Sheikh promotes martyrdom to kids at Aksa summer camp, video shows
Arab passerby condemns teacher’s incitement in capital’s Old City
Following Arab rioting and continued unrest on the Temple Mount, an inflammatory video emerged online Tuesday of more than two dozen Muslim children being indoctrinated about violent martyrdom by a sheikh running the so-called al-Aksa Mosque Summer Camp.
In the four-minute video – taken near the Temple Mount on Monday, and published online by the Middle East Media Research Institute – Sheikh Khaled al-Maghrabi tells the group of boys and girls that, “The martyr is absolved with the first drop of his blood,” while heavily armed Border Police officers casually look on and do not intervene.
The sheikh goes on to state that, after being killed, martyrs go on to marry “two virgins in paradise” and can “vouch for 70 family members on Judgment Day.”
He then emphasizes that Muslims who protect al-Aksa Mosque and sleep in it for 30 days are awarded 70 virgins, although the children, many of whom appear under the age of 10, appear confused or disinterested.
“It’s better than fasting all the time,” Maghrabi continues. “That is why the reward from Allah is so great.”
Approximately two minutes into the video, as the sheikh states that being killed protecting the mosque is the greatest honor of all, and the children begin chanting “Allahu Akbar,” an unidentified Arab man approaches Maghrabi to condemn his rhetoric.
“Listen, sheikh, they do not understand what you are saying,” the man says. “They are children. You are talking to them about ribat, martyrdom, and the virgins of paradise – shame on you. You can teach these lessons to adults like us, not to them.”
When the children go on to chant: “We shall sacrifice our souls and our blood for you al-Aksa!” the man points to them in disgust.
“Look at these children, look at what you are planting in their minds.”
Maghrabi replies, “May Allah reward you,” before the man repeats “Shame on you!,” and walks away.
The video goes on to show the children aggressively warning Jews that, “the Army of Muhammad will return,” “there is no God but Allah,” and “the martyr is beloved by Allah.”
After receiving a link to the footage from The Jerusalem Post, and asked why the Border Police officers did not intervene, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the video is being reviewed, but did not provide further comment.