One of the most celebrated heroes in the Palestinian Authority (PA) is Abu Jihad (literally, the father of the holy war), who organized attacks in which at least 125 Israelis were murdered. Therefore it comes as no surprise that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated a university building named after him.

Abu Jihad, whose true name was Khalil Al-Wazir, was the founder of Fatah, second in command to archterrorist Yasser Arafat, and the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization terror organization that plagued not only Israel but the wider Middle East.

During his terror reign through the 60s and into the 80s, 125 Israelis were murdered, mainly civilians.

Abu Jihad was the mastermind behind the Munich Olympic Games massacre that killed eleven of the finest Israeli athletes in 1972. Incidentally, Mahmoud Abbas was the moneyman behind this very public terror attack. His role was to dispense funds to cover the cost of the operation. Abbas has been rewarding PA terrorism ever since.

Recently, Abbas unveiled a monument with the words: "In the name of all-merciful Allah, His Honor [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas President of the State of Palestine inaugurated the Martyr Khalil Al-Wazir 'Abu Jihad' Faculty for Administration and Military Sciences at the Al-Istiqlal University Campus, on Saturday, May 4, 2019."

The PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida the next day wrote: "[PA] President Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated several buildings and facilities yesterday at Al-Istiqlal University (i.e., PA Security Forces university) in the Jericho and [Jordan] Valley district. He inaugurated the Martyr Khalil Al-Wazir 'Abu Jihad' Faculty Building for Administration and Military Sciences... and the Martyr Atef Bseiso Sports Center (Atef Bseiso was a senior PLO official involved in the Munich Olympics massacre, 11 murdered -Ed.)."

In addition, the PA National Security Forces hosted the "Martyr Khalil Al-Wazir Abu Jihad Tournament Chess Tournament," supported by the "Palestinian National Liberation Movement 'Fatah' of the Jenin Area."

At a festival in honor of arch-terrorist Abu Jihad organized by the Student Union Council at the Al-Quds Open University Abbas' deputy in Fatah Mahmoud Al-Aloul praised Abu Jihad as "a very important value in this Palestinian people's conscience":

On the PA's TV channel, Fatah Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul said: "This leader [Khalil Al-Wazir Abu Jihad] whom everyone loved is a very important value in this Palestinian people's conscience. He had an incredible amount of qualities that prepared him to be a leader on this path... For this generation to completely understand and know about its martyrs and the founders of this revolutionary path and the significance, they should study the values of these leaders who led and died as martyrs. They should study their values, so that they will help them in completing this path."

Regular columnist for Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Omar Hilmi Al-Ghoul, praised the arch-terrorist's skills and determination in his column:

"Abu Jihad - the simple, modest, and shy personality - was like a gunpowder keg and an endless and self-renewing motion, constantly seeking to increase the national achievements. His personality represented two contrasts, as he was a polite man with good traits, peaceable, and non-violent, but he was decisive in his activity to scorch the enemy's consciousness. He paid no heed to any difficulties or complications when the time came to settle accounts and confront the enemies because he wanted to help his national cause, and he succeeded in reaching the Israeli enemy's forces during the ongoing path of struggle with all of the operations (i.e., terror attacks) that he led, aside from a number of isolated unusual operations. Khalil Al-Wazir was not sparing in any operation that he supervised, and did not stop to think much about the resources and lives that the struggle activity would require and demand of him."

On the anniversary of Abu Jihad's death, Al-Aloul wrote in his column that it had been a shock when Abu Jihad died and that he had "created hope":

"The passing of this great commander was a shock for everyone who experienced it and also for the entire Palestinian people, the Arab nation, the freedom movements in the world, and the peoples that are striving for freedom. Abu Jihad created hope, and not one bit of despair ever entered his heart for even a moment."

"Palestinian Media Watch" has documented that the PA has turned Abu Jihad into a role model for society, especially for kids. In April, the PA's educational department inaugurated a wall painting of Abu Jihad in a school for boys named after the terrorist.

Responding to PMW's exposure of the terror glorification, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt tweeted, "Despicable glorification of violence and terrorism displayed at a Palestinian school w/ a painting of Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir). Palestinian students deserve to learn about respectable accomplishments of their community not this."

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida quoted the PA's foreign affairs department defense of the organization's decision, claiming that, "Accusing the Palestinians of teaching 'terror' due to the hanging of a picture of martyr, commander, and symbol Abu Jihad is ridiculous and expresses the extent of the American bias and its uselessness. It also again proves that the US has adopted the occupation's positions that deny the Palestinian people's legal national rights that are anchored in the UN Charter, and primarily the right to self-definition and its legal and just struggle for freedom and independence, the national struggle of which Abu Jihad was one of its symbols (sic., the UN Charter prohibits targeting civilians even in war, and calls to resolve international disputes 'by peaceful means')."

Fatah's Munir Al-Jaghoub, meanwhile, posted on Facebook a response written in English to Greenblatt's criticism, expressing "pride" in Abu Jihad as a "great leader":

"Our response: We advise Mr. Greenblatt to take care of the scandals that are chasing the reckless administration of his boss instead of putting his nose in the affairs of our Palestinian people. He must realize that the first interest of our people is to end the occupation and colonization of our homeland and to express our pride in the sacrifices of the fighters of our people and their great leaders such as the martyr Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad)."

Another regular columnist for Al-Hayat Al-Jadida attacked Greenblatt while singing Abu Jihad's praise as "one of the greatest symbols" who is "present among us like a light that is not extinguished":

"Abu Jihad - Khalil Al-Wazir is the Prince of Martyrs and one of the greatest symbols of our people and our modern revolution. In the entire world - throughout the entire last century - there is no one from among those who have made the symbol of victory with their fingers who does not known him, who does not honor him, and who does not revere his role. He is the First Bullet and the First Stone. He is one of the symbols of our people and our nation. He is part of the heritage of identity and the heritage of Islamic and Christian faith. He is present among us like a light that is not extinguished and as one of the most prominent Martyrs, and he is hidden in the heart of the Quran: 'And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision' ."

Columnist Yahya Rabah then attacked Greenblatt:

"This Zionized American, from among the young people of Trump's administration - does he understand these meanings? Or is he programmed in accordance with the awareness of his president, Trump? And did Jason Greenblatt expect that we would hang his picture on our schools, and that we would celebrate the anniversary of his stupidity in our cities, villages, and refugee camps?"

The leadership of Fatah's Shabiba Youth Movement in Judea and Samaria also stood up for the painting of Abu Jihad, and praised "the eternal Martyr and symbol Abu Jihad":

"The leadership of Fatah's Shabiba [Youth] Movement....published a statement... [noting] that Greenblatt and his rotten administration should be ashamed and be silent instead of attacking leaders who have sacrificed their lives for our people's freedom, for a world that enjoys freedom, for social justice, and for the peoples' right to self-determination, and prime among them eternal Martyr and symbol Khalil Al-Wazir 'Abu Jihad.' Abu Jihad spent his life as a fighter, revolutionary, national and global leader, and one of the symbols of the national liberation movement in Palestine and the entire world. He set out full of awareness, justice, and affiliation against Zionism, imperialism, and the injustice that has afflicted our people from the [time of the] Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration) until today."

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 25, 2019]

Head of the Committee of International Relations of Fatah's Shabiba in Palestine Raed Al-Dab'i called Greenblatt's criticism of the Abu Jihad wall painting a "racist, extremist, Zionist, and hostile attack against a national symbol as great as Khalil Al-Wazir" and said it "only emphasizes the greatness of this leader and his strong presence in the hearts, minds, and souls of the Palestinians, the Arabs, and the free people throughout the world." Al-Dab'i emphasized that "the picture, life stories, struggle, and path of Martyr commander Abu Jihad and all of the Martyrs of our people are instilled in the hearts, minds, and memory and will not be erased by the abominations said by Greenblatt or any of the other senior officials of Trump's racist administration, which today constitutes a danger to the security and stability of the entire world." [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 25, 2019]

Following the criticism, Palestinian activists painted another wall painting of the arch-terrorist outside the Aida refugee camp in the Bethlehem district. Head of the Supreme Coordinating Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall Mundhir Umaira said: "This wall painting bears a message that emphasizes that the Palestinian people is proud of its Martyrs and supports them, and prime among them Prince of Martyrs Khalil Al-Wazir." [Al-Ayyam, April 28, 2019]