Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as he visits the Istishari Cancer Center in Ramallah, in the West Bank, May 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman

While Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas delivered an address to the UN General Assembly claiming that the PA had “rejected violence and terrorism” and “adopted a culture of peace,” the reality is far different.

Earlier this week, the PA’s official daily continued to glorify the terrorist murderers who killed six people in the attack in Jerusalem three weeks ago. The PA’s official paper called them Palestinian and Islamic heroes.

By saying that every terrorist killed while murdering Israeli civilians has “ascended to the heavens” as a “Martyr,” the PA is telling Palestinians that murdering Israeli civilians is what Allah desires and that as a reward, they have reached the highest spiritual plane possible for a Muslim:

Occupation forces demolished yesterday (Saturday) the house of the Martyr, Muthanna Amr, in the town of Al-Qubeiba, northwest of occupied Jerusalem…

It should be noted that the Martyr, Amr, ascended to the heavens from the occupation’s fire on September 9 [sic., September 8] of this year together with Muhammad Taha in Jerusalem on the pretext that the two carried out a shooting operation. [emphasis added]

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 28, 2025]

Considering that most Palestinians have very strong Islamic beliefs, this sanctification of the murder of Jews by the PA’s official daily represents the greatest promotion of terror. It exposes the falsehood of Abbas’ claim to the UN that the PA “renounced violence and terrorism” and “adopted a culture of peace.”

In spite of Abbas’ speech to the UN, the PA remains a terror-supporting entity.

As explained in the new Palestinian Media Watch report, Roadmap for Palestinian Authority reform – 10 essential and quantifiable steps, the international community must insist that the PA stop extolling killed terrorists as “Martyrs,” and official PA media must stop glorifying terrorism, as one of the 10 essential steps to reform.

Ephraim D. Tepler is a contributor to Palestinian Media Watch (PMW). Itamar Marcus is the Founder and Director of PMW, where a version of this article first appeared.