On November 20, 2017, the Palestinian Authority (PA) daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reported that the Modern University College in Ramallah had held a memorial for "martyred students", attended by Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Muhaisen and the secretary of Fatah's branch in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Muwaffaq Sahwil. Some of these students had been killed while trying to carry out stabbing or car-ramming attacks against Israelis. For example, Ahmad Jahajha was killed by the Israeli Border Guard on December 16, 2015 while attempting to run over several Border Guard officers[1]; 'Ali Al-Kar was killed by IDF fire on March 17, 2016 after stabbing a female soldier[2]; and Muhammad Al-Jallad died of his wounds on February 10, 2017 after he was shot trying to carry out a stabbing at a military checkpoint.[3] It should be noted that the college also posthumously awarded Jahajha and Al-Kar with degrees, in an August 2016 ceremony that was attended by PA Education Minister Sabri Saidam.[4]

Speaking at the memorial, Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Muhaisen underscored "the importance of the Palestinian youth in the struggle," adding that "the General Students Union, founded by leader Yasser Arafat... has played a central role in the Palestinian struggle." Referring to the U.S. intention to close the PLO representation in Washington D.C., he stated that "we shall not relinquish the independent Palestinian decision-making, at any cost," and added: "Despite the difficulties in the path of [our] national cause, the Palestinian flag will continue to fly until [we] attain victory and liberation from the despicable occupation."

The mother of Mahmoud 'Aliyan, a student of the college killed by IDF fire in November 2015 during violent riots, spoke on behalf of the martyrs' families, saying that "the blood of the martyrs watered the soil and caused gardens to flower." She said she was proud to be the mother of a martyr who had sacrificed "his blood and his life for the sake of his homeland and people."

The representative of the Fatah Youth Movement at the college, Hussein 'Ajouli, praised the martyrs, including those who had been students at the college, "who fell defending [our] honor, in order to redeem Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem and Palestine."[5]



Fatah officials at the memorial (image: maannews.net, November 19, 2017)