UN pulls support for Palestinian cultural centre, named after terrorist
United Nations rebuke after PA decision to name women's centre in the West Bank after bus-hijacker, who helped kill 38 people in 1978
The United Nations has pulled its support for a Palestinian women’s centre after a decision to name it after a terrorist, with Norway asking for its donor money back.
The rebuke follows a Palestinian Authority decision to name the new cultural centre in the West Bank after Dalal Mughrabi, who in 1978 was one of 13 Palestinians to hijack a Tel Aviv bus, killing 38 people – many children.
She and eight other militants were killed during the course of the hijacking, and she has since been praised as a “martyr” by Palestinian leaders, with public squares, summer camps and even football tournaments named after her.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said this week that the UN withdrew its support “once it learned the offensive name chosen for it” and promised to “take measures to ensure that such incidents do not take place in the future”.
He added: “The glorification of terrorism, or the perpetrators of heinous terrorist acts, is unacceptable under any circumstances. The UN has repeatedly called for an end to incitement to violence and hatred as they present one of the obstacles to peace.”
Norway’s foreign minister had earlier demanded money donated to build the centre be returned, saying: “The glorification of terrorist attacks is completely unacceptable, and I deplore this decision in the strongest possible terms.”
He added: “Norway will not allow itself to be associated with institutions that take the names of terrorists in this way. We will not accept the use of Norwegian aid funding for such purposes.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
