An innocuous-looking article, tucked away in the sports section of the Palestinian Authority daily newspaper, Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida, 21 January, 2003, contains a shocking disclosure. Although the article itself only describes a new soccer tournament, The Media Line believes that something far more insidious is being described; a recruiting ground for terror groups.
The Abd Al-Majid school in Tulkarm is launching a soccer contest honoring the masterminds and perpetrators of some of the worst terrorist atrocities that have hit Israel in the past two years. The article mentions what appears to be a new organization called the “Council of Policy for Martyrs of Tulkarm” in soccer. The northern West Bank is infamous for producing a disproportionately large number of suicide bombers, mainly among youth. It is well known that terrorist organizations, including Tanzim (associated with Yassir Arafat and responsible for tens of attacks), Islamic Jihad, PFLP and Hamas recruit youth by providing an alternative to the harsh conditions of the West Bank. A soccer tournament fits well into the recruitment patterns; winning confidence and loyalty of youth and then convincing them of the benefits of ‘martyrdom.’ Moreover, this is not the first time that terrorist groups are using soccer teams. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has their own soccer team called “The Struggle Team”, part of “The Youth for Struggle Union” (league).
The list of ‘martyrs’ lauded by this soccer tournament ranges from suicide bombers to leaders of terrorist groups. From an Israeli perspective, one of the most notorious names on this list is Raid Karmi, the Tanzim leader in Tulkarm, who was assassinated by Israel just over a year ago. Israeli intelligence believes he was responsible for 14 serious attacks. Some of these include being the gunman who killed two Tel Aviv restaurateurs in the Tulkarm area last January. He is also believed to have ordered and masterminded the January 17, 2002, al-Aqsa Brigades attack on a bat mitzvah celebration in the Israeli city of Hadera, killing six and wounding several. A second ‘martyr’ honored is Tariq abu Safaqa, who carried out a suicide shooting attack on the Hormesh settlement, killing four in cold blood, including young children. A third example of someone honored is Mahmud Mormesh who killed five in a suicide bombing attack last year.
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It is not entirely clear who is behind the initiative. The military wing of Hamas, ‘Azz al-Din al-Qassam, is certainly involved, as are the Tanzim. The tournament has received backing from a number of important dignitaries from the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm. These dignitaries include the school principal, Jamal ‘Ayat and the President of the sports council.
In a society whose GDP has dropped by 80% in the past two years, putting aside moral qualms, one can see the psychology which draws youth to ‘martyrdom.’ The appeal transcends promised heroism, Jihad, heaven and 70 virgins. Several Muslim states; Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, even the Palestinian Authority, are known to ‘compensate’ families of martyrs with tens of thousands of dollars. Many youth believe that their heroism not only secures their own future in heaven, but also helps their families on earth (who, apparently, also receive the benefits of martyrdom when they die.) For many youth, who have been through ‘training’, ‘martyrdom’ is ultimately moral; assisting one’s family in bad times, doing God’s work and wreaking revenge on an evil enemy.
Official Palestinian television and the Palestinian press incessantly praise and memorialize what they term ‘martyrs’ and vilify Israelis at every turn. Israel argues that the educational system and official Palestinian press are a major driving force in the current conflict. Their intelligence officers argue that not only are children being indoctrinated with hatred in school, but are being supplemented by terrorist groups, which have been given a free hand over the past two years. This soccer tournament could well be part of this process.