PA TV interviewed Muhammed Daoud, who brutally murdered Ofra Moses and her five-year-old son Tal.
By Rachel Avraham
A recent broadcast on Palestinian Authority television has reignited a wave of controversy and outrage after it interviewed despicable terrorist Muhammad Daoud, who brutally murdered Ofra Moses and her five-year-old son, Tal. According to Palestinian Media Watch, “In 1987, Daoud threw a Molotov cocktail at Ofra’s car, setting it ablaze and burning her alive in front of her entire family as they also suffered severe burns. Ofra’s son succumbed to those wounds 90 days later as well.”
Palestinian Media Watch has previously exposed how the PA portrayed Daoud on its official television channel as being “kidnapped” by Israel and as someone from whom Palestinians “draw faith in certain victory.” He was also featured as a “giant of Palestinian history.”
According to Palestinian Media Watch, “The PA does not just stop at publicly glorifying Daoud. It has also made him a millionaire, rewarding him as much as 2,244,200 NIS as part of its Pay-for-Slay program. Through the offer of fame and fortune, the Palestinian Authority thus continues to make the murder of Israelis a great deal.”
The recent decision by Palestinian Authority (PA) television to feature the perpetrator in a commemorative broadcast has drawn heavy criticism from Israel and abroad. The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the segment “an appalling glorification of terror,” adding that “honoring murderers undermines any prospect for peace.” Analysts at Palestinian Media Watch, an organization that monitors PA media output, noted that the segment is part of a broader pattern in which individuals convicted of violence against civilians are portrayed as heroes or victims of occupation.
In Ramallah, PA officials offered no formal apology but claimed that the segment was intended to highlight the “suffering of prisoners in Israeli jails.” A spokesperson later insisted that “the broadcast does not condone violence” but rather “expresses solidarity with all Palestinian detainees.” However, critics argue that this justification blurs moral boundaries and perpetuates a culture of incitement. “The issue is not about solidarity,” said one European diplomat based in Jerusalem. “It is about moral clarity. When a government-run channel venerates someone responsible for the death of a baby, it sends a devastating message — especially to the young generation watching.”
The controversy comes at a sensitive moment in regional politics. Efforts by Western diplomats to encourage renewed dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have stalled amid growing distrust. Observers warn that such broadcasts risk undermining moderate voices within Palestinian society and fueling the perception that violence remains socially rewarded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the broadcast, calling it “a stain on the conscience of anyone who seeks peace.”
In Europe, several human rights groups expressed concern about the PA’s continued financial and symbolic support for individuals convicted of terrorism. A spokesperson for the European Union’s External Action Service said that while the EU continues to support humanitarian aid to Palestinians, it “expects all partners to uphold the principle of non-incitement.” Calls have been made for greater transparency in the use of international funds, some of which critics claim indirectly sustain institutions that glorify perpetrators of violence.
The international community now faces renewed calls to pressure the Palestinian Authority to curb such state-sponsored glorifications. Observers say that lasting peace requires not only political agreements but also a cultural shift — one that rejects violence as a source of honor. The Brussels-based NGO Alliance for Peace and Justice urged Western governments to make media reform a condition of continued financial support to the PA, noting that “every tribute broadcast in this way deepens mistrust and distances the dream of coexistence.”
Photo from Palestinian Media Watch: https://palwatch.org/page/41614
