A host on the Palestinian Authority’s official television channel recently praised a man who attacked and stabbed three Israeli policemen at a police station in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood.

In a remarkable statement, Palestine TV’s Dana Abu Shamsiya said of assailant Abdul Rahman Abu Jamal that he “harvest[s] souls in the battlefield” and was “desired by the black-eyed virgins [of Paradise].”

On November 14 Abu Jamal arrived at the entrance to the police station, attacked and lightly injured three officers. During the scuffle a fourth officer was lightly hurt by shrapnel as others shot at the attacker.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Abu Jamal was shot and seriously injured. He died several days later at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

On November 23 host Abu Shamsiya said on air, in comments translated Thursday by the Middle East Media Research Institute: “We say about the Palestinian martyr from Jerusalem Abdul Rahman Abu Jamal: ‘I am a Palestinian lion cub, planted in my land like the olive and fig trees. I have solid roots that go back to the Canaanites. The blood of the martyrs flows through my veins. I am like a lion in the battlefield.”

PA TV Host Dana Abu Shamsiya Praises Palestinian Who Stabbed Israeli Policemen: He Harvests Souls on the Battlefield and Is Desired by the Virgins of Paradise pic.twitter.com/9SI7Fsrr45 — MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) December 6, 2018

“‘When the drums of war are beaten, I harvest souls in the battlefield. I am the guard of the Al-Aqsa [Mosque] and of the [Dome of the] Rock. I never close my eyes or bow my head. I am a Palestinian lion cub and I am feared by the armies of betrayal. I am desired by the black-eyed virgins [of Paradise]. I have not sold out my country, nor have I surrendered my machine gun. Today, I carry my shrouds as the faith grows stronger in my heart that victory and liberation shall come at the hands of the lion cubs.'”

Israeli leaders have spoken out repeatedly about the threat of incitement in Palestinian media, while Palestinian television programs are cited in Shin Bet interrogations of terrorists as sources of inspiration.

While Fatah party leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has routinely denounced violence, his party’s Facebook page has published dozens of posts that glorify violence against Israelis.

Jacob Magid contributed to this report.