Only a few days after Hamas’ upset victory in the Palestinian legislative election, there are already voices in the South African media calling for Israel to engage with this new ‘peace’ partner. John Robbie of 702 said on Friday morning that he believed that the Hamas victory was a step forward for peace. Barry Ronge, after giving Steven Spielberg’s new movie Munich a terrific ten, waxed lyrically about how Israel should learn from the movie that violence is not the answer and engage with Hamas. And even Michael Bagraim of the SAJBD naively called on Hamas to put down the sword and embrace the olive branch.
So I have decided to introduce our readers to the Israel’s new ‘peace’ partners. Rather than me explaining what Hamas stands for, I have decided to let them put forward their position in their own words. See what you think.
Let’s begin by asking whether, as so many Middle East ‘experts’ have predicted, Hamas will moderate its positions.
Ismail Haniyah, Hamas leader, at an election rally in Gaza, January 20, 2006 (Reuters) explained
| "They have tried to pressure Hamas to abandon resistance and to abandon arms. They tried to pressure Hamas to abandon its strategic choice in Palestine, all of Palestine. They tried to pressure Hamas to recognize the legitimacy of the occupation. But they failed… We say Hamas will not change its constant principles. The constants and the strategy of Hamas do not change according to circumstances. Hamas will stay faithful to jihad, to resistance, to guns, to Palestine and to Jerusalem." |
So what are these constant principles that Ismail Haniyah refers to? The Hamas charter provides some clarity. What is Hamas’s potion towards Jews? Article 22 gives some indication.
| ‘with their money, they (Jews) took control of the world media, news agencies, the press, publishing houses, broadcasting stations, and others. With their money they stirred revolutions in various parts of the world with the purpose of achieving their interests and reaping the fruit therein. They were behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests. With their money they were able to control imperialistic countries and instigate them to colonize many countries in order to enable them to exploit their resources and spread corruption there. You may speak as much as you want about regional and world wars. They were behind World War I, when they were able to destroy the Islamic Caliphate, making financial gains and controlling resources. They obtained the Balfour Declaration, formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world. They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains by trading in armaments, and paved the way for the establishment of their state. It was they who instigated the replacement of the League of Nations with the United Nations and the Security Council to enable them to rule the world through them. There is no war going on anywhere, without having their finger in it. |
In spite of this deep resentment towards Jews, perhaps Hamas take a pragmatic view to their conflict with the Jewish State. Does Hamas support a 2 state solution? Article 11 explains...
| ‘the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that.’ |
Well alright so they want the whole of Israel, but maybe they will try to achieve this goal peacefully. What is Hamas’ position on violence? Article 13 answers that one.
| ‘There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.’ |
And once they conquer all of Israel will the Jews that survive be allowed to live together with Mulsims in a single state?
Abdel Aziz Rantisi, Hamas leader, June 10, 2003, in an interview with Al-Jazeera answers this one
| ‘By God, we will not leave one Jew in Palestine. We will fight them with all the strength we have. This is our land, not the Jews… You will have no security except outside the homeland Palestine…. We have Allah on our side.’ |
So they propose ethnically cleansing Israel of Jews. But will they stop there?
Dr Mahmoud Zahar, a senior member of Hamas in interview in Arabic with elaph.com on October 11, 2005 explains
| "We are part of Allah's promise that Islam will enter Palestine and every home in the world, with a revelation of the power of Allah the Omnipotent, and a revelation of the inferiority of the infidels. " |
He elaborated further at the funeral of the first female suicide bomber on January 15, 2004
| 'She [first Hamas woman suicide bomber] is not going to be the last because the march of resistance will continue until the Islamic flag is raised, not only over the minarets of Jerusalem, but over the whole universe.’ |
And what will this new world order be like particularly for women? Article 12 gives some indication.
| ‘A woman can go out to fight the enemy without her husband's permission, and so does the slave: without his master's permission.’ |
Article 18 explains a women’s role in this new order further.
| ‘woman in the home of the fighting family, whether she is a mother or a sister, plays the most important role in looking after the family, rearing the children and imbuing them with moral values and thoughts derived from Islam.’ |
In case you think these views archaic, women will not be denied education for ‘she has to be of sufficient knowledge and understanding where the performance of housekeeping matters are concerned’.
Finally I would just like to inform Barry Ronge, lest he think that by not being a women or Jew, he may escape Hamas persecution. Under Islamic Law, homosexuality is a grave crime. So as I see it, it’s either death by stoning or public castration for him.
Well after hearing that, how do you feel about Israel’s new ‘peace’ partner?
They must really be laughing at this. No matter how awful their rhetoric they know that idiot onlookers will deliberately overlook their real intentions so that they can get the best of both worlds.
And our government will be only too happy to start jumping and humping in bed with Hamas.
Posted by: Anti-UN | January 29, 2006 at 19:31
Great post.
Maybe if certain bleeding hearts actually read Hamas' own charter, they'd avoid putting their self-righteous foot in their mouths so often.
I think some South Africans tend to think of some Palestinian nationalist organizations, such a Hamas, as being similar to the position the ANC was in under Apartheid.
As you've pointed out before, the ANC's Freedom Charter and Hamas' charter would probably spontaneously ignite if they came within five feet of each other.
Posted by: James Clark | January 29, 2006 at 20:24
As blatantly obvious as it is that Hamas has no intention of ever co-existing with Israel (or a single Jew for that matter) it's only a matter of time before the UN, EU, Americans and even the Israeli left join the chorus of voices telling us to negotiate with these murderers. And the longer it goes on for, the more time they will have to disguise their intentions. Hamas are not stupid and they will pursue their goal of Israel's destruction by the most effective means possible - be that terrorism or politics. In the same way that the Al-Aqsa Brigades came to be known as "A radical offshot linked to Fatah" so too will we soon be hearing about the "Hamas military wing, which is a fringe element loosely connected to the ruling party" Sounds far fetched? Stay tuned to your local media.
Posted by: Jak | January 29, 2006 at 21:39
Just reading through the SA papers over the weekend I cant quite help contrast the ways they have reported on this with the way it was reported when Israel voted in Likud.
When Likud was voted in the headlines scream that Israel is choosing war. But when the Palestinians choose Hamas there are no such screams - rather they rejoice in the fact that the Palestinians have freely and democratically elected their leaders.
Posted by: Observer | January 29, 2006 at 22:02
Hamas statements in runup to the elections - http://www.memritv.org/Search.asp?ACT=S5&P1=151
Posted by: Observer | January 29, 2006 at 22:16
Couldn’t agree more with all your comments. There seems to be this pervasive naivety even amongst supporters of Israel that power will moderate Hamas. I don’t believe that extreme ideologues can compromise. Did power moderate Hitler or the Taliban or the Ayatollah in Iran? No. They used the tools of government to further their cause. They may moderate their rhetoric but their fundamental position will not change.
Posted by: Mike | January 30, 2006 at 09:02
I love the last part about Barry Ronge. Very Funny.
Posted by: Gav | January 30, 2006 at 09:45
Oh great.... John Robbie a sport "expert" commenting the nuances of Middle East politcs?
Barry Ronge, a movie "expert" commenting on the nuances of ME politics?
What's next? Pre-schoolers telling us to sit down with those genocical murdering terrorists and talk peace?
Posted by: Vaz Lube | January 30, 2006 at 16:37
In this country unfortunately those people are seen as authorities. Better them than the Palestinian Soladarity Committee I suppose.
Posted by: Mike | January 30, 2006 at 18:07