Arafat memorial event on PA TV
Arafat memorial event on PA TVScreenshot

At an event marking nine years since former Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasser Arafat's death, a PA supported foundation hosted a musical performance that was broadcast on PA TV. In it, performers sang a song glorifying martyrdom and vowing violence "no force can stop" on Israel.

In addition to the song, PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah gave a speech at the event, and numerous PA and Fatah officials were in attendance.

The Popular Arts and Military Music group performed "My weapon has emerged" at the event while dressed in military uniforms.

The song features such lines as "there is no force in the world that can remove the weapon from my hand," and "as the weapon of the revolution is in my hand, so my presence will be forced (upon Israel)."

Clips from the performance can be seen here:

The memorial event was organized by the Yasser Arafat Foundation, which according to its website was "established by Presidential decree" in 2007 and receives "governmental support," even while it is run independently.

The organization states is goal is to preserve "the heritage and legacy of the late President Yasser Arafat among the Palestinian, Arab and friendly peoples."

Regarding Arafat's legacy, a Fatah official recently claimed on PA TV that Arafat taught "all liberation movements in the world" that Israel is the "prime enemy...of all nations in the world."

Arafat's memorial comes amid conspiracy theories from the PA that Israel poisoned the late leader. Swiss scientists recently asserted that lab test results "moderately" support the theory that Arafat died of polonium poisoning in 2004.

While PA officials jumped to accuse Israel, the US was also accused by the PA of being involved in the supposed "assassination."

President Shimon Peres rejected the theories, saying it would have been easier for an assassin to simply shoot Arafat.