Israel praised Norway on Sunday after its government ordered the Palestinian Authority to return funds it allocated for a Youth Center for Women that Oslo didn’t realize was named after Dalal Mughrabi, the lead terrorist in the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre.
The attack was carried out by a group of terrorists led by Mughrabi who hijacked a bus and slaughtered 37 Israeli and other civilians, including 12 children.
“Norway has done the right thing,” said a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Standing strongly against the positive commemoration of terrorists is an essential part of the international effort to eradicate terrorism.
“Israel suggests that all members of the international community check where money invested in the Palestinian Authority ends up, and expects all other partners in this project to follow Norway’s example.”
A sign on the building includes logos on the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Local Government, UN Women and the Norwegian Representative Office to the PA, which Norway’s government has ordered removed.
The United Nations Women’s organization has not made any move to revoke its funding or participation in the project, but the reason may be due in part to its actual enmeshment with the Palestinian Authority.
The NGO Monitor watchdog organization has documented that UN Women is listed on the website of WTAC – the Palestinian Authority NGO, “Women’s Technical Affairs Committee – as a “partner” and a donor of WTAC.
The Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) watchdog organization translated coverage by the Ma’an news agency from May 15, in which the Shechem-area Burqa village council member Re’em Hajje said the center will focus “especially on the history of the struggle of Martyr Dalal Mughrabi and on presenting it to the youth groups, and that it constitutes the beginning of the launch of enrichment activities regarding the history of the Palestinian struggle.”
According to PMW, the Palestinian Authority has named three schools after Dalad Mughrabi. PA leader Mahmoud Abbas has personally named a computer center for her, and held a birthday celebration for her as well.