Text on pictured poster reads: "The Fatah Movement... eulogizes with great pride the heroic Shahida Wafa Idris." [Al-Ayyam, February 1, 2002]

Idris became the PA’s first female suicide terrorist in January 2002. She blew herself up in downtown Jerusalem killing an elderly Jewish man and wounding many others. At the time, the Union of Palestinian Women presented Idris as a role model for Arab feminists.

Since then, the PA has organized a parade for young girls in her honor and named summer camps for children, university courses, and Fatah programs after her. A concert honoring Idris was rebroadcast several times on PA TV.

Most recently, last week, a new PA initiative was launched bearing the female murderer’s name. A course, called the "Shahida (Martyr for Allah) Wafa Idris Course for Fatah Women Cadres,” aimed at educating Arab women to follow in Idris’ footsteps.

Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reports that it was announced by the PA that the “Public Action Commission, in the Political and National Guidance Section, of the General Security Forces” held a graduation ceremony for the Wafa Idris course. It was organized by the Commission in cooperation with the General Union of Women and the Public Relations Department in the Jenin District.

It was reported in the Al-Ayam PA daily on July 4th that, "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 for 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 Shahids (Martyrs for Allah)."

The Al-Quds Open University also runs a course in “democracy and human rights” named for Idris.

In 2003, a summer camp for girls in Kalkilya was named after Idris. The camp was funded by UNICEF.

A concert in honor of Idris has been aired repeatedly on PA TV. The following are lyrics sung in honor of Idris at the concert:
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My sister Wafa, My sister Wafa
Oh the heartbeat of pride
Oh blossom who was on the Earth and is now in heaven
Oh blossom who was on the Earth and is now in heaven
My sister, Wafa
Allah Akbar! Oh Palestine of the Arabs
Allah Akbar, Oh Wafa!
But you chose Shahada
In death you have brought life to our will
But you chose Shahada
In death you have brought life to our will
[originally aired on PATV, July 24, 2003]

Marches for young girls were organized by the PA and the Fatah movement, whose head, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) currently serves as the chairman of the PA.


The text on the poster (pictured above) reads: "The Fatah Movement... eulogizes with great pride the heroic Shahida Wafa Idris."

Material for article originally released by PMW