Israeli forces demolished several memorials bearing the names of Palestinians killed in the West Bank, in a move described by officials and academics as an attempt to influence Palestinian national consciousness and break the people's will. The demolition operations included memorials inside Birzeit University, the town of Ya'bad, the village of Abu Falah, and the Jalazoun camp during October.
In the same context, Israeli channel "i24 News" reported that the army began a wide-ranging operation to demolish infrastructure, claiming it "incites terrorism," and promised to demolish any new memorials honoring those it described as "armed fighters." Knesset member Tzvi Sukot had previously smashed a memorial in the village of Madama in August, in the presence of Israeli army personnel.
For his part, Wael Abu Yousef, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, confirmed that demolishing "monuments of martyrs" falls within attempts to undermine Palestinian sacrifices. He considered that targeting symbols associated with "martyrs" and prisoners affects what they represent in terms of sacrifices in Palestinian consciousness, linking this to "collective punishment and attempts to impose the reality of occupation on Palestinian land."
Adnan Malham, a history professor at An-Najah National University, added that the Israeli war includes an attempt to influence national consciousness and weaken people's connection to their cause and land. He pointed out that these practices reflect an attempt to change the overall Palestinian landscape, questioning the goal of a full army attacking memorials. He affirmed that Palestinians will not abandon their land or their consciousness despite the pressures.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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