PALESTINIAN GOVT. MOURNS DEATH OF MP UM NIDAL

Gaza, 7 Jumadil Ula 1434/18 March 2013 (MINA) – The Palestinian government announced the death of the Palestinian MP Mariam Farahat, of 62 years old, who passed away on Sunday dawn after a prolonged struggle with her disease.

Alray Agency had a copy of the government statement which said “with our hearts full of pain and sorrow, we mourn the death of Um Nidal Farahat, after a lifetime of struggle and sacrifices for Palestine’s sake”

“Farahat was a legend symbol of national sacrifice; we pray to Allah Almighty to have mercy upon her and rest her soul in peace; may Allah inspire her family and loved ones patience and fortitude,” according to Alray.ps and Qassam.ps reports monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

The medical sources had noted to the deterioration of the health of Farhat last night, and said that hundreds of citizens and supporters of Hamas and its leaders, led by Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, and Vice President of the Legislative Council Ahmed Bahar, and a leading figure Mahmoud al-Zahar and others, gathered in Al Shifa Hospital.

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The correspondent pointed out that Umm Nidal has returned yesterday from Egypt after a long medical trip, where doctors confirmed her affliction with severe cirrhosis of the liver, and inflammatory bowel disease.

The MP in the Palestinian Legislative Council, Miriam Farahat, popularly known as Umm Nidal, died at dawn on Sunday (17/3), hours after entering the intensive care unit at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Ashraf Al Qedra, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, confirmed the death of Umm Nidal in a brief statement on his “Face book” page.

Our correspondent in Gaza City said that Farahat will be buried along with her three martyr sons in Al Shuhadaa (The Martyrs) eastern cemetery.

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On Sunday afternoon, vast masses of Gazans followed the funeral procession of the deceased “Umm Nidal” to grave.

MPs and ministers, led by PM, Ismail Hanyyia, in addition to Hamas and other factions leaders have participated in paying the last honors to the Palestinian MP Um Nidal Farahat.

Khansa of Palestine

Farhat was born in Shijaia neighborhood in Gaza City in 1949, and became a deputy in the Legislative Council for Hamas in the legislative elections that took place in 2006, and she is one of the prominent feminist leaders in Palestine.

Umm Nidal Farahat became known as “Khansa of Palestine”, because of her great sacrifices during Al-Aqsa Intifada and before that, where her house was home to many prominent leaders of Al-Qassam especially Emad Akel, who was assassinated in her home in 1993 after a violent armed clash with the Israeli occupation forces.

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The three martyrs of Um Nidal Farahat also qualified her as “Al-Khansa of Palestine”, an honorary characterization for those women sacrificing their children for the sake of Homeland.

Um Nidal Faraht is a mother of one ex-detainee and three martyrs: Nidal, the oldest, was killed on April 6th, 2003 in an Israeli air attack; Mohammed was killed on March 8th, 2002 during an encounter with an Israeli force at Kerem Atzmona outpost removed with the Israeli pullout from Gaza in 2005.

Rawad, her third son in age, followed his brothers to peace as an Israeli apache targeted him on September 24th, 2005; Wesam, after 11 years in prison, was released in September 2005. (T/P02/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)