Ministry for Diaspora Affairs | October 2024

Chapter 5

Antisemitism and Indoctrination Promoting the Destruction of Israel in Higher Education in the Palestinian Authority

The Fatah student cell regularly holds military parades on university grounds in Judea and Samaria. The parades include students simulating suicide bombers while glorifying the figures of past suicide bombers. 72 For example, in a parade held on January 4, 2023, at Birzeit University, masked individuals in military uniforms participated while waving pictures of convicted terrorists. 73 On a day marking the death of Yasser Arafat, armed activists appeared in the parade. 74 In 2021, the university held a basketball tournament in honor of senior Fatah member Marwan Barghouti, aimed at “honoring the fighter Marwan Barghouti, one of the leaders of the student movement at Birzeit University.” 75

From the Military Parade of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine at Birzeit (December 2021) Universities as a Place for Recruiting Terrorists 14 In recent years, the planned attacks of several terrorist cells - whose organization took place within the universities - have been thwarted. The fact that Palestinian universities are a breeding ground for terrorists is a direct result of the incitement and free activity of student cells affiliated with terrorist organizations . 15 In recent years, several attempted attacks planned within the walls of universities in the Judea and Samaria regions have recently been stopped 79 For instance, on September 24, 2023, an eight-member cell of Hamas-affiliated students was arrested on the campus of Birzeit University. They had weapons intended for terrorist attacks against Israeli facilities. 80 The cell was recruited and directed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and its members were arrested on the university campus. According to the Israel Security Agency, Birzeit University is a fertile ground for recruiting operatives for terrorist organizations due to the university administration’s policy, which, under the guise of freedom of expression, allows the promotion of hate speech and support for terrorist attacks. Young men and women are also recruited for such activities. 81 Similarly, terrorist cells were also arrested at An-Najah 82 and Al-Quds universities— the cellshad planned suicide attacks in Israel and facilitated transferring funds to terrorism. 83

Carrying Pictures of Terrorists, Including Dalal Mughrabi, During a Fatah Student Cell Parade in Hebron (2023) 76 13 Similarly, the student cell of the recognized terrorist organization “Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine” (PFLP) held processions in which the organization’s senior terrorists of the past were glorified, and masked activists carried explosive belts. A military parade to mark 55 years since the founding of the PFLP was held on the campus of Birzeit University in Ramallah on 13/12/2022, with masked activists carrying fake rockets and explosive belts. 77 A similar event took place the previous year, during which PFLP student activists saluted with the Nazi salute. 78

72 https://tinyurl.com/4p76ywwy https://www.memri.org.il/cgi-webaxy/item?4612 73 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg9d6p0Domw 74 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEu3Xe1cR7I 75 PMW 76 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fdZlIFOBrE 77 https://tinyurl.com/3s6e8pya 78 https://tinyurl.com/ytrtyedu 79 https://tinyurl.com/76w6hd88 https://tinyurl.com/76w6hd88 80 https://tinyurl.com/76w6hd88 81 https://www.shabak.gov.il/reports/publications/%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%9C/ 82 https://did.li/rdGTY 83 https://www.shabak.gov.il/reports/publications/newitem231215/

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