Creating heroes and role models plays an important socialization function in every society. Palestinian Media Watch has documented the Palestinian Authority (PA) policy of turning terrorist-murderers into heroes and role models for adults and children.

A particularly important Palestinian Authority heroine is Wafa Idris, who in January 2002 became the first Palestinian woman suicide terrorist. Although the PA issued condemnations in English at the time of the bombing, it has since turned Idris into a valued heroine in Palestinian society. The Union of Palestinian Women presented Idris' murderous act as a role model for Palestinian feminism, a parade for young girls was held in her honor, summer camps for children, university courses, and Fatah programs have been named for her, and a concert honoring Idris has been broadcast numerous times on PA TV.

This week yet another PA program was named in her honor, the "Shahida (Martyr for Allah) Wafa Idris course for Fatah women cadres." The following is a partial listing of these events starting with the most recent example:

"The Public Action Commission in the Political and National Guidance Section of the General Security Forces held a graduation ceremony for the 'Shahida Wafa Idris course', for training Fatah women cadres, organized by the Commission in cooperation with the General Union of Women and the Public Relations Department in the Jenin District.

"The graduation ceremony for the course of 46 women, was organized in the District's hall, in the presence of Abd Al-Razeq Abu Al-Hayjaa, the Deputy Governor, Mahdi al-Ahmad, the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior in the district, Ata Abu Armila, Secretary of the Fatah movement in the area and Hasan al-Aaraj, from the Administration of the Interior...

"The Ceremony ended with the distribution of diplomas to the female graduates, and diplomas and awards of appreciation to the mothers of the Shahids (Martyrs for Allah)." [Al Ayyam, July 4, 2005]

University courses

"The Shabiba student movement, 'the Shahida Wafa Idris cell' in the Al-Quds Open University, celebrated the completion of a course in democracy and human rights." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, August 11, 2002]

Summer camps

"Yesterday, activities ended in the camp named after the Shahida Wafa Idris, for girls in the city of Kalkiliya. The camp was founded by the Scout general administration in the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The camp was under the supervision of the Scouts in the Kalkiliya Administration and about 100 girls from the organizing committee of the city's Scouts participated. [At the closing ceremony, gratitude was expressed] to UNICEF for its support of the camps." [Al-Ayyam, July 18, 2003]

PMW note: After this PMW report was brought to the UN's attention, the UN ensured that summer camps it funded in 2004 were not named for terrorists...