Hakol Hayehudi's investigation reveals: one of the largest companies in the economy sponsors a supposed innocent social event, but in fact is a nationalist event that strengthens the "Palestinian" identity among Arab citizens of Israel, and even includes content of support for terrorists.
Get to know the Ramadan market in Tira city near Kfar Saba, which has been held for over a decade. The person leading the event is the deputy mayor of Tira, Adv. Samah Iraqi, a senior member of the Hadash party.
The event is apparently an innocent social event designed to celebrate the Muslim month of Ramadan. Creative booths and activities, singers, plays for children, etc. A holiday fair.
Every year, the event is sponsored by some of the largest companies in the economy: banks, health funds, and large commercial companies, including Tami4 and Strauss, which are currently in the eye of the storm surrounding the boycott of Channel 14 and the reaction of a large customer base that boycotts the company. Also, the municipality of Tira appears as a sponsor and its logo appears on the event announcements.
However, Hakol Hayehudi's investigation reveals the extreme nationalist content of the event, and it is doubtful whether these companies understand what they are sponsoring.
From speeches about deepening the "Palestinian" narrative and strengthening the "Palestinian identity" of the youth in Tira, through dedicating songs to terrorists’ mothers, singing extreme nationalist songs, as well as waving and selling PLO flags.
"Beloved, our people in Tira, we are meeting tonight on the 11th Ramadan Market stage... We are meeting tonight so that the best ending will be a Palestinian night through which we will highlight our narrative," began the host of the event in 2022, an event sponsored by Tami4 and Strauss, Mercantile Bank , Naamat, General Health Insurance Fund, B Shufersal and more. "Oh brothers, this Palestinian night comes in difficult circumstances in which our Palestinian people live, and therefore tonight, through Palestinian songs, a clear voice will be raised against oppression, against coercion and oppression, against the occupation."
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After her, the deputy mayor Iraqi came up to give a speech and declared: "We wanted the best ending to be a first-rate Palestinian night. Yes, for those who stuttered some of the time regarding our deep-rooted affiliation with our Palestinian people, for those who inevitably doubted that we would be deeply integrated with the defense of our people's issues, for those who thought he would abandon the Palestinian issue and put it aside, today at Tira we emphasize that we are a living, active and energetic part of our Palestinian people."
Iraqi added "We send the "Tsumud" blessing (to stand firmly, to be devoted to the ground) and love to our people in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Hebron, Gaza of the "Tsumud", wherever this heroic nation is, to emphasize that the occupation will pass, without a doubt the occupation will pass, the source of all evil."
For those who wonder what Iraqi means by the word occupation, the singer Lema Abu Ghanem came and in a performance of about an hour she sang extreme nationalist songs, including Mutani which became the unofficial anthem of the Palestinian Authority, songs about the Palestinian right of return to the entire country and more. "My homeland, my homeland, the youth will not tire until your independence, or until his death, we will beware of death and will not be slaves to our enemies," she sang to the applause of the crowd.
During the performance, Abu Ghanem stated that she dedicates songs to the mothers of the terrorists. "I am sending this Mawal (a type of recitation in the background of the poetry) to the mother who stands firm, to the mother of Ahmed Manasra and the mothers of the martyrs and the mothers of our heroic prisoners locked up in the prisons of the occupation."
Ahmed Manasra is the terrorist who, at the age of 13, seriously wounded a Jewish boy in a stabbing attack in Pisgat Ze'ev several years ago.
In another song by Samih Alkasem, Abu Ghanem sings "Oh defeated armies of oppressors, know what you know, we are a nation who will never soften in the hell of oppression." She concluded the performance with the words "(I prefer) the stabbing of daggers, and not the rule of evil over me."
The entire event took place as near the stage were PLO flag chains and a stand with PLO flags.
It should be noted that the attorney Samah Iraqi is currently a rising star in the leftist protests against the reform and the government. Last Friday he participated in a demonstration in front of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's home in Kiryat Arba.
He also took part in the left-wing demonstrations in Tel Aviv.
Nationalist speeches he delivered in the Ramadan market not only last year but also this year when he spoke and emphasized the "Palestinian" identity. "While we are celebrating here, my beloved children, remember your Palestinian people in Jerusalem, Nablus, Jenin, Juara, in the refugee camps." This event was sponsored by Bank Hapoalim.
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An association of Iraqi is who actually produces the event - the "Belonging and Giving" association whose goals include "promoting education for the values of democracy, tolerance and coexistence". How does "coexistence" manage with the deepening of Palestinian identity and support for terrorists? It seems that this question should be asked at the registry of associations and the companies sponsoring the event.
Strauss company states that they are not interested in commenting on the matter.
Klalit Health Fund states: "As a health organization, our role is to make information accessible to the community. Our specific participation was at the health promotion stand in the fair area only and we had nothing to do with the show and its contents." It should be noted that the logo of the health fund also appears in the ad that included the performance of the singer Lema Abu Ghanem who dedicated songs to the terrorists’ mothers.
No response has been given so far from the National Bank of Israel, Mercantile Bank, Bank Hapoalim and Shufersal, and we will publish it when received.
The Municipality of Tira responded: "For the past three years, the Municipality of Tira has not appointed the Ramadan Market project due to lack of budgets. The financing of the project is done by civil society and under the auspices of private entities. Had the municipality had budgets to finance cultural activities, it would have been able to monitor the contents and substantially intervene in determining the plan".
However, as mentioned, the speakers at the event thanked the municipality of Tira for the assistance to the event and the symbol of the municipality appears on the ads.
The singer Lema Abu Ghanem said: "In an evening of singing that lasted several hours, you chose to selectively present a few seconds with a clumsy and incorrect translation of the song's lyrics in order to justify your article. We stand behind the mothers and families of prisoners and administrative detainees, these parents were caught in a situation unready for it, that's why we need to stand by their side and strengthen them."
