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Ad for the TV series ‘Ayyash (Hamas website)
Nine years after Israel assassinated one of the deadliest terrorists ever confronted, the Lebanon-based satellite TV channel Al-Manar has launched a 12-part Syrian production called ‘Ayyash, about the life and work of Yahya ‘Ayyash.
‘Ayyash was a senior member of the Hamas terror organization and the group’s chief bomb-builder. He remains a highly regarded and respected symbol of the Palestinian struggle, but Israelis mainly remember him as a mass murderer. His assassination is still remembered as one of the Israeli security establishment’s greatest achievements.
Yahya ‘Ayyash was born in 1966 to a religious Muslim family near Nablus. He graduated from the department of electronic engineering at Ramallah’s Birzeit University, where he also discovered a passion for chemistry.
It was during the 1987 Palestinian uprising, also referred to as the first intifada, that ‘Ayyash contacted the ‘Azz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. He is credited with introducing bombs to Palestinian terror organizations and he soon became the chief bomb-maker for Hamas. ‘Ayyash is thought to have been the mastermind behind many deadly terror attacks, killing at least 76 Israelis, most of them civilians, and injuring around 400.
‘Ayyash, also known as Abu Al-Bara, was soon given the nickname ‘Al-Muhandis’ (The Engineer), and topped the list of Israel’s most wanted terrorists.
He was assassinated on January 5, 1996, when an agent planted 50 grams (1.7 ounces) of explosives in a cell phone which went off as ‘Ayyash answered it.
‘Ayyash’s death dealt a painful blow to Hamas, but nearly a decade later, his spirit lives on.
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Pictures of Yahya ‘Ayyash appear on Al-Qa’ida websites
Al-Manar (‘The Beacon’), the mouthpiece of the Lebanese Shi’ite terror organization Hizbullah, was the natural choice of media outlet to broadcast the series. The channel has been criticized in the past for its hateful content against Israel and the United States. Criticism was heightened in November 2003 when the channel broadcast a series called Diaspora (A-Shatat). The show claimed to accurately depict modern Zionism, but was blatantly anti-Semitic in content.
The public outcry over A-Shatat set off a chain reaction which resulted in both the United States and France banning transmissions of Al-Manar through local satellites.
The station’s viewership clearly diminished after the ban came into effect, but Al-Manar still remains an influential channel in the Middle East. Call-in programs host viewers from throughout the Middle East and North Africa, an indication of Al-Manar’s vast reach.
‘Ayyash began airing in April at 19:30 every evening (Lebanon time). The program glorifies Yahya ‘Ayyash and his partners in their deadly attacks against Israel.
While the show presents Palestinians as the victims, Israeli soldiers are depicted as ruthless rogues whose behavior is reminiscent of that of Nazis. One scene shows soldiers standing behind a row of Palestinians who are blindfolded and crouched on the ground. The soldiers are pointing gun barrels at their heads.
The series also features characters in the Israeli establishment, including the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who, like his other “Israeli” peers in the show, speaks Hebrew with a heavy Arabic accent. Any scenes showing Israelis are accompanied by sinister music. A menorah (a Judaic candelabra) is always placed in the frame, to remind viewers that these are Jews.
The makers of the program present ‘Ayyash not as an arch terrorist but as a role model and an admired figure.
In one scene, ‘Ayyash urges his companions not to harm any Israeli children in an ‘operation.’ “Never forget,” he says, “we are superior to our enemy in our moral standards.”
Al-Manar is not the only vehicle to praise Yahya ‘Ayyash. Hamas is publicizing a book about his life on its website. The book, entitled, The Engineer – The Martyr Yahya ‘Ayyash, a Symbol of Jihad and Leader of the Resistance in Palestine, is posted in its entirety on the website.
The book’s introduction takes pride in the fact that ‘Ayyash built the first car bomb with his own hands, to encourage the Palestinian people to embark on a “comprehensive resistance against the occupation.” He is referred to as a Palestinian legend, who rekindled hope in the hearts of Palestinians and invigorated the holy war against Israel.
The last episode of ‘Ayyash shows his demise and includes real footage from his massive funeral.
The actress who plays his wife narrates: “You’re not dead, you’re alive in our hearts…we take pride in you and praise you.”
Pictures of Palestinians burning Israeli flags are shown while the narrator talks of an arch enemy of ‘Ayyash, Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated just two months before ‘Ayyash’s death.
“Rabin hoped to see Yahya dead but Allah frustrated his hopes,” ‘Ayyash’s ‘wife’ says. “I’ll never forget what Rabin’s wife said after Yahya became a martyr. She said that if Rabin were alive he’d be happy that Yahya was dead. I responded to her that he will never be happy. Your husband is in hell while my husband is in eternal heaven.”