De Gaza oorlog: Claims, voorbarige conclusies en "bloedsprookjes".
Ogenschijnlijk lijkt de oorlog in Gaza voorbij, al hoewel er bijna dagelijks nog bestandsschendingen door Hamas worden gemeld (gisteren viel er in Ashkelon weer een Grad raket en vanmorgen weer Kassams in Eshkol). Maar de oorlog heeft een vervolg gekregen in de internationale arena. In tal van landen wordt een campagne gevoerd om Israel verder te demoniseren vanwege de oorlog in Gaza, met als gevolg een scherpe toename in antisemitische incidenten in de wereld (voornamelijk in Europa maar ook in Noord en Zuid Amerika). Ook doen allerlei verhalen de ronde over vermeende Israelische oorlogsmisdaden in Gaza, ook dit is een patroon dat zich iedere keer herhaald nadat Israel een oorlog heeft moeten voeren. De meest gehoorde beschuldigingen nu zijn het gebruik van witte fosforbommen en het doelbewust doden van kinderen in Gaza. Over het aantal burgerslachtoffers is nog altijd geen duidelijkheid, maar organisaties als Human Right Watch hebben klaarblijkelijk genoeg informatie om een kant en klaar oordeel te vellen. In deze hele campagne tegen de vermeende Israelische oorlogsmisdaden valt op dat de lange lijst met Hamas misdaden tegen de mensheid en de oorlogsmisdaden door Hamas gepleegd tijdens en voor de Gaza oorlog door deze organisaties worden verzwegen. Dit past in het al gehele patroon van opinievorming dat de Gaza oorlog in het Westen omgaf.
Israel Facts inventariseert momenteel de genoemde Hamas misdaden, indien u over materiaal beschikt dat ons onderzoek kan completeren kunt u ons daarover berichten door middel van het reactieformulier onderaan deze pagina. De beschuldigingen aan het adres van Israel onderwierpen we ook aan een nader onderzoek, allereerst onderzochten we dezelfde soort beschuldigingen aan het adres van Israel die in het verleden circuleerden. Enkele voorbeelden: De Mohammed Al Dura affaire die oktober 2000 een ongekende golf van haat tegen Israel veroorzaakte. Israelische militairen zouden in Gaza Mohammed Al Dura, een Palestijnse jongen die samen met zijn vader in de val leek te zitten tijdens een urenlange schietpartij in Gaza, hebben doodgeschoten. Pas vorig jaar kwam vast te staan dat de beelden van dit incident "bewerkt" waren, nadat eerder al was komen vast te staan dat vanuit de Israelische positie onmogelijk de kogels Al Dura's lichaam hadden kunnen bereiken. (voor verder informatie zie de Mohammed Al Dura affaire in de rubriek "onwaarheden" op de IF site) - De Jenin bloedbad affaire waarbij Palestijnse bronnen, maar ook HRW en de VN direct nadat er in Jenin een slag had plaatsgevonden tussen de IDF en Palestijnse terroristen in de Defensief Schild operatie in 2002 in Jenin op de Westbank melding maakten van honderden en zelfs duizenden dode Palestijnen. Ik herinner me dat de toenmalige VN secretaris generaal Annan voor de camera's een verklaring gaf waarin hij Israel scherp veroordeelde en zich retorisch afvroeg of de hele wereld het fout kon hebben gezien (in reactie op de Israelische ontkenning). Inderdaad had de hele wereld de Palestijnse propaganda geslikt en zag het fout. Het enige bloedbad dat in Jenin plaatsvond was onder IDF militairen die een boobytrapped huis binnengingen dat vervolgens boven hen werd opgeblazen (23 doden) - Het Gaza strand incident waarbij een hele Palestijnse familie omkwam door "Israelische artillerie granaten", deze claim kwam voornamelijk af van HRW . Later kwam vast te staan uit een tegen onderzoek dat de familie door een Hamas geplante mijn om het leven kwam. De scherven die in de lichamen werden gevonden waren niet afkomstig van Israelische munitie ,nog was er een krater waargenomen op het strand ,zoals bij een artillerie inslag te verwachten zou zijn geweest.
-In mei 2008 berichtten de Media dat de IDF in Beit Hanoen in Gaza een moeder met vier van haar kinderen doodde toen ze hen beschoten in hun huis. Later kwam vast te staan dat de IAF vanuit de lucht twee Hamas Terroristen beschoot die met grote hoeveelheden explosieven zich ophielden in de omgeving van het huis waar de familie zich bevond. Door de ontploffing van deze explosieven stortte het huis in. De media hadden eerder bericht dat een IDF tank de familie beschoten had.
Uit al deze- en andere incidenten is maar een conclusie mogelijk het nieuws in het conflict wordt op grove wijze gemanipuleert door de Palestijnen en sommige NGO’s zoals HRW , maar ook door vele vertegenwoordigers van de internationale media en zelfs de VN.
De claims die nu rond gaan over het bewust treffen van burgers en met name kinderen door de IDF zijn een volgende manipulatie in deze lange psychologische oorlog. Uit alle beschikbare video documentatie van de wijze waarop Hamas opereert is komen vast te staan dat Hamas kinderen gebruikt als defensief schild. Ook op deze website bij de video's kunt u daarvan voorbeelden zien. Ook zijn er voldoende bewijzen dat kinderen door Hamas actief worden gebruikt in de oorlog tegen Israel. Deze tactiek is afkomstig uit Iran waar in de Iran -Irak oorlog de revolutionaire garde ook kinderen "gebruikte" om mijnenvelden "op te ruimen." ( dit hield letterlijk in dat de kinderen ook "opgeruimd" werden, duizenden vonden zo de dood). De IDF heeft een lange staat van dienst in het voeren van asymmetrische oorlog, waarbij de vijand zich onherkenbaar verschuilt tussen de burgerbevolking. Dit was nu ook het geval in Gaza. Internationaal oorlogsrecht geeft een regulier leger echter het recht te schieten op huizen waaruit door terroristen op dat leger wordt geschoten. In dat geval is het huis een militair legitiem doel geworden, dit is de reden waarom in Gaza zoveel kinderen de dood vonden. Contrasterend met de Hamas politiek t.o.v. kinderen is de wijze waarop Israel omging met haar kinderen tijdens de raketbeschietingen door Hamas. Zeker negen scholen werden geraakt door Grad - en Kassam raketten, de regering had echter alle scholen gesloten en de kinderen zaten in schuilkelders gedurende deze oorlog.
De claim over het gebruik van witte fosfor bommen door de IAF is weerlegd door de stafchef van het Israelische leger Ashkenazi die zei dat de IDF slechts munitie gebruikt die volgens internationaal recht is toegestaan. Fosforbommen zijn verboden, maar fosforbevattende ammunitie wordt door bijna alle legers gebruikt in oorlogssituaties (Afghanistan en Irak ). De vraag is hier niet of de IDF deze munitie gebruikte, iedereen die de beelden van Gaza zag tijdens de oorlog kon vaststellen dat deze munitie werd gebruikt (om rookgordijnen te creëren waarbij de offensieve bewegingen van de IDF aan het oog van Hamas werden onttrokken). De vraag is of de IDF de munitie gebruikte tegen de burgerbevolking van Gaza. Uit het bovenstaande is duidelijk dat burgerdoelen vaak militaire doelen werden op het moment dat ze militair door Hamas werden gebruikt, zelfs al zaten de burgers nog in de huizen. Verder is uit het verloop van de oorlog komen vast te staan dat Hamas het veld (aanzienlijke delen van Gaza zijn niet dichtbevolkt i.t.t. het beeld dat de media schetsten) aan de IDF liet en zich verschool tussen de burgers, en dat de IDF deze munitie in hoofdzaak gebruikte om mijnen te ruimen, en mijnen worden geplant in de velden en niet in woonwijken. De Media vertonen regelmatig zogenaamde "fosfor brandwonden" , Dr Grossman van het Grossman Brandwonden centrum in Californië zei daarover dat het niet mogelijk is op basis van wond diagnose of foto's vast te stellen of een brandwond werd veroorzaakt door fosfor. Het is zeer goed mogelijk dat voor de fosfor beschuldiging het zelfde zal opgaan als de voortijdige conclusies in zake Jenin en de andere incidenten hierboven omschreven.
De NGO verklaringen en rapporten worden vaak geciteerd als onafhankelijke informatie, maar in de praktijk is gebleken dat dit niet het geval is. De waarnemers van HRW zijn vaak partij in het conflict of zijn zo gelieerd aan een partij in het conflict dat hun onafhankelijkheid zeer dubieus is. De VN heeft een lang verleden van anti Israëlische incidenten en kan al evenmin als onafhankelijk worden gezien. In Zuid Libanon is bijvoorbeeld Unifil betrokken bij een aantal incidenten waarbij men als cover up voor Hizbollah fungeerde in het verleden.
Het gebruik van propaganda in de strijd tegen Israel is een welbekend verschijnsel, sommige propaganda neemt de vorm aan van het aloude "bloedsprookje" dat door anti semieten tegen de Joden werd gebruikt: het meest absurde recente voorbeeld verscheen vorig jaar, in de wereld gebracht door de PA. Joodse "kolonisten" in de oude stad van Jeruzalem zouden op grote schaal ratten hebben losgelaten om de Moslims uit hun wijk te verdrijven, klaarblijkelijk ging het om "afgerichte" ratten want in andere wijken werden ze niet waargenomen in deze periode . zie hier het Jerusalem Post artikel http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331024847&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Andere recente voorbeelden van deze "sprookjes" waren de claims dat Israel kinderen in Gaza met aids infecteerde, het gebruik van uranium bevattende munitie in Gaza door de IDF in het verleden; het vergiftigen van waterbronnen en de vergiftiging door Israel van Arafat.
Yochanan IF
Gaza, wat nu?, gesprek in El Khader
Sinds zondagnacht 02.00 is er een eenzijdige wapenstilstand van kracht in Gaza, uitgeroepen door Israel na mondelinge en getekende accoorden met Egypte en de VS. Dit laat zien hoe gecompliceerd de situatie is in Gaza en Zuid Israel, Israel kan geen accoord sluiten met Hamas omdat Hamas een terroristische beweging is, dat zou zoiets zijn als een EU accoord met Osama Bin Laden. In middels is al gebleken dat Hamas niet van plan is nu ook een staakt het vuren aan te houden, de raketten blijven Israel binnenkomen. Het accoord dat Israel met de VS sloot lijkt op VN resolutie 1701 die in werking trad aan het eind van de Libanon 2 oorlog. De bedoeling is dat derden (Egypte, VS en EU) de wapensmokkel naar Gaza onmogelijk gaan maken. Israel heeft slechts de controle over de eigen grens met Gaza en de wateren voor de kust van Gaza, maar ook daar bleek in het verleden de controle niet waterdicht. Iraanse containers met raketten werden door Palestijnse vissersboten opgepikt en aan land gebracht. Egypte heeft altijd een dubbelrol gespeeld aan de grens met Gaza en heeft al aangekondigd het accoord tussen de VS en Israel niet te accepteren. De hoofdredacteur van de Jerusalem Post publiceerde een onthullend artikel over de Egyptische rol in de smokkel naar Gaza hier,
Israel heeft de Egyptenaren nodig maar de Egyptenaren hebben zo hun eigen interesses en die lopen niet synchroon met de Israelische interesses. Het uitbesteden van veiligheidstaken aan derden lijkt een patroon te worden voor Israel de laatste jaren, en het geeft eigenlijk de hopeloosheid van de situatie aan. Hamas lijkt dan wel murw op dit moment maar van het Hizbollah model in Libanon na de tweede Libanon oorlog kunnen we leren dat het kwestie van tijd zal zijn voordat Hamas zich heeft hersteld . Hetzelfde is met Hizbollah gebeurd, inmiddels beschikt Hizbollah over een viervoud van het raketten arsenaal van voor de 2e Libanon oorlog. Zo heeft een rijke oliebaron uit Dubai al 250 miljoen dollar geschonken aan Hamas voor de wederopbouw. Vandaag peilde ik ook eenzelfde hopeloosheid onder de Palestijnen die ik regelmatig spreek in Al Khader nabij Bethlehem. Op mijn vraag hoe nu verder, kreeg ik bijna eensluidend antwoord. Abu Mazen heeft volgens hen 0 % kans om in Gaza weer een PA regime te installeren, het moment waarop hij dat zou proberen wordt hij vermoord zo was hun voorspelling. Onder de Palestijnse bevolking op de Westbank is overeenstemming over de rol van Abu Mazen in de oorlog met Hamas, hij heeft Israel gevraagd om Hamas weg te vagen in Gaza zo beweerden deze Palestijnen. Als er nu verkiezingen zouden worden gehouden wint Hamas dik in de Westbank volgens hen, de mensen zijn helemaal klaar met de PA. Het zijn allemaal dieven zo was het eensluidende oordeel, ik kreeg ook weer voorbeelden. De PA leiders laten hun kinderen studeren buiten het Midden-Oosten in de VS en Europa. de PA minister van binnenlandse zaken laat zijn jongere dochters ieder dag met een taxi naar Jordanie vervoeren waar ze op een Jordaanse elite school hun onderwijs krijgen.
Ik vroeg of een Hamas regering in de Westbank misschien voor hen een oplossing zou zijn, maar ook dit idee werd resoluut van de hand gewezen. Hamas brengt misschien wat minder corruptie maar wel meer oorlog was hun opvatting. Wat dan? vroeg ik, en hun antwoord had ik al eens eerder gehoord van een auto monteur uit Hebron die mij afgelopen zomer verzekerde dat de PA naar Tunis teruggebracht zou moeten worden, Israel moest weer de positie innemen van voor 1991 zeiden zij. Voor 1991 hadden ze "een leven" verzekerden ze mij, nu alleen maar ellende. Op mijn opmerking dat ik moeilijk kon geloven dat dit voor hen de oplossing zou zijn haalden ze hun schouders op, een andere oplossing was er volgens hen niet, de PA is corrupt tot op het bot en Hamas is te radicaal en brengt slechts oorlog en ellende. Kies dan andere leiders, een nieuwe partij die een andere koers vaart ,stelde ik voor, maar dat werd als absurd van de hand gewezen. Ashraf die ik het beste ken legde uit waarom dit niet zou werken. De stoel van een leider in hun maatschappij is een "ben zonah" (hoerenzoon) zei hij, een goede man gaat erop zitten en wordt meteen zelf ook een dief. Op weg naar huis nadenkend over wat ik zojuist had gehoord schoot me de tekst te binnen die ik ooit iedere dag vanuit de tram las op het Weteringcircuit, toen ik nog in Amsterdam woonde: "Een volk dat voor tirannen zwicht, verliest meer dan lijf en leden, dan dooft het licht !"
Yochanan Israel 18-1-2009
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Grondwet Hamas (statuten)
Dit is de volledige tekst van de Hamas statuten, waarin haar plannen met Israel duidelijk worden omschreven.
The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)
18 August 1988
In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah
"Ye are the best nation that hath been raised up unto mankind: ye command that which is just, and ye forbid that which is unjust, and ye believe in Allah. And if they who have received the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better for them: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them are transgressors. They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; and if they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you, and they shall not be helped. They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are found; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with Allah, and a treaty with men; and they draw on themselves indignation from Allah, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because they disbelieved the signs of Allah, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed." (Al-Imran - verses 109-111).
Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).
"The Islamic world is on fire. Each of us should pour some water, no matter how little, to extinguish whatever one can without waiting for the others." (Sheikh Amjad al-Zahawi, of blessed memory).
In The Name Of The Most Merciful Allah
Introduction Praise be unto Allah, to whom we resort for help, and whose forgiveness, guidance and support we seek; Allah bless the Prophet and grant him salvation, his companions and supporters, and to those who carried out his message and adopted his laws - everlasting prayers and salvation as long as the earth and heaven will last. Hereafter:
O People: Out of the midst of troubles and the sea of suffering, out of the palpitations of faithful hearts and cleansed arms; out of the sense of duty, and in response to Allah's command, the call has gone out rallying people together and making them follow the ways of Allah, leading them to have determined will in order to fulfill their role in life, to overcome all obstacles, and surmount the difficulties on the way. Constant preparation has continued and so has the readiness to sacrifice life and all that is precious for the sake of Allah.
Thus it was that the nucleus (of the movement) was formed and started to pave its way through the tempestuous sea of hopes and expectations, of wishes and yearnings, of troubles and obstacles, of pain and challenges, both inside and outside.
When the idea was ripe, the seed grew and the plant struck root in the soil of reality, away from passing emotions, and hateful haste. The Islamic Resistance Movement emerged to carry out its role through striving for the sake of its Creator, its arms intertwined with those of all the fighters for the liberation of Palestine. The spirits of its fighters meet with the spirits of all the fighters who have sacrificed their lives on the soil of Palestine, ever since it was conquered by the companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, and until this day.
This Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS), clarifies its picture, reveals its identity, outlines its stand, explains its aims, speaks about its hopes, and calls for its support, adoption and joining its ranks. Our struggle against the Jews is very great and very serious. It needs all sincere efforts. It is a step that inevitably should be followed by other steps. The Movement is but one squadron that should be supported by more and more squadrons from this vast Arab and Islamic world, until the enemy is vanquished and Allah's victory is realised.
Thus we see them coming on the horizon "and you shall learn about it hereafter" "Allah hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for Allah is strong and mighty." (The Dispute - verse 21).
"Say to them, This is my way: I invite you to Allah, by an evident demonstration; both I and he who followeth me; and, praise be unto Allah! I am not an idolator." (Joseph - verse 107).
Hamas (means) strength and bravery -(according to) Al-Mua'jam al-Wasit: c1.
Definition of the Movement
Ideological Starting-Points
Article One:
The Islamic Resistance Movement: The Movement's programme is Islam. From it, it draws its ideas, ways of thinking and understanding of the universe, life and man. It resorts to it for judgement in all its conduct, and it is inspired by it for guidance of its steps.
The Islamic Resistance Movement's Relation With the Muslim Brotherhood Group:
Article Two:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine. Muslim Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times. It is characterised by its deep understanding, accurate comprehension and its complete embrace of all Islamic concepts of all aspects of life, culture, creed, politics, economics, education, society, justice and judgement, the spreading of Islam, education, art, information, science of the occult and conversion to Islam.
Structure and Formation
Article Three:
The basic structure of the Islamic Resistance Movement consists of Muslims who have given their allegiance to Allah whom they truly worship, - "I have created the jinn and humans only for the purpose of worshipping" - who know their duty towards themselves, their families and country. In all that, they fear Allah and raise the banner of Jihad in the face of the oppressors, so that they would rid the land and the people of their uncleanliness, vileness and evils.
"But we will oppose truth to vanity, and it shall confound the same; and behold, it shall vanish away." (Prophets - verse 18).
Article Four:
The Islamic Resistance Movement welcomes every Muslim who embraces its faith, ideology, follows its programme, keeps its secrets, and wants to belong to its ranks and carry out the duty. Allah will certainly reward such one.
Time and Place Extent of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Five:
Time extent of the Islamic Resistance Movement: By adopting Islam as its way of life, the Movement goes back to the time of the birth of the Islamic message, of the righteous ancestor, for Allah is its target, the Prophet is its example and the Koran is its constitution. Its extent in place is anywhere that there are Muslims who embrace Islam as their way of life everywhere in the globe. This being so, it extends to the depth of the earth and reaches out to the heaven.
"Dost thou not see how Allah putteth forth a parable; representing a good word, as a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed in the earth, and whose branches reach unto heaven; which bringeth forth its fruit in all seasons, by the will of its Lord? Allah propoundeth parables unto men, that they may be instructed." (Abraham - verses 24-25).
Characteristics and Independence:
Article Six:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine, for under the wing of Islam followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety where their lives, possessions and rights are concerned. In the absence of Islam, strife will be rife, oppression spreads, evil prevails and schisms and wars will break out.
How excellent was the Muslim poet, Mohamed Ikbal, when he wrote:
"If faith is lost, there is no security and there is no life for him who does not adhere to religion. He who accepts life without religion, has taken annihilation as his companion for life."
The Universality of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Seven:
As a result of the fact that those Muslims who adhere to the ways of the Islamic Resistance Movement spread all over the world, rally support for it and its stands, strive towards enhancing its struggle, the Movement is a universal one. It is well-equipped for that because of the clarity of its ideology, the nobility of its aim and the loftiness of its objectives.
On this basis, the Movement should be viewed and evaluated, and its role be recognised. He who denies its right, evades supporting it and turns a blind eye to facts, whether intentionally or unintentionally, would awaken to see that events have overtaken him and with no logic to justify his attitude. One should certainly learn from past examples.
The injustice of next-of-kin is harder to bear than the smite of the Indian sword.
"We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; and preserving the same safe from corruption. Judge therefore between them according to that which Allah hath revealed; and follow not their desires, by swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every of you have we given a law, and an open path; and if Allah had pleased, he had surely made you one people; but he hath thought it fit to give you different laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given you respectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works; unto Allah shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you that concerning which ye have disagreed." (The Table, verse 48).
The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the links in the chain of the struggle against the Zionist invaders. It goes back to 1939, to the emergence of the martyr Izz al-Din al Kissam and his brethren the fighters, members of Muslim Brotherhood. It goes on to reach out and become one with another chain that includes the struggle of the Palestinians and Muslim Brotherhood in the 1948 war and the Jihad operations of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1968 and after.
Moreover, if the links have been distant from each other and if obstacles, placed by those who are the lackeys of Zionism in the way of the fighters obstructed the continuation of the struggle, the Islamic Resistance Movement aspires to the realisation of Allah's promise, no matter how long that should take. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:
"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Slogan of the Islamic Resistance Movement:
Article Eight:
Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes.
Objectives
Incentives and Objectives:
Article Nine:
The Islamic Resistance Movement found itself at a time when Islam has disappeared from life. Thus rules shook, concepts were upset, values changed and evil people took control, oppression and darkness prevailed, cowards became like tigers: homelands were usurped, people were scattered and were caused to wander all over the world, the state of justice disappeared and the state of falsehood replaced it. Nothing remained in its right place. Thus, when Islam is absent from the arena, everything changes. From this state of affairs the incentives are drawn.
As for the objectives: They are the fighting against the false, defeating it and vanquishing it so that justice could prevail, homelands be retrieved and from its mosques would the voice of the mu'azen emerge declaring the establishment of the state of Islam, so that people and things would return each to their right places and Allah is our helper.
"...and if Allah had not prevented men, the one by the other, verily the earth had been corrupted: but Allah is beneficient towards his creatures." (The Cow - verse 251).
Article Ten:
As the Islamic Resistance Movement paves its way, it will back the oppressed and support the wronged with all its might. It will spare no effort to bring about justice and defeat injustice, in word and deed, in this place and everywhere it can reach and have influence therein.
Strategies and Methods
Strategies of the Islamic Resistance Movement: Palestine Is Isalmic aqf:
Article Eleven:
The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Muslim 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. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Muslim generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Muslim generations till Judgement Day?
This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Muslims have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Muslims consecrated these lands to Muslim generations till the Day of Judgement.
It happened like this: When the leaders of the Islamic armies conquered Syria and Iraq, they sent to the Caliph of the Muslims, Umar bin-el-Khatab, asking for his advice concerning the conquered land - whether they should divide it among the soldiers, or leave it for its owners, or what? After consultations and discussions between the Caliph of the Muslims, Omar bin-el-Khatab and companions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, it was decided that the land should be left with its owners who could benefit by its fruit. As for the real ownership of the land and the land itself, it should be consecrated for Muslim generations till Judgement Day. Those who are on the land, are there only to benefit from its fruit. This Waqf remains as long as earth and heaven remain. Any procedure in contradiction to Islamic Sharia, where Palestine is concerned, is null and void.
"Verily, this is a certain truth. Wherefore praise the name of thy Lord, the great Allah." (The Inevitable - verse 95).
Homeland and Nationalism from the Point of View of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine:
Article Twelve:
Nationalism, from the point of view of the Islamic Resistance Movement, is part of the religious creed. Nothing in nationalism is more significant or deeper than in the case when an enemy should tread Muslim land. Resisting and quelling the enemy become the individual duty of every Muslim, male or female. A woman can go out to fight the enemy without her husband's permission, and so does the slave: without his master's permission.
Nothing of the sort is to be found in any other regime. This is an undisputed fact. If other nationalist movements are connected with materialistic, human or regional causes, nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement has all these elements as well as the more important elements that give it soul and life. It is connected to the source of spirit and the granter of life, hoisting in the sky of the homeland the heavenly banner that joins earth and heaven with a strong bond.
If Moses comes and throws his staff, both witch and magic are annulled.
"Now is the right direction manifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall deny Tagut, and believe in Allah, he shall surely take hold with a strong handle, which shall not be broken; Allah is he who heareth and seeth." (The Cow - Verse 256).
Peaceful Solutions, Initiatives and International Conferences:
Article Thirteen:
Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."
Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Muslim problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Muslims as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?
"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120).
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. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
"The people of Syria are Allah's lash in His land. He wreaks His vengeance through them against whomsoever He wishes among His slaves It is unthinkable that those who are double-faced among them should prosper over the faithful. They will certainly die out of grief and desperation."
The Three Circles:
Article Fourteen:
The question of the liberation of Palestine is bound to three circles: the Palestinian circle, the Arab circle and the Islamic circle. Each of these circles has its role in the struggle against Zionism. Each has its duties, and it is a horrible mistake and a sign of deep ignorance to overlook any of these circles. Palestine is an Islamic land which has the first of the two kiblahs (direction to which Muslims turn in praying), the third of the holy (Islamic) sanctuaries, and the point of departure for Mohamed's midnight journey to the seven heavens (i.e. Jerusalem).
"Praise be unto him who transported his servant by night, from the sacred temple of Mecca to the farther temple of Jerusalem, the circuit of which we have blessed, that we might show him some of our signs; for Allah is he who heareth, and seeth." (The Night-Journey - verse 1).
Since this is the case, liberation of Palestine is then an individual duty for very Muslim wherever he may be. On this basis, the problem should be viewed. This should be realised by every Muslim.
The day the problem is dealt with on this basis, when the three circles mobilize their capabilities, the present state of affairs will change and the day of liberation will come nearer.
"Verily ye are stronger than they, by reason of the terror cast into their breasts from Allah. This, because they are not people of prudence." (The Emigration - verse 13).
The Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine is an Individual Duty:
Article Fifteen:
The day that enemies usurp part of Muslim land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Muslim. In face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised. To do this requires the diffusion of Islamic consciousness among the masses, both on the regional, Arab and Islamic levels. It is necessary to instill the spirit of Jihad in the heart of the nation so that they would confront the enemies and join the ranks of the fighters.
It is necessary that scientists, educators and teachers, information and media people, as well as the educated masses, especially the youth and sheikhs of the Islamic movements, should take part in the operation of awakening (the masses). It is important that basic changes be made in the school curriculum, to cleanse it of the traces of ideological invasion that affected it as a result of the orientalists and missionaries who infiltrated the region following the defeat of the Crusaders at the hands of Salah el-Din (Saladin). The Crusaders realised that it was impossible to defeat the Muslims without first having ideological invasion pave the way by upsetting their thoughts, disfiguring their heritage and violating their ideals. Only then could they invade with soldiers. This, in its turn, paved the way for the imperialistic invasion that made Allenby declare on entering Jerusalem: "Only now have the Crusades ended." General Guru stood at Salah el-Din's grave and said: "We have returned, O Salah el-Din." Imperialism has helped towards the strengthening of ideological invasion, deepening, and still does, its roots. All this has paved the way towards the loss of Palestine.
It is necessary to instill in the minds of the Muslim generations that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should be dealt with on this basis. Palestine contains Islamic holy sites. In it there is al- Aqsa Mosque which is bound to the great Mosque in Mecca in an inseparable bond as long as heaven and earth speak of Isra` (Mohammed's midnight journey to the seven heavens) and Mi'raj (Mohammed's ascension to the seven heavens from Jerusalem).
"The bond of one day for the sake of Allah is better than the world and whatever there is on it. The place of one's whip in Paradise is far better than the world and whatever there is on it. A worshipper's going and coming in the service of Allah is better than the world and whatever there is on it." (As related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tarmdhi and Ibn Maja).
"I swear by the holder of Mohammed's soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed, and then invade again and be killed." (As related by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Education of the Generations:
Article Sixteen:
It is necessary to follow Islamic orientation in educating the Islamic generations in our region by teaching the religious duties, comprehensive study of the Koran, the study of the Prophet's Sunna (his sayings and doings), and learning about Islamic history and heritage from their authentic sources. This should be done by specialised and learned people, using a curriculum that would healthily form the thoughts and faith of the Muslim student. Side by side with this, a comprehensive study of the enemy, his human and financial capabilities, learning about his points of weakness and strength, and getting to know the forces supporting and helping him, should also be included. Also, it is important to be acquainted with the current events, to follow what is new and to study the analysis and commentaries made of these events. Planning for the present and future, studying every trend appearing, is a must so that the fighting Muslim would live knowing his aim, objective and his way in the midst of what is going on around him.
"O my son, verily every matter, whether good or bad, though it be the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring the same to light; for Allah is clear-sighted and knowing. O my son, be constant at prayer, and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil: and be patient under the afflictions which shall befall thee; for this is a duty absolutely incumbent on all men. Distort not thy face out of contempt to men, neither walk in the earth with insolence; for Allah loveth no arrogant, vain-glorious person." (Lokman - verses 16-18).
The Role of the Muslim Woman:
Article Seventeen:
The Muslim woman has a role no less important than that of the Muslim man in the battle of liberation. She is the maker of men. Her role in guiding and educating the new generations is great. The enemies have realised the importance of her role. They consider that if they are able to direct and bring her up they way they wish, far from Islam, they would have won the battle. That is why you find them giving these attempts constant attention through information campaigns, films, and the school curriculum, using for that purpose their lackeys who are infiltrated through Zionist organizations under various names and shapes, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, espionage groups and others, which are all nothing more than cells of subversion and saboteurs. These organizations have ample resources that enable them to play their role in societies for the purpose of achieving the Zionist targets and to deepen the concepts that would serve the enemy. These organizations operate in the absence of Islam and its estrangement among its people. The Islamic peoples should perform their role in confronting the conspiracies of these saboteurs. The day Islam is in control of guiding the affairs of life, these organizations, hostile to humanity and Islam, will be obliterated.
Article Eighteen:
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 embuing them with moral values and thoughts derived from Islam. She has to teach them to perform the religious duties in preparation for the role of fighting awaiting them. That is why it is necessary to pay great attention to schools and the curriculum followed in educating Muslim girls, so that they would grow up to be good mothers, aware of their role in the battle of liberation.
She has to be of sufficient knowledge and understanding where the performance of housekeeping matters are concerned, because economy and avoidance of waste of the family budget, is one of the requirements for the ability to continue moving forward in the difficult conditions surrounding us. She should put before her eyes the fact that the money available to her is just like blood which should never flow except through the veins so that both children and grown-ups could continue to live.
"Verily, the Muslims of either sex, and the true believers of either sex, and the devout men, and the devout women, and the men of veracity, and the women of veracity, and the patient men, and the patient women, and the humble men, and the humble women, and the alms-givers of either sex who remember Allah frequently; for them hath Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (The Confederates - verse 25).
The Role of Islamic Art in the Battle of Liberation:
Article Nineteen:
Art has regulations and measures by which it can be determined whether it is Islamic or pre-Islamic (Jahili) art. The issues of Islamic liberation are in need of Islamic art that would take the spirit high, without raising one side of human nature above the other, but rather raise all of them harmoniously an in equilibrium.
Man is a unique and wonderful creature, made out of a handful of clay and a breath from Allah. Islamic art addresses man on this basis, while pre-Islamic art addresses the body giving preference to the clay component in it.
The book, the article, the bulletin, the sermon, the thesis, the popular poem, the poetic ode, the song, the play and others, contain the characteristics of Islamic art, then these are among the requirements of ideological mobilization, renewed food for the journey and recreation for the soul. The road is long and suffering is plenty. The soul will be bored, but Islamic art renews the energies, resurrects the movement, arousing in them lofty meanings and proper conduct. "Nothing can improve the self if it is in retreat except shifting from one mood to another."
All this is utterly serious and no jest, for those who are fighters do not jest.
Social Mutual Responsibility:
Article Twenty:
Muslim society is a mutually responsible society. The Prophet, prayers and greetings be unto him, said: "Blessed are the generous, whether they were in town or on a journey, who have collected all that they had and shared it equally among themselves."
The Islamic spirit is what should prevail in every Muslim society. The society that confronts a vicious enemy which acts in a way similar to Nazism, making no differentiation between man and woman, between children and old people - such a society is entitled to this Islamic spirit. Our enemy relies on the methods of collective punishment. He has deprived people of their homeland and properties, pursued them in their places of exile and gathering, breaking bones, shooting at women, children and old people, with or without a reason. The enemy has opened detention camps where thousands and thousands of people are thrown and kept under sub-human conditions. Added to this, are the demolition of houses, rendering children orphans, meting cruel sentences against thousands of young people, and causing them to spend the best years of their lives in the dungeons of prisons.
In their Nazi treatment, the Jews made no exception for women or children. Their policy of striking fear in the heart is meant for all. They attack people where their breadwinning is concerned, extorting their money and threatening their honour. They deal with people as if they were the worst war criminals. Deportation from the homeland is a kind of murder.
To counter these deeds, it is necessary that social mutual responsibility should prevail among the people. The enemy should be faced by the people as a single body which if one member of it should complain, the rest of the body would respond by feeling the same pains.
Article Twenty-One:
Mutual social responsibility means extending assistance, financial or moral, to all those who are in need and joining in the execution of some of the work. Members of the Islamic Resistance Movement should consider the interests of the masses as their own personal interests. They must spare no effort in achieving and preserving them. They must prevent any foul play with the future of the upcoming generations and anything that could cause loss to society. The masses are part of them and they are part of the masses. Their strength is theirs, and their future is theirs. Members of the Islamic Resistance Movement should share the people's joy and grief, adopt the demands of the public and whatever means by which they could be realised. The day that such a spirit prevails, brotherliness would deepen, cooperation, sympathy and unity will be enhanced and the ranks will be solidified to confront the enemies.
Supportive Forces Behind the Enemy:
Article Twenty-Two:
For a long time, the enemies have been planning, skillfully and with precision, for the achievement of what they have attained. They took into consideration the causes affecting the current of events. They strived to amass great and substantive material wealth which they devoted to the realisation of their dream. With their money, they 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.
"So often as they shall kindle a fire for war, Allah shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds to act corruptly in the earth, but Allah loveth not the corrupt doers." (The Table - verse 64).
The imperialistic forces in the Capitalist West and Communist East, support the enemy with all their might, in money and in men. These forces take turns in doing that. The day Islam appears, the forces of infidelity would unite to challenge it, for the infidels are of one nation.
"O true believers, contract not an intimate friendship with any besides yourselves: they will not fail to corrupt you. They wish for that which may cause you to perish: their hatred hath already appeared from out of their mouths; but what their breasts conceal is yet more inveterate. We have already shown you signs of their ill will towards you, if ye understand." (The Family of Imran - verse 118).
It is not in vain that the verse is ended with Allah's words "if ye understand."
Our Attitudes Towards:
A. Islamic Movements:
Article Twenty-Three:
The Islamic Resistance Movement views other Islamic movements with respect and appreciation. If it were at variance with them on one point or opinion, it is in agreement with them on other points and understandings. It considers these movements, if they reveal good intentions and dedication to Allah, that they fall into the category of those who are trying hard since they act within the Islamic circle. Each active person has his share.
The Islamic Resistance Movement considers all these movements as a fund for itself. It prays to Allah for guidance and directions for all and it spares no effort to keep the banner of unity raised, ever striving for its realisation in accordance with the Koran and the Prophet's directives.
"And cleave all of you unto the covenant of Allah, and depart not from it, and remember the favour of Allah towards you: since ye were enemies, and he reconciled your hearts, and ye became companions and brethren by his favour: and ye were on the brink of a pit of fire, and he delivered you thence. Allah declareth unto you his signs, that ye may be directed." (The Family of Imran - Verse 102).
Article Twenty-Four:
The Islamic Resistance Movement does not allow slandering or speaking ill of individuals or groups, for the believer does not indulge in such malpractices. It is necessary to differentiate between this behaviour and the stands taken by certain individuals and groups. Whenever those stands are erroneous, the Islamic Resistance Movement preserves the right to expound the error and to warn against it. It will strive to show the right path and to judge the case in question with objectivity. Wise conduct is indeed the target of the believer who follows it wherever he discerns it.
"Allah loveth not the speaking ill of anyone in public, unless he who is injured call for assistance; and Allah heareth and knoweth: whether ye publish a good action, or conceal it, or forgive evil, verily Allah is gracious and powerful." (Women - verses 147-148).
B. Nationalist Movements in the Palestinian Arena:
Article Twenty-Five:
The Islamic Resistance Movement respects these movements and appreciates their circumstances and the conditions surrounding and affecting them. It encourages them as long as they do not give their allegiance to the Communist East or the Crusading West. It confirms to all those who are integrated in it, or sympathetic towards it, that the Islamic Resistance Movement is a fighting movement that has a moral and enlightened look of life and the way it should cooperate with the other (movements). It detests opportunism and desires only the good of people, individuals and groups alike. It does not seek material gains, personal fame, nor does it look for a reward from others. It works with its own resources and whatever is at its disposal "and prepare for them whatever force you can", for the fulfilment of the duty, and the earning of Allah's favour. It has no other desire than that.
The Movement assures all the nationalist trends operating in the Palestinian arena for the liberation of Palestine, that it is there for their support and assistance. It will never be more than that, both in words and deeds, now and in the future. It is there to bring together and not to divide, to preserve and not to squander, to unify and not to throw asunder. It evaluates every good word, sincere effort and good offices. It closes the door in the face of side disagreements and does not lend an ear to rumours and slanders, while at the same time fully realising the right for self-defence.
Anything contrary or contradictory to these trends, is a lie disseminated by enemies or their lackeys for the purpose of sowing confusion, disrupting the ranks and occupy them with side issues.
"O true believers, if a wicked man come unto you with a tale, inquire strictly into the truth thereof; lest ye hurt people through ignorance, and afterwards repent of what ye have done." (The Inner Apartments - verse 6).
Article Twenty-Six:
In viewing the Palestinian nationalist movements that give allegiance neither to the East nor the West, in this positive way, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not refrain from discussing new situations on the regional or international levels where the Palestinian question is concerned. It does that in such an objective manner revealing the extent of how much it is in harmony or contradiction with the national interests in the light of the Islamic point of view.
C. The Palestinian Liberation Organization:
Article Twenty-Seven:
The Palestinian Liberation Organization is the closest to the heart of the Islamic Resistance Movement. It contains the father and the brother, the next of kin and the friend. The Muslim does not estrange himself from his father, brother, next of kin or friend. Our homeland is one, our situation is one, our fate is one and the enemy is a joint enemy to all of us.
Because of the situations surrounding the formation of the Organization, of the ideological confusion prevailing in the Arab world as a result of the ideological invasion under whose influence the Arab world has fallen since the defeat of the Crusaders and which was, and still is, intensified through orientalists, missionaries and imperialists, the Organization adopted the idea of the secular state. And that it how we view it.
Secularism completely contradicts religious ideology. Attitudes, conduct and decisions stem from ideologies.
That is why, with all our appreciation for The Palestinian Liberation Organization - and what it can develop into - and without belittling its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, we are unable to exchange the present or future Islamic Palestine with the secular idea. The Islamic nature of Palestine is part of our religion and whoever takes his religion lightly is a loser.
"Who will be adverse to the religion of Abraham, but he whose mind is infatuated? (The Cow - verse 130).
The day The Palestinian Liberation Organization adopts Islam as its way of life, we will become its soldiers, and fuel for its fire that will burn the enemies.
Until such a day, and we pray to Allah that it will be soon, the Islamic Resistance Movement's stand towards the PLO is that of the son towards his father, the brother towards his brother, and the relative to relative, suffers his pain and supports him in confronting the enemies, wishing him to be wise and well-guided.
"Stand by your brother, for he who is brotherless is like the fighter who goes to battle without arms. One's cousin is the wing one flies with - could the bird fly without wings?"
D. Arab and Islamic Countries:
Article Twenty-Eight:
The Zionist invasion is a vicious invasion. It does not refrain from resorting to all methods, using all evil and contemptible ways to achieve its end. It relies greatly in its infiltration and espionage operations on the secret organizations it gave rise to, such as the Freemasons, The Rotary and Lions clubs, and other sabotage groups. All these organizations, whether secret or open, work in the interest of Zionism and according to its instructions. They aim at undermining societies, destroying values, corrupting consciences, deteriorating character and annihilating Islam. It is behind the drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds so as to facilitate its control and expansion.
Arab countries surrounding Israel are asked to open their borders before the fighters from among the Arab and Islamic nations so that they could consolidate their efforts with those of their Muslim brethren in Palestine.
As for the other Arab and Islamic countries, they are asked to facilitate the movement of the fighters from and to it, and this is the least thing they could do.
We should not forget to remind every Muslim that when the Jews conquered the Holy City in 1967, they stood on the threshold of the Aqsa Mosque and proclaimed that "Mohammed is dead, and his descendants are all women."
Israel, Judaism and Jews challenge Islam and the Muslim people. "May the cowards never sleep."
E. Nationalist and Religious Groupings, Institutions, Intellectuals, The Arab and Islamic World:
The Islamic Resistance Movement hopes that all these groupings will side with it in all spheres, would support it, adopt its stand and solidify its activities and moves, work towards rallying support for it so that the Islamic people will be a base and a stay for it, supplying it with strategic depth an all human material and informative spheres, in time and in place. This should be done through the convening of solidarity conferences, the issuing of explanatory bulletins, favourable articles and booklets, enlightening the masses regarding the Palestinian issue, clarifying what confronts it and the conspiracies woven around it. They should mobilize the Islamic nations, ideologically, educationally and culturally, so that these peoples would be equipped to perform their role in the decisive battle of liberation, just as they did when they vanquished the Crusaders and the Tatars and saved human civilization. Indeed, that is not difficult for Allah.
"Allah hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for Allah is strong and mighty." (The Dispute - verse 21).
Article Thirty:
Writers, intellectuals, media people, orators, educaters and teachers, and all the various sectors in the Arab and Islamic world - all of them are called upon to perform their role, and to fulfill their duty, because of the ferocity of the Zionist offensive and the Zionist influence in many countries exercised through financial and media control, as well as the consequences that all this lead to in the greater part of the world.
Jihad is not confined to the carrying of arms and the confrontation of the enemy. The effective word, the good article, the useful book, support and solidarity - together with the presence of sincere purpose for the hoisting of Allah's banner higher and higher - all these are elements of the Jihad for Allah's sake.
"Whosoever mobilises a fighter for the sake of Allah is himself a fighter. Whosoever supports the relatives of a fighter, he himself is a fighter." (related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu-Dawood and al-Tarmadhi).
F. Followers of Other Religions: The Islamic Resistance Movement Is A Humanistic Movement:
Article Thirty-One:
The Islamic Resistance Movement is a humanistic movement. It takes care of human rights and is guided by Islamic tolerance when dealing with the followers of other religions. It does not antagonize anyone of them except if it is antagonized by it or stands in its way to hamper its moves and waste its efforts.
Under the wing of Islam, it is possible for the followers of the three religions - Islam, Christianity and Judaism - to coexist in peace and quiet with each other. Peace and quiet would not be possible except under the wing of Islam. Past and present history are the best witness to that.
It is the duty of the followers of other religions to stop disputing the sovereignty of Islam in this region, because the day these followers should take over there will be nothing but carnage, displacement and terror. Everyone of them is at variance with his fellow-religionists, not to speak about followers of other religionists. Past and present history are full of examples to prove this fact.
"They will not fight against you in a body, except in fenced towns, or from behind walls. Their strength in war among themselves is great: thou thinkest them to be united; but their hearts are divided. This, because they are people who do not understand." (The Emigration - verse 14).
Islam confers upon everyone his legitimate rights. Islam prevents the incursion on other people's rights. The Zionist Nazi activities against our people will not last for long. "For the state of injustice lasts but one day, while the state of justice lasts till Doomsday."
"As to those who have not borne arms against you on account of religion, nor turned you out of your dwellings, Allah forbiddeth you not to deal kindly with them, and to behave justly towards them; for Allah loveth those who act justly." (The Tried - verse 8).
The Attempt to Isolate the Palestinian People:
Article Thirty-Two:
World Zionism, together with imperialistic powers, try through a studied plan and an intelligent strategy to remove one Arab state after another from the circle of struggle against Zionism, in order to have it finally face the Palestinian people only. Egypt was, to a great extent, removed from the circle of the struggle, through the treacherous Camp David Agreement. They are trying to draw other Arab countries into similar agreements and to bring them outside the circle of struggle.
The Islamic Resistance Movement calls on Arab and Islamic nations to take up the line of serious and persevering action to prevent the success of this horrendous plan, to warn the people of the danger eminating from leaving the circle of struggle against Zionism. Today it is Palestine, tomorrow it will be one country or another. The Zionist plan is limitless. After Palestine, the Zionists aspire to expand from the Nile to the Euphrates. When they will have digested the region they overtook, they will aspire to further expansion, and so on. Their plan is embodied in the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", and their present conduct is the best proof of what we are saying.
Leaving the circle of struggle with Zionism is high treason, and cursed be he who does that. "for whoso shall turn his back unto them on that day, unless he turneth aside to fight, or retreateth to another party of the faithful, shall draw on himself the indignation of Allah, and his abode shall be hell; an ill journey shall it be thither." (The Spoils - verse 16). There is no way out except by concentrating all powers and energies to face this Nazi, vicious Tatar invasion. The alternative is loss of one's country, the dispersion of citizens, the spread of vice on earth and the destruction of religious values. Let every person know that he is responsible before Allah, for "the doer of the slightest good deed is rewarded in like, and the does of the slightest evil deed is also rewarded in like."
The Islamic Resistance Movement consider itself to be the spearhead of the circle of struggle with world Zionism and a step on the road. The Movement adds its efforts to the efforts of all those who are active in the Palestinian arena. Arab and Islamic Peoples should augment by further steps on their part; Islamic groupings all over the Arab world should also do the same, since all of these are the best-equipped for the future role in the fight with the warmongering Jews.
"..and we have put enmity and hatred between them, until the day of resurrection. So often as they shall kindle a fire of war, Allah shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds to act corruptly in the earth, but Allah loveth not the corrupt doers." (The Table - verse 64).
Article Thirty-Three:
The Islamic Resistance Movement, being based on the common coordinated and interdependent conceptions of the laws of the universe, and flowing in the stream of destiny in confronting and fighting the enemies in defence of the Muslims and Islamic civilization and sacred sites, the first among which is the Aqsa Mosque, urges the Arab and Islamic peoples, their governments, popular and official groupings, to fear Allah where their view of the Islamic Resistance Movement and their dealings with it are concerned. They should back and support it, as Allah wants them to, extending to it more and more funds till Allah's purpose is achieved when ranks will close up, fighters join other fighters and masses everywhere in the Islamic world will come forward in response to the call of duty while loudly proclaiming: Hail to Jihad. Their cry will reach the heavens and will go on being resounded until liberation is achieved, the invaders vanquished and Allah's victory comes about.
"And Allah will certainly assist him who shall be on his side: for Allah is strong and mighty." (The Pilgrimage - verse 40).
The Testimony of History
Across History in Confronting the Invaders:
Article Thirty-Four:
Palestine is the navel of the globe and the crossroad of the continents. Since the dawn of history, it has been the target of expansionists. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, had himself pointed to this fact in the noble Hadith in which he called on his honourable companion, Ma'adh ben-Jabal, saying: O Ma'ath, Allah throw open before you, when I am gone, Syria, from Al-Arish to the Euphrates. Its men, women and slaves will stay firmly there till the Day of Judgement. Whoever of you should choose one of the Syrian shores, or the Holy Land, he will be in constant struggle till the Day of Judgement."
Expansionists have more than once put their eye on Palestine which they attacked with their armies to fulfill their designs on it. Thus it was that the Crusaders came with their armies, bringing with them their creed and carrying their Cross. They were able to defeat the Muslims for a while, but the Muslims were able to retrieve the land only when they stood under the wing of their religious banner, united their word, hallowed the name of Allah and surged out fighting under the leadership of Salah ed-Din al-Ayyubi. They fought for almost twenty years and at the end the Crusaders were defeated and Palestine was liberated.
"Say unto those who believe not, Ye shall be overcome, and thrown together into hell; an unhappy couch it shall be." (The Family of Imran - verse 12).
This is the only way to liberate Palestine. There is no doubt about the testimony of history. It is one of the laws of the universe and one of the rules of existence. Nothing can overcome iron except iron. Their false futile creed can only be defeated by the righteous Islamic creed. A creed could not be fought except by a creed, and in the last analysis, victory is for the just, for justice is certainly victorious.
"Our word hath formerly been given unto our servants the apostles; that they should certainly be assisted against the infidels, and that our armies should surely be the conquerors." (Those Who Rank Themselves - verses 171-172).
Article Thirty-Five:
The Islamic Resistance Movement views seriously the defeat of the Crusaders at the hands of Salah ed-Din al-Ayyubi and the rescuing of Palestine from their hands, as well as the defeat of the Tatars at Ein Galot, breaking their power at the hands of Qataz and Al-Dhaher Bivers and saving the Arab world from the Tatar onslaught which aimed at the destruction of every meaning of human civilization. The Movement draws lessons and examples from all this. The present Zionist onslaught has also been preceded by Crusading raids from the West and other Tatar raids from the East. Just as the Muslims faced those raids and planned fighting and defeating them, they should be able to confront the Zionist invasion and defeat it. This is indeed no problem for the Almighty Allah, provided that the intentions are pure, the determination is true and that Muslims have benefited from past experiences, rid themselves of the effects of ideological invasion and followed the customs of their ancestors.
The Islamic Resistance Movement is Composed of Soldiers:
Article Thirty-Six:
While paving its way, the Islamic Resistance Movement, emphasizes time and again to all the sons of our people, to the Arab and Islamic nations, that it does not seek personal fame, material gain, or social prominence. It does not aim to compete against any one from among our people, or take his place. Nothing of the sort at all. It will not act against any of the sons of Muslims or those who are peaceful towards it from among non-Muslims, be they here or anywhere else. It will only serve as a support for all groupings and organizations operating against the Zionist enemy and its lackeys.
The Islamic Resistance Movement adopts Islam as its way of life. Islam is its creed and religion. Whoever takes Islam as his way of life, be it an organization, a grouping, a country or any other body, the Islamic Resistance Movement considers itself as their soldiers and nothing more.
We ask Allah to show us the right course, to make us an example to others and to judge between us and our people with truth. "O Lord, do thou judge between us and our nation with truth; for thou art the best judge." (Al Araf - Verse 89).
The last of our prayers will be praise to Allah, the Master of the Universe.
Over Joden, Fietsers en Schuld
Over Joden, Fietsers en Schuld
Israël wordt wijd en zijd beschuldigd van buiten-proportioneel geweld. Een van de redenen: in Gaza vallen veel meer doden dan aan de Israëlische kant. En dit is wat er mis is aan de vergelijking: 1. Israël doet er alles aan om burgerslachtoffers te voorkomen, en alleen terroristen en oorlogsmisdadigers uit te schakelen, terwijl de terroristen er alles aan doen om met opzet Israëlische burgers te doden. Hamas in Gaza vuurt vanuit scholen, ziekenhuizen en andere publieke gebouwen zoals moskees, Israel schiet terug uit zelfverdediging 2. Je kunt Israëlis niet verwijten dat ze extra bescherming van Boven krijgen. Elke Jood die heden ten dage in leven is is een wonder, iets bovennatuurlijks. Dit verwijt is ook niet nieuw. Toen de pestepidemieën over Europa trokken en de bevolkingen decimeerden, kregen Joden vaak de schuld (van het vergiftigen van de bronnen) want die stierven minder (vanwege meer-hygiënische leefvoorschriften). 3. De enige reden dat Israëlische soldaten Gaza in zijn gegaan is om, met gevaar voor eigen leven, zoveel-mogelijk de Gaza-burgerbevoklking te sparen, want Hamas heef zich in bevolkingscentra ingegraven en gebruikt de eigen bevolking als schild. Er is geen enkel land ter wereld dat hetzelfde zou doen - anderen gooien net zoveel bommen tot er niemand meer overblijft om het na te vertellen - Rusland in Tsjechië voorop. Wat zou eenvoudiger zijn dan heel Gaza vanuit de lucht plat te gooien? Waarom doet Israël dat niet? Joodse ethiek - het valt niet anders te verklaren. Doden gaat Joden slecht af. 4. De schuld van alles ligt bij de Joden en de fietsers. Hoezo de fietsers? Hoezo de Joden!
Moshe Mordechai van Zuiden Jeruzalem
Israel en de disproportionele kritiek.
Oud Premier van Agt, maar ook de PvdA en SP hebben aangedrongen op stappen tegen Israël in verband met het gebruik van disproportioneel geweld tegen Hamas in Gaza. Van Agt ging zelfs zo ver om in een NOVA programma Israel te beschuldigen van genocidale praktijken in Gaza. Het lijkt daarom verstandig om deze kritiek op de acties van Israel aan een nader onderzoek te onderwerpen. Uit de bestudering van het internationaal recht en de acties die Israel tot nu toe in Gaza uitvoerde blijkt dat Israel binnen de bepalingen in het internationaal recht opereert in Gaza. De Israëlische acties zijn een reactie op oorlogsmisdaden gepleegd tegen de Israëlische bevolking door Hamas in Gaza.
Sinds de Israëlische terugtrekking uit Gaza in 2005 zijn door Hamas c.s. ongeveer 5000 raketten op burgerdoelen in Israel afgevuurd, met maar één doel: het doden van zoveel mogelijk Israëli's. De raketten terreur heeft het leven van honderdduizenden Israëli's onmogelijk gemaakt, en er zijn naast doden en vele gewonden duizenden mensen die aan posttraumatische stress lijden. In juni 2008 werd, na bemiddeling door Egypte, een periode van "kalmte" afgesproken tussen Israel en Hamas, de Israëlische voorwaarde voor opening van de grensposten in deze overeenkomst was een absoluut staakt het vuren. Tot 24 december 2008 schonden Palestijnen in Gaza dit bestand 500 keer. Hamas zegde op 19 december jl. het bestand met Israel eenzijdig op en verhevigde de dagelijkse beschietingen op burgerdoelen in Israel. De Israëlische regering wachtte tot zaterdag 27 december jl. met een tegenactie en probeerde via Egyptische diplomatie en een media offensief een oorlog te voorkomen.
Toen de Israëlische luchtmacht haar acties in Gaza begon was duidelijk dat de doelen zorgvuldig waren uitgekozen. Uit de beelden die de hele wereld over gingen bleek dat de getroffen doelen militair van aard waren, getuige de uniformen van het overgrote deel van de slachtoffers. Maar was het gebruikte geweld ook disproportioneel, en gericht op de burgerbevolking in Gaza?. Internationaal recht schrijft een staat niet voor om in zijn respons op agressie dezelfde wapens aan te wenden als de agressor, dus is Israel niet verplicht om Kassams te retourneren over het grenshek in Gaza. Een staat die met agressie wordt geconfronteerd mag geweld gebruiken dat als doel heeft een einde te maken aan die agressie, het doel moet dus zijn de bron van de agressie en niet de burgerbevolking, In Gaza heeft Israel voldaan aan deze voorwaarde, de acties waren gericht tegen de terreur infrastructuur van Hamas en niet tegen burgerdoelen. Dat er desondanks toch burgerslachtoffers te betreuren zijn, zegt niet dat Israel genocidale praktijken bedrijft De internationale wet voor gewapend conflict hanteert als maatstaf voor legitieme militaire actie: distinctie en proportionaliteit. Deze maatstaven betekenen dat de aanvallen gericht moeten zijn op militaire doelen of personen en dat de schade voor onschuldige burgers geminimaliseerd moet worden. Het militaire commando moet vaststellen of de aanvallen geen disproportionele schade toebrengen aan burgers in verhouding tot de waarde van het uitschakelen van een militair doel. In Gaza is duidelijk geworden dat Hamas zijn militaire infrastructuur doelbewust in woonwijken opbouwde, Gaza is een dichtbevolkt gebied en dit maakt burgerslachtoffers dan ook onvermijdelijk in geval van een oorlog. Israel heeft echter door de precieze aard van de aanvallen en door het uitstrooien van folders boven Gaza, die de burgerbevolking waarschuwden zich niet op te houden in de buurt van Hamas gebouwen, het aantal burgerslachtoffers weten te beperken. In het geval van de aanval op Izzidin Al Kassam leider Nizar Rayyan werd de in het huis aanwezige burgerbevolking telefonisch gewaarschuwd het pand te verlaten voor de aanval op Rayyan plaatsvond. Het feit dat hij de religieuze leider was van Hamas' militaire organisatie en zijn verantwoordelijkheid voor de moord op twaalf Israëli's maakt de aanval op hem een legale operatie.
De Israëlische aanvallen getuigen van minutieuze voorbereiding om de Hamas doelen zo precies mogelijk te raken. Dit staat in schrille tegenstelling tot de 10.000 pogingen die Hamas sinds 2000 ondernam om zo veel mogelijk Israëlische burgers te raken met haar raketten,en die daarom ook onder de categorie oorlogsmisdaden vallen. Vergelijkbaar is ook het geweld waarmee de NAVO een soortgelijke strijd voert tegen de Taliban in Afghanistan, daar lijkt de toetsing aan distinctie en proportionaliteit in het geheel geen rol te spelen.
Gelet op het bovenstaande kan de reactie van Israel op de 10.000 raketten die Hamas de laatste acht jaar op Israel afschoot, worden bestempeld als disproportionele terughoudendheid. Geen enkele staat in de wereld wacht acht jaar met het voeren van oorlog tegen terroristen die werken aan haar vernietiging. De VS hadden in 2001 acht dagen nodig om de oorlog te verklaren aan Al Qaida en de Taliban.
Als de critici van Israel voor één keer eens stil zouden staan bij de situatie waarin de staat verkeerd, waarbij zowel in en buiten het land moet worden omgegaan met terroristische bewegingen en staten, die in woord en daad verklaren dat er een einde moet komen aan Israel, dan zouden hun grote woorden en snelle oordelen wellicht plaats maken voor schaamte over zoveel disproportionele kritiek.
Yochanan Visser
De rol van Hamas in VN school tragedie
Assosiated Press reportage over tragedie in VN school, geeft ooggetuigen verslag over Hamas verantwoordelijkheid voor het incident. Hamas terroristen schoten mortiergranaten af op Israelische posities en vluchten daarna de school in, hier het AP rapport:
The Associated Press January 7, 2009 GAZA CITY, KLIK HIER Gaza - Israeli mortar shells exploded yesterday near a UN school in Gaza that was sheltering hundreds of people displaced by Israel's onslaught against Hamas militants, killing at least 30 Palestinians.
Israel's military said its shelling, the deadliest single episode since Israeli ground forces invaded Gaza on Saturday, was a response to mortar fire from within the school and said militants were using civilians as cover.
Two residents of the area who spoke by telephone said they saw a small group of militants firing mortar rounds from a street near the school, where 350 people had gathered to get away from the shelling. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Hamas beperkt vrouwenrechten in Gaza steeds verder
Hamas is sinds de bloedige machtsovername in Gaza bezig de sharia in te voeren. Werden eerder al kuisheidpatrouilles ingevoerd die zoenende koppels molesteerden of arresteerden. De nieuwste maatregel is dat vrouwen niet meer achter op scooters en motorfietsen mogen zitten. De reden voor deze maatregel is dat vrouwen gedwongen ... LEES VERDER IN DEEL 2
zijn de mannelijke berijder vast te houden tijdens de rit. Daar zouden "andere dingen" uit kunnen voorkomen, volgens een Hamas woordvoerder. De islamisatie van Gaza verloopt geleidelijk. Hamas is zich goed bewust van de oppositie tegen gedwongen maatregelen, en richt zich op de scholen en de jonge generatie. Bekend is dat onder sharia alcohol verboden is. Borden bij de grensovergangen maken bezoekers daarop attent, er is echter een levendige smokkel in alcoholische dranken. Ook Volkskrant columnist Abdel Khader Benali maakte daar in een column over zijn bezoek aan Gaza onlangs melding van. Ook werdvorige maand in Gaza tijdens de opening van een museum dansen voor meisjes verboden, omdat het niet correct gedrag zou zijn. Ook mochten de meisjes niet op het podium staan tijdens de openingstoespraken. De maatregel werd afgedwongen door met AK 47 geweren bewapende Hamas strijders. Eerder werden op diverse scholen in Gaza meisjes naar huis gestuurd om de jeans om te ruilen voor de zwarte jilbab. In Augustus werd op een strand in Gaza de Palestijnse journaliste Asmaa al Ghoul uit de zee gehaald tijdens het zwemmen omdat ze slechts eenblouse en een lange broek droeg. Dit was tegen de voorschriften van Hamas die vrouwen voorschrijven om in de jilbab de zee in te duiken.
Zoals bekend is in Nederland onlangs een lobby gevoerd door activisten zoals EAJG die tot doel heeft om Hamas salonfahig te maken voor het Nederlandse publiek en de Nederlandse regering. De actie onder het motto "praat met Hamas" wordt voornamelijk gevoerd door mensen die in Nederland als zeer progressief bekend willen staan. Het is een raadsel hoe mensen met liberale progressieve denkbeelden consequent voorbij gaan aan de repressieve praktijken van Hamas. Een aantal van hen grijpt nu zelf terug op praktijken die niet zouden misstaan in het Islamitische califaat dat Hamas in Gaza stichtte. Zoals onlangs in Jeruzalem bleek toen Joden door Nederlandse activisten de toegang tot het Al Quds "multiculturele" festival werd ontzegd. Maar ook in Nederland zelf blijkt dat de activisten voor de Palestijnse zaak zich steeds vakerintoleranter opstellen tegenover de andersdenkenden. Bij supermarkten worden boycotts georganiseerd die mensen willen dwingen geen Israelische producten te kopen. In discussies worden de minimale fatsoensnormen overschreden zoals onlangs bleek tijdens een discussie in een EO programma . Ronnie Naftaniel (Cidi)werd toen onbeschoft en openlijk vijandig behandeld door zijn opponent die hem behandelde alsof hij in Gaza eigenhandig de oorlog had gevoerd. De campagne voor Hamas die deze activisten voeren zou gemotiveerd zijn door een groot verlangen naar optimale mensenrechten. De methodes die worden gehanteerd in die campagnes zouden echtervaak niet misstaan in staten waar mensenrechten een utopie zijn, Gaza voorop.
Hamas Bans Women Dancers, Scooter Riders in Gaza Push
Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- The Islamic Hamas movement banned girls last month from riding behind men on motor scooters and forbade women from dancing at the opening of a folk museum. Girls in some public schools must wear headscarves and cloaks.
Signs of Hamas’s creeping Islamization are everywhere in Gaza, the Mediterranean coastal enclave that Hamas has run by itself since 2007. Gaza is already politically divided from the West Bank, the Palestinian territory administered by the secular Fatah movement.
“Ruling by itself, Hamas can stamp its ideas on everyone,” said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political science professor at Gaza’s al-Azhar University. “Islamizing society has always been part of Hamas strategy.”
Hamas-Fatah infighting has diverted Palestinians from their quest for statehood and from presenting a united front at proposed U.S.-brokered peace talks with Israel. With no Palestinian elections on the horizon -- a vote scheduled for January was canceled -- Hamas has free rein to rule in Gaza.
Hamas swept Palestinian legislative balloting in 2006 and took over the Gaza Strip a year later when its gunmen routed forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who still governs the West Bank. Syria and Iran back Hamas, while the U.S., its Middle East allies and the European Union support Abbas’s rule.
Caftans in Court
Some of the efforts are meeting resistance. When Supreme Court Justice Abdel Raouf Al-Halabi ordered women lawyers on July 26 to wear headscarves and caftans in court, attorneys contacted satellite television stations including Al-Arabiya to protest. On Sept. 6, Hamas’s Justice Ministry rescinded the directive.
Hamas officials say they have no plans to impose Islamic law. “What you are seeing are incidents, not policy,” said Younis al-Astal, a Hamas legislator. “We want Islamic law to be the standard, but we believe in persuasion.”
In an Oct. 13 speech, Abbas said Hamas was establishing an “emirate of darkness” in Gaza. Abbas’s Fatah movement has long viewed itself as a secular nationalist movement open to Muslims and Christians.
At the immigration office at Gaza’s border with Israel, a sign warns that alcoholic beverages, forbidden under Islam, will be poured out “in front of the owner.”
The government’s Islamic Endowment Ministry has deployed Virtue Committee members to preach at public places to warn of the dangers of immodest dress, card playing and dating.
Dancing Ban
The opening of the Palestinian Heritage Museum on Oct.7 was meant to include a rendition of the dabke, a line dance performed by girls and boys. Except that no girls were allowed.
Black-shirted men from Hamas carrying AK-47s appeared at the gates of the museum, on Gaza’s waterfront, said Jamal Salem, the curator. They said girls shouldn’t dance because it wasn’t religiously proper. Nor could they share the stage for the inaugural speeches, said Salem.
“They are trying to take Palestinian culture and make it all their own,” Salem said. “They say our traditions are against the law. Their law.”
In August, headmasters of several schools ordered girls to don white head scarves and black cloaks called jilbabs. They sent several girls in jeans home, according to Gaza press reports. The Education Ministrylater said the orders were unauthorized acts of individual school officials.
No Defiance
“The episodes had an effect anyway,” said Eyad Sarraj, a psychiatrist and human rights campaigner. “What parent wants to be seen to defy Islamic rules?”
Abusada, the Gaza political science professor, said Hamas only retreats from overt Islamization for fear of “provoking” such secular-ruled Arab countries as Egypt, with which it competes for support with Abbas.
“At the same time, Hamas is under pressure from some of its own members as well as even more radical groups to implant a purist version of Islam,” he said.
Hamas is also wary of openly pressing for rule by religious edict because it undermines the group’s claim to legitimacy under Palestinian civil law, which set guidelines for the 2006 legislative vote, said Subhia Juma, a lawyer at the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Gaza.
“Hamas backs off when it looks like they are governing under Islamic law and people complain,” she said.
Israel, the U.S. and the EU say Hamas is a terrorist organization.
Swimming in Pants
In June, black-clad constables approached journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul, 27, and friends on a north Gaza beach, al-Ghoul said. Her offense: swimming in trousers and a blouse, not robes.
Male companions, including her brother, tried to defend her. Al-Ghoul said she phoned the government spokesman, who called off the police.
Hamas police spokesman Rafik Abu Hani said the crackdowns were abnormalities.
“Even here, we don’t make everyone wear Islamic-style beards,” he said, pointing to a clean-shaven aide.
Everyone backs alcohol prohibition, Abu Hani said, and the motorcycle restriction is a safety issue.
Al-Astal, the Hamas legislator, said it wasn’t a coincidence that youth were the principal targets of the push.
“We are working on young people, the next generation, to be more correctly Islamic,” he said. The older generation “is lost.”
And as for motorcycles: “A girl has to hold onto a boy’s waist to ride in the back. Things can happen. You know what I mean,” he said.
De opperrabbijn van Zuid Afrika Warren Goldstein is naast rabbijn ook afgestudeerd in mensenrechten wetgeving. Hij schreef voor de Jeruzalem Post een vernietigend artikel over de juridische waarde van het Goldstone rapport. Inhoudelijk is er veel mis niet alleen met het rapport maar ook met de wijze van onderzoek en de professionele attitudes van de leden van deze VN commissie. De conclusie: Goldstone's rapport is een politiek document geschreven vanuit een anti-Israel agenda die al werd bepaald in de resolutie van UNHRC op 12 januari jl. De oorlog was toen nog aan de gang, maar de UNHRC had haar conclusies over Israel al getrokken, net zoals de Goldstone commissie vanuit haar conclusies vooraf, een rapport samenstelde dat wel moest leiden tot een eenzijdige veroordeling van Israel. LEES VERDER BIJ DEEL 2
Het werkelijke drama is dat het rapport nu al vergaande consequenties heeft voor het conflict in het Midden Oosten. De Palestijnen hebben een extreme positie ingenomen die iedere vooruitgang in welk vredesproces dan ook blokkeert, en in de rest van het Midden Oosten neemt de anti-Israel politiek en retoriek zo langzamerhand gevaarlijke vormen aan. Zelfs de "vredespartners" van Israel, Egypte en Jordanie laten regelmatig zien waar zij staan. Egypte werkte hard aan het veroordelen van Israel in UNHRC verband. Hetzelfde Egypte moedigde Israel in januari bijna openlijk aan om korte metten te maken met Hamas. Turkije liet deze week zien dat het "bondgenootschap" met Israel een wassen neus is. De toenadering tot Syrie spreekt boekdelen, evenals de anti-Israel retoriek van de Turkse regering. Het afzeggen van de gezamelijke manoevres met US,EU landen en Israel vertelde de rest. Syrie werkt steeds openlijker samen met Hizbollah en bracht een groot deel van haar raketten arsenaal over naar Zuid Libanon. De stemming in Israel is daarom het beste te omschrijven met het woord crisis ! LEES VERDER BIJ DEEL 3 It looks like law, but it's just politics
It looks like law, but it's just politics
Much has been written and said about the inaccuracies, shortcomings and the moral inversion of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Mission presided over by Judge Richard Goldstone and his three fellow members. Most critics have understandably addressed the political and military issues involved. It is important, however, also to deconstruct the Goldstone Mission's Report from a legal point of view.
This is so because the report uses the veneer of respectability that comes with legal methodology, and with the presence of an internationally respected judge, to gain credibility. Law is a very powerful weapon to give respectability to contemptible actions and opinions. The South African Apartheid Government was very legalistic in its approach to racial oppression, and was punctilious about promulgating proper laws, and about maintaining a fully functioning judiciary to give the façade of respectability to its repugnant policies.
The United Nations, through its various organs, but particularly through its Human Rights Commission, uses the superficial veneer of law and legal methodology to give credence and credibility to its anti-Israel agenda. The Goldstone Mission is a case in point. Careful analysis reveals that the legalities utilized are merely a cover for a political strategy of deligitimizing Israel. Judge Goldstone claims that the Mission "is not a judicial enquiry [but is] a fact-finding mission."
This is a distinction without a difference. The Mission's Report makes numerous factual findings, and some legal, just as if it were a judicial body.
The Report could have salvaged some measure of integrity had it stated that its findings, both legal and factual, were only prima facie. It did not do so.
Judges make factual and legal findings which have practical implications. There are very real consequences for Israel resulting from the findings of the Mission. Apart from holding Israel liable in international law to pay war reparations, Judge Goldstone refers the findings to the highest authorities of international law, including the United Nation's General Assembly and the Security Council, and he recommends the commencement of criminal investigations in the national courts of the state signatories to the Geneva Convention of 1949. Of course, the Report also inflicts very great and real harm to Israel's reputation in the court of world opinion. This has serious political, economic and military implications for Israel's future, and for its very survival.
Any civilized legal system requires that justice be done on two levels: procedural and substantive. The Goldstone Mission is replete with procedural and substantive injustices. From a procedural point of view, there are four main areas of injustice.
FIRSTLY, THE Human Rights Council's Resolution S-9/1 establishing the Mission expressly states that it "[s]trongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operation [in Gaza] which has resulted in massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people," and in so doing pre-judges the guilt of Israel. The Resolution refers many times to Israel's guilt in a very lengthy document which is phrased in wide, undisciplined and aggressive language. Furthermore, it calls upon the Mission to investigate Israel's conduct and not that of Hamas. Although Goldstone and the President of the Human Rights Council purported to extend the ambit of the mandate, the legal basis for their doing so without the express authority of the Council is not clear.
The second procedural injustice is that the members of the Mission publicly expressed beforehand their opinions on this conflict. The most explicit in this regard, Professor Christine Chinkin, was one of the signatories to a letter published in the Sunday Times of London which stated that "Israel's actions amount to aggression, not self-defense, not least because its assault on Gaza was unnecessary." The letter is published under the heading "Israel's bombardment of Gaza is not self-defense - it's a war crime."
The other three members, Judge Richard Goldstone, Hina Jilani and Desmond Travers, all signed a letter initiated by Amnesty International stating: "Events in Gaza have shocked us to the core." Thus, all four members of the Mission, including Goldstone himself, expressed public opinions concerning the Gaza conflict before they began their work.
Thirdly, the Goldstone Mission violated another basic principle of justice, audi alteram partem - let the other side be heard. At least due to the procedural injustices already referred to, the State of Israel correctly refused to cooperate with the Mission. Once it had done so the Mission ought, if it were objective and fair, to have accepted Israel's right to remain silent and then ought to have desisted from making findings whether factual or legal. But it did not do so, and as any lawyer knows unanswered allegations often prove unreliable and in almost all conflict situations there are serious disputes of fact, and often of law as well.
The Mission's findings were based on accepting the allegations of only one party to the conflict. The Mission did not try to cross-examine or challenge the witnesses in any real way. There is a lengthy, fascinating article by Jonathan HaLevi of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs in which he analyses in detail the methodology employed by the Mission in respect of witnesses. He demonstrates that there was a lack of adequate cross-examination of the testimony of the witnesses. Unproven allegations of Hamas officials were accepted as established facts. Even the most basic questions were not asked; when, for example, allegations were made of Israel's bombing civilian installations, witnesses were not asked whether there were Hamas fighters or weaponry in the vicinity, or whether any attacks had been launched from the area.
There is a fourth procedural injustice which undermines the integrity and credibility of Judge Goldstone and the three other members of the Mission: There simply was not enough time to do the job properly.
Any lawyer with even limited experience knows that there was just not sufficient time for the Mission to have properly considered and prepared its report. One murder trial often takes many months of evidence and argument to enable a judge to make a decision with integrity. To assess even one day of battle in Gaza with the factual complexities involved would have required a substantial period of intensive examination. According to the Mission's Report, the Mission convened for a total of 12 days.
They say that they considered a huge volume of written and visual material running into thousands of pages; they conducted three field trips; there were only four days of public hearings; and yet in a relatively short space of time the members of the Mission agreed to about 500 pages of detailed material and findings with not one dissenting opinion throughout.
They made no less than 69 findings, mostly of fact, but some of law and within those 69 there were often numerous sub-findings.
All of this was quite simply physically impossible if the job had been done with integrity and care.
The fourth procedural injustice also demonstrates the total sham of this process.
THE SUBSTANTIVE injustices of the Goldstone Mission's Report are too numerous to mention in this article, but one illustrates how far the Mission was prepared to go, and that relates to the very important legal element of intent. Goldstone and his Mission impute the worst of intentions to the actions of the State of Israel, finding that Israel's conduct was motivated by a desire to repress and oppress, and to inflict suffering upon the Palestinian people, and not primarily for the purpose of self-defense. It does this without any evidence and then, without any supporting evidence, asserts that many of Israel's military operations such as that of Lebanon were motivated by the same goal.
The Mission fails to mention a modern leading military expert, Colonel Richard Kemp (the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan), who said, "From my knowledge of the IDF and from the extent to which I have been following the current operation, I do not think there has ever been a time in the history of warfare when an army has made more efforts to reduce civil casualties and deaths of innocent people than the IDF is doing today in Gaza."
By contrast, on the Palestinian side, there is very clear evidence as to Hamas's intentions - the Hamas Charter openly calls for the destruction of Israel, irrespective of borders. It also calls for the murder of all Jews worldwide. Hamas's clear intention was to murder as many Israeli civilians as possible and to use its own civilian population as human shields. But not a word of Hamas's expressly stated intentions appear in the report.
One aspect of the evidence, presented to but not accepted by the Goldstone Mission, was that of Hamas leader Fathi Hammad, who said: "This is why we have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if we are saying to the Zionist enemy: We desire death while you desire life."
These procedural and substantive injustices demonstrate the complete lack of integrity and fairness of the process. It looks like law, but it is not. It is just politics.
The Goldstone Mission is a disgrace to the most basic notions of justice, equality and the rule of law. And it is dangerous. Injustice will only lead to more death and destruction.
The Talmud says "The world stands on three things: truth, justice and peace." These three values are linked. There can never be peace without justice and truth.
The Goldstone Mission is unjust and wanting in truth. It has, therefore, harmed the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
The writer, who has a PhD. in Human Rights Law, is the chief rabbi of South Africa
Israel's respons op de vele rapporten.
Israel's respons op de vele rapporten over de oorlog in Gaza. De navolgende video bevat een briefing op het Israelische ministerie van Buitenlandse zaken over de oorlog in Gaza. Deze briefing was in feite een respons op de tot nu toe verschenen rapporten van verschillende organisaties zoals Human Right Watch. Deze rapporten zijn zonder uitzondering uitermate kritisch over Israel maar klopte het ook en werd de context en de aanloop naar de oorlog ook behandeld? KLIK HIER VOOR DE VIDEO
Israel heeft ook een rapport geschreven van meer dan 160 bladzijden over de oorlog in Gaza, dit rapport kunt u exclusief voor Nederland hier lezen. Het rapport is in het Engels klik hier om te downloaden
Oorlog tegen Hamas
