The Palestinian Authority released a new book instructing Palestinians to use the term “Martyrdom-seeking operator” instead of “suicide bomber” in hopes of counteracting the “poisoned terms” spread by the Israeli and American media.
The book, titled “Terminology in Media, Culture and Politics,” offers Palestinians a list of replacement words approved by the government.
According to a press release from Palestinian Media Watch, the terms seek to accurately reflect the policies, beliefs and ideologies of the Palestinian Authority. While suggesting euphemisms for Palestinian actions, the book also looks to encourage citizens to avoid language that may recognize Israel’s existence as natural.
“As the Israeli terminology acts to distort the Palestinian national struggle, it turns the essence of the Zionist endeavor from a racist, colonialist endeavor into an endeavor of self-definition and independence for the Jewish People,” the book’s introduction reads.
The book, available to read on the PA’s Ministry of Information website, demonstrates the government’s ideology, apparently refusing to accept that attacks killing Israelis and are acts of terror, as opposed to resistance, the suggested term.
According to the book, the PA encourages Palestinians to use the term “legitimate resistance” as opposed to “violence” and “Israeli Minister of War” instead of “Israeli Minister of Defense.”
“We have collected [the correct terms] in order to publish them here, so that they can be an important addition to our ongoing struggle, since the beginning of the previous century, to chase away the occupation and the establishment of our independent Palestinian state,” the book’s introduction says.