight in his son's supposed 'martyrdom'.
He said: 'On television, our children see people killed by the Israelis in their homes, and think, better not to die at home.
'I am against all this, especially at his age. We should not destroy this generation. They are the leaders of the future.'
The cult of martyrdom is also sustained by posters plastered in every Palestinian town in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, announcing the deaths of those killed by the Israeli army or in suicide operations.
One was issued after Tuesday's incident but Palestinian factions which usually rush to claim responsibility were too ashamed to put their names to the boys' suicidal prank.
Dr Fadl Abu-Heen, head of Gaza City's Community Training and Crisis Management Centre, said many children wanted to be martyrs.
'Society gives high esteem to martyrs, and children want to share in that. They see that the martyrs' pictures are pasted on walls, their families are honoured and their wakes are like weddings,' he said.
'This is a dangerous mistake for our children and for the future of our society.' |
