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Hamas chief talks to WND
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46738 ^ | Oct 10, 2005 | Aaron Klein

Posted on 10/10/2005 1:05:41 AM PDT by mal

WND: If you knew President Bush were reading this interview, what would you have to say to him?

I am telling him that I think he is doing an enormous historical crime by fighting against Islam and giving Islam adjectives like fascism and terrorism. He is hurting American interests. No honorable person can deny the contribution of Islam to humanity and its development.

Therefore, I say that President Bush puts in danger American interests when he chooses to fight against Islam and describes Islam in a negative way that makes him face 1.3 billion Muslims in the world. It is stupid that a person decides to push the West and Islam into a confrontation. Doing so puts in danger his own interests.

(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hamas; jihad; terrorism; terrorists

1 posted on 10/10/2005 1:05:41 AM PDT by mal
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To: mal
No honorable person can deny the contribution of Islam to humanity and its development.

Then let me be the first to call myself dishonorable.
2 posted on 10/10/2005 1:06:36 AM PDT by English Nationalist
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To: mal
The only contribution islam has given the world is fascism.
3 posted on 10/10/2005 1:08:35 AM PDT by CzarNicky (The problem with bad ideas is that they seemed like good ideas at the time.)
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To: All
ON THE NET...

"www.internet-haganah.us/jihadi/hamas.html"

Google Search Term: "HAMAS"

Google Search Term: "HAMASONLINE"

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "NO LOVE LIKE THE LOVE OF A PALESTINIAN MOTHER" (October 9, 2005)

ALQASSAM.ws - "Ezzedeen ALQASSAM Brigades The Military Wing of HAMAS Movement - Palestine": "UM NIDAL FARHAT: SACRIFICE WITHOUT LIMITS"

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US (REUTERS): "SISTER ENCOURAGED BRITISH SUICIDE BOMBER" (October 9,. 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (TELEGRAPH.co.uk): "HAMAS ENCOURAGES WOMEN TO TAKE UP JIHAD" (October 2, 2005)

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS VOWS MORE ATTACKS Terror Leader Taunts Israel for Vulnerability to Rockets" by Aaron Klein (September 30, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS GETS INTO THE SNUFF VIDEO BUSINESS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "After they kidnapped 51 year old Jerusalem resident Sasson Nuriel, and before they murdered him, Hamas videotaped the man in the manner made popular by Al Qaida in Iraq.") (September 28, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (HAARETZ): "ASSAD SAID TO HAVE GIVEN HAMAS, JIHAD GREEN LIGHT FOR TERRORISM" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier this month gave Hamas and Islamic Jihad representatives in Damascus a green light to carry out terror attacks and escalate fighting against Israel, Israel Radio said Wednesday, quoting a high-level Palestinian Authority intelligence dispatch, which was reportedly passed on to Egypt and Israel. Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim said Wednesday that Israel was aquainted with the dispatch.") (September 28, 2005)
THE COUNTERTERRORISM BLOG: "HAMAS HQ OFFICE IN SAUDI ARABIA" by Matthew Levitt (September 27, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE PAX HAMAS" (September 27, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS SAYS THEY WANT A WAR" (September 23, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE WEBSITES OF HAMAS, THE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THEM SERVICES AND THE THE COUNTRIES THAT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN" (September 25, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS" (September 24, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE MOTHER OF ALL 'WORK ACCIDENTS'" (September 24, 2005)

LittleGreenFootballs.com - Weblog (NY SUN.com): "HAMAS TO CONVERT SYNAGOGUE TO WEAPONS MUSEUM" (September 22, 2005)

INTERNET HAGANAH.US (IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA-ITALIAN, 13Sep 05 - via DailyAlert.org): "HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER: 'AL-QAEDA HAS ALREADY ARRIVED IN GAZA'" (September 18, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (NATIONAL POST): "A STUDENT OF TERROR: HOW A CANADA MAN WAS RECRUITED BY HAMAS" (September 10, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 983: "COMMANDER OF HAMAS MILITARY WING WOMEN'S UNIT: 'Our Members Yearn for Martyrdom'" (September 9, 2005) (Read More...)
INTERNET-HAGANAH.US (YnetNews.com): "HAMAS DEVELOPS IMPROVED ROCKET" (September 6, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS REVEALS 'SECRET' COMMAND SETUP" (September 4, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "SHADOWY HAMAS LEADER RESURFACES IN VIDEO" (August 27, 2005)

JNEWSWIRE.com: "HAMAS: CHRISTIAN ZIONISM IS OUR ENEMY" by Jerusalem Newswire Editiorial Staff (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Hamas terrorist organization has singled out Christian supporters of Israel, putting them on notice that it views their actions as "criminal," making them enemies of the Palestinian Arabs.") (August 22, 2005)
JIHAD WATCH.org (News.TELEGRAPH.co.uk): "HAMAS CLAIMS EVACUATION IS VICTORY FOR THE SUICIDE BOMBERS" (August 21, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS RADIO: Jaffa is the Same as Gaza, Tel Aviv the Same as Rafah" (August 21, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 964: "AN INTERVIEW WITH HAMAS LEADER DR. MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The following are excerpts from an interview with Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar that appeared in Asharq Al-Awsat on August 18, 2005.") (August 19, 2005)
INTELLIGENCE.org.il - INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL STUDIES (C.S.S.): "DISENGAGEMENT NEWS UPDATE NO. 2" (August 17, 2005)

MEMRI.ORG: "AN INTERNVIEW WITH HAMAS LEADER DR. MAHMOUD AL-ZAHAR" (August 19, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=17135_Hamas_Will_Keep_On_Killin&only" (August 20, 2005)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "GOODBYE GAZA, HELLO HAMAS" by John Perazzo (August 24, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): Gaza Strip - "HAMAS VOWS TO CONTINUE FIGHT AFTER PULLOUT" (August 13, 2005)

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS LAUNCHING ROCKET WAR AFTER GAZA EVACUATION Terrorist Group Foresees Massive Attacks as Next Stage of 'Conflict'" (August 6, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=16950_Netanyahu-_Pullout_Will_Endanger_West&only" (August 5, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com (AP): "ABBAS INVITES HAMAS TO JOIN CABINET" (July 2, 2005)

MEMRITV.org - Transcript - Clip No. 731: "HAMAS REPRESENTATIVE IN LEBANON OSAMA HAMDAN: THERE IS A BEGINNING OF EUROPEAN UNDERSTANDING TOWARDS ARMED RESISTANCE" (TRANSCRIPT SNIPPET: "The following are excerpts from an interview with Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan, which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on June 24, 2005") (June 27, 2005)
JIHAD WATCH.org (WASHINGTON TIMES.com): "RICE REJECTS HAMAS CONTACT" (June 19, 2005) (Read More...)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "SO, WAS IT A 'WORK ACCIDENT' OR WAS HE THE TARGET OF AN ATTACK?" (June 15, 2005)

"www.palestine-info.net/english/publish/article_12681.shtml"

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "mojahedun.com: Hamas/Al Qaida joint venture: live and online in the Netherlands" (June 13, 2005)

ALTAVISTA.com - Search Term: "mojahedun"

DANIEL PIPES.org - Weblog: "EUROPE ACCEPTS HAMAS" (June 7, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=16018_Palestinian_Work_Accident_Watch&only" (May 29, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "A POLITICAL PARTY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER..." (May 10, 2005)

DANIELPIPES.org (NEW YORK SUN): "HAMAS vs. AMERICA" (May 3, 2005)

SEATTLE TIMES.com: "BELLEVUE FIRM TIED TO PRO-HAMAS WEB SITE" by Peter Lewis (April 23, 2005)

DANIELPIPES.org (JERUSALEM POST): "SHARING JOKES WITH HAMAS" by Daniel Pipes (April 20, 2005) (Read More...)

AMERICAN DAILY.com: "CANADIAN HOSTED HAMAS INTERNET SITE ADVOCATES KILLING ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER" by Jeremy Reynalds (April 18, 2005)

ARUTZ SHEVA.com: "HAMAS BOMB-MAKER STAR OF SYRIAN PRODUCED TV SERIES A 12-part series on the life of the “father of suicide bombings,” Hamas bomb-maker Yihye Ayyash is set to be aired on the Lebanese-based Hizbullah satellite television station al-Manar." (April 18, 2005)
JIHAD WATCH.org (YNET): "PALESTINIAN GIRL HIDES GUN IN UNDIES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The soldiers in the Balata refugee camp, a terrorist hotbed, found the gunman inside his house and ordered him to surrender his weapon. He refused, saying he didn't have it. After questioning, they found the man's sister had hidden it her underwear. Troops then arrested the Hamas terrorist. They also found a gun holster and bullets inside the building.") (April 16, 2005) (Read More...)
JPOST.com - THE JERUSALEM POST: "WOMAN WALKING WITH FIANCE MURDERED" (Updated April 12, 2005)

WorldNetDaily.com: "HAMAS TERROR MALL IN WEST BANK Nablus shopping center profits going to violent Palestinian group" by Aaron Klein (April 12, 2005)

INTELLIGENCE.org.il - Special Information Bulletin - INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL STUDIES (C.S.S.): "SYRIAN REGIME - PALESTINIAN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: ""The Tunnels of Hell," a movie produced by Hamas' information department and which appeared in a Hamas forum on the Internet on March 24, 2005. The movie praises and glorifies the explosive-packed tunnels.") (April 4, 2005)

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15405_Hamas_Islamic_Honor_Killings&only=yes"

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15250_Hamas_Burning_More_Stuff&only=yes"

"littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15210_Hamas_Burning_Stuff_Again&only=yes"

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS/TURKEY CONNECTION: AQSAVOICE.NET" (March 26, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "ALKOTLA.COM: HAMAS SITE MOVES BACK TO GAZA" (October 9, 2005)

INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "HAMAS SITE IN THE NETHERLANDS: ALKOTLA.COM" (December 25, 2004)

WorldNetDaily.com: "DOCUMENTS SHOW ARAFAT PAID FOR DISCO BOMBING Sent Thank-You Note to Family of Terrorist Who Killed 21, Injured 120" by Aaron Klein (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The attack on the Dolphinarium was one of the most brutal massacres of the Palestinian intifadah, killing 21 people, mostly teens, on a Friday night in June 2001. More than 120 people were injured in the powerful blast carried out by Hamas terrorist Hassan Khutari.") (September 15, 2004)
INTERNET-HAGANAH.US: "THE INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE OF HAMAS" (September 5, 2004)

INTELLIGENCE.org.il - Special Bulletin: "HAMAS Portrait of a Terrorist Organization" (Updated September 1, 2004)

CNS NEWS.com: "MORE ALLEGED HAMAS OPERATIVES LINKED TO DC-AREA THINK TANK" by Scott Wheeler (August 26, 2004)

E-PRISM.ORG - Special Dispatch No. 4-2 (pdf): "HAMAS' SOLIDARITY WITH MUQTADA AL-SADR: Does the Movement fall under the Control of Hizballah and Iran?" by Reuven Paz (August 23, 2004)

E-PRISM.ORG - Special Dispatch No. 4-2 (pdf): "HAMAS' SOLIDARITY WITH MUQTADA AL-SADR: Does the Movement fall under the Control of Hizballah and Iran?" by Reuven Paz (August 23, 2004)

CNS NEWS.com: "ALLEGED TERROR THREAT OPERATES IN DC SUBURB" by Scott Wheeler (July 12, 2004)

INTERNET HAGANAH: "HAMAS LEADER THREATENS USA WITH 'THE SPANISH EXAMPLE'" (April 27, 2004)

WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "HAMAS LINKED TO AREA HOUSING" by Jerry Seper (March 26, 2004)

IACSP.com: "ABDULLAH ASSAM: THE MAN BEFORE BIN LADEN" by Steve Emerson (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Those who met Azzam were dazzled by his spellbinding oratorical skills, his capabilities as a military strategist, his religious leadership, and his interminable energy. Azzam helped bring about the mobilization of the Muslim Brotherhood movement more than any other leader. Today, the military wing of Hamas in the West Bank is called the Abdellah Azzam Brigades.")
GOOGLE Search Term: "QASSAM BRIGADES"

"palestine-info.cc"

"PALESTINE-INFO.CC-French-Communiques"

"PALESTINE-INFO.info/arabic/HAMAS/"

4 posted on 10/10/2005 1:11:49 AM PDT by Cindy
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To: Cindy

These mad dogs must be exterminated.


5 posted on 10/10/2005 1:28:05 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: English Nationalist
"No honorable person can deny the contribution of Islam to humanity and its development."

Islam, from it's invention 1400 years ago has contributed NOTHING to humanity, except bloodshed, misery,Slavery, the destruction of entire civilizations and their culture, and advancements they may have made, and they have kept the entire Middle East in a 7th century stupor, backwards, ignorant, and uneducated. Hamas is right, we can't deny these "contributions" Islam has made to humanity. We must accept these facts about Islam, and destroy this cancer, which will end 99% of the war on this planet, and set a billion people free. Free from poverty, free from the dictators this cult spawns, who use Islam to enslave them, murder them, rape their women and children, and rob them of their right to freedom.

6 posted on 10/10/2005 1:35:19 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Nathan Zachary

That says it pretty much for me too.


7 posted on 10/10/2005 4:20:57 AM PDT by Americanexpat (A strong democracy through citizen oversight.)
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To: mal

Nothing to believe here, move along to truthful threads.


8 posted on 10/10/2005 4:29:07 AM PDT by wolfcreek
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Hamas chief talks to WND-Wants to destroy all of Israel, says Bush 'endangering' U.S. Posted: October 10, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

WorldNetDaily conducted an exclusive interview with Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar, the most senior Hamas member in all of Israel and the Palestinian territories; second in power only to overall Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, who resides in Syria. The conversation has been translated from Arabic by Ali Waked.

WND: Dr. Al-Zahar, you're the leader of Hamas, which has attacked and killed a large number of Israeli civilians. Are you a terrorist?

Mahmoud Al-Zahar

Al-Zahar: If I am a terrorist then there is a need to change the history of America and all of Europe. In this case we must call all the freedom fighters of America, like George Washington, a terrorist. Same for Charles de Gaulle, who fought against the occupation of France. Was he also a terrorist? From [U.S. President George W.] Bush's point of view I am a terrorist, but America which kills children is not a terrorist state? Israel, which has already killed more than 4,800 Palestinians, with more than a third of that number being children, this is also not terrorism from Bush's point of view. Unfortunately, history is being written in dirty ink through a dirty vision.

WND: OK, then what is terrorism?

Al-Zahar: Terror is the use of mass-destruction weapons against innocent and weak people to impose on them your policies and political facts and solutions.

I want to ask about what happened [when America pounded the caves in 2001 during operations in Afghanistan] at Tora Bora? And what happened and is still happening in Fallujah? Are the Americans shooting chocolates and biscuits on the local and innocent population? No, they are shooting missiles.

What about the Americans in charge of their prison in Abu Ghraib, sending dogs on the prisoners. Is this OK? And a president who lies to his people and says the war in Iraq is led in order to abolish the mass-destruction weapons while it was discovered there were no such weapons in Iraq. Is it OK? Is it OK that the Americans who say they want to establish democracy in Iraq nominate a Kurdish agent as president of this country? What about promoting Ahmed Chalabi and [interim Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem] Shaalon, who stole millions in Iraqi currency? Is this democracy or is it no more power of the majority? Is this the cultural and democratic message of Bush to the world?

WND: If you knew President Bush were reading this interview, what would you have to say to him?

I am telling him that I think he is doing an enormous historical crime by fighting against Islam and giving Islam adjectives like fascism and terrorism. He is hurting American interests. No honorable person can deny the contribution of Islam to humanity and its development.

Therefore, I say that President Bush puts in danger American interests when he chooses to fight against Islam and describes Islam in a negative way that makes him face 1.3 billion Muslims in the world. It is stupid that a person decides to push the West and Islam into a confrontation. Doing so puts in danger his own interests.

WND: Hamas has taken responsibility for some of the Qassam rocket attacks before, during and after Israel's Gaza withdrawal. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has now threatened to assassinate you if there are more Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza. What's your response to his threat?

Al-Zahar: These threats of Mofaz do not exist in reality. These are only talks. Mofaz knows that every attempt to hurt the leadership of our movement means the launch of immediate attacks against Israelis living around Gaza, which creates a lot of pressure on the Israeli government, especially after the withdrawal from Gaza. The impact of these threats of assassination on Hamas is positive at the level of the movement and its position among Palestinians. While the impact of our attacks on the Israeli government and society will be very negative.

WND: Was Israel's withdrawal from Gaza a victory for Hamas and other Palestinian groups' so-called resistance operations against Israelis? Did your resistance operations cause Israel to leave Gaza?

Al-Zahar: This is not a matter of analysis and interpretation. [That our operations caused Israel to withdraw from Gaza] is the truth and the reality and we lived this reality during the last few weeks. The withdrawal happened after years of political and diplomatic activity that achieved nothing. The military resistance, the tunnels, the explosions of Israeli military posts, as well as the explosions of tanks and stubborn fighting every time the Israeli army entered our territories, all this is what caused the withdrawal. The resistance caused Israel heavy damages, including on Israeli soldiers and Israeli society. Therefore, the resistance is the Palestinians' main tool and option and will remain so.

WND: Does that mean this kind of resistance you describe will work to get Israel out of the rest of what you say is Palestinian land?

Al-Zahar: That must be the conclusion of [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon from what happened in Gaza. Sharon must realize what brought him to withdraw from Gaza and do the same thing in the West Bank. But if sharon does not understand the message from what happened in Gaza and will try to impose a reality in the West Bank, we will not have any choice.

After years of failed negotiations from 1991 until [the collapse of the Camp David Accords in] 2000, negotiations that took place in every capital in the world brought no results. After all that the Palestinians had no choice other than the resistance. And this is the option that the great majority of our people, except a minority of opportunistic people, is deeply convinced is the best choice because any negotiation with the occupiers will be helpless and will not bring back to the Palestinians any of their rights and it will not free their lands.

WND: Hamas' official website had an article in Arabic that said Qassam rockets will be the future strategic weapon of your group instead of focusing on suicide attacks. The article said you would eventually fire rockets into Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Is this Hamas' plan?

Al-Zahar: These reports are Israeli propaganda. Still Palestinian territories are occupied and if the political negotiations will fail, we have the right to use all the tools we have in order to free our occupied land. ... What is taking place here is not a pure war in which Israel uses pure and clean weapon against us. This is a war in which Israel is responsible for ugly crimes; therefore, it's our right to use every weapon we have.

WND: When you talk of occupied Palestinian land, are you referring to the West Bank and the eastern sections of Jerusalem, or do you mean the entire state of Israel? Let's be clear here. Is your goal the destruction of Israel?

Al-Zahar: No one will deny the fact that before 1948, the state of Israel did not exist and that for thousands of years this land was part of an Islamic and Arabic land. History proves that this is the land of the Palestinian people and we will never give up any part of it. If our generation will not succeed to liberate all of historical Palestine then that mission will be for the following generations.

WND: Let's say Hamas liberates all of Israel and the Palestinians are in control. What would you do with all the Jews and Christians living there?

Al-Zahar: To begin with, I must say that we differentiate between Zionism and Judaism as a religion. I suggest you ask the Christians living among us about their lives. They have very good lives. And let me tell you that it would not be a big surprise if in the future there would be a Christian among the Hamas leadership. In the past on our lists for the professional union elections there was a Christian candidate.

As for the Jews, we must remember that when they were expelled in 1290 by the British, they found a shelter in the Islamic states. This was also what happened when they were expelled by the French in 1302 and in the year 1492 by Spain. And I do not want to mention the German crimes in modern history. In all these cases, the Jews found a shelter and honorable life in the Islamic states. Wasn't there a Jewish minister of finance in the state of Islam when it ruled Spain? He was called Musa ben Maimon. And ask the Jews about their life now in Morocco. The question you pose has no base in history.

WND: If Hamas were in charge, would you ban Western music or mixed functions between men and women? Would you make women wear head-dresses? There have already been reports of Hamas banning music festivals and imposing strict Islamic law.

Al-Zahar: I hardly understand the point of view of the West concerning these issues. The West brought all this freedom to its people but it is that freedom that has brought about the death of morality in the West. It's what led to phenomena like homosexuality, homeless and AIDS.

The Palestinian people are Muslim people and we do not need to impose anything on our people because they are already committed to their faith and religion. People are free to choose their way of life, their way of dress and behavior.

It is wrong to think that in our Islamic society there is a lack of rights for women. Women enjoy their rights. What we have, unlike the West, is that young women cannot be with men and have relations outside marriage. Sometimes with tens of men. This causes the destruction of the family institution and the fact that many kids come to the world without knowing who are their fathers or who are their mothers. This is not a modern and progressed society.

Here I refer to what was said in the early '90s by Britain's Prince Charles at Oxford University. He spoke about Islam and its important role in morality and culture. He said that the West must learn from Islam how to bring up children properly and to teach them the right values.

WND: Palestinian legislative elections are currently scheduled for January. Do you think Hamas will win big? Will your group be a part of the overall Palestinian government?

Al-Zahar: The results of the elections will decide whether we'll be in the government or out of it. We will be part of the parliament, but as for the government we must wait for the results.

About our chances, I can say that in the local Gaza elections we saw good results that surprised the Palestinian polling institutions. In the coming elections our people will choose between the activities and achievements of the Palestinian Authority, which is very mediocre, failed and corrupt, and our activities and work, which has been successful in all fields of life.

The population will be asked to decide between our strong record and powerful plans and those of the PA. By the way, it is not normal that a party that has failed in everything will base its campaign on a slogan that says, "I've got promises for you." We will have a strong and representative list of candidates. Our goal is to achieve a position in which we will be a part of the decision making based on true political partnership.

WND: The Palestinian Authority, backed by the international community, is demanding that you disarm before participating in January's elections. Does Hamas have plans to disarm?

Al-Zahar: In this issue, it is not Hamas against [PA President] Abu Mazen. Abu Mazen will be obliged also to face large parts of his own Fatah movement who are armed. There are also many members in the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and they all carry weapons. Abu Mazen must face other organizations too, like the Popular and Democratic Fronts, the Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance Committees and not only Hamas.

But what reason do they have to ask us and the other organizations to disarm while the enemy is continuing to attack the Gaza Strip and is planning to occupy it? Didn't Sharon bombard Gaza with aircraft after the withdrawal? Didn't he put in position artillery and threaten to use it? If any of this happens, who will defend the Gaza Strip? Will it be the PA that is against any armed struggle and that has never done anything against Israeli attacks? Therefore disarming the organizations is not a possibility. If we are disarmed, how will we face Israel while it is trying to occupy the Gaza Strip again?

WND: If Hamas wins in the elections, will your group focus on building a life for the Palestinians and abandon operations against Israel?

Al-Zahar: The resistance is a tool used to liberate the occupied territories. Once these lands are free, we can speak about other issues. The resistance is not a train that can just be stopped. It exists in order to remove the occupation, and once this happens our activity will focus on rebuilding what was destroyed by the occupation, on developing the economy, the society, the culture, the education and the health car.

Hamas started as a movement that dealt with these civil and social issues in giving our people services in many fields they did not have. We gave them a different level of services. Cleaner, more successful, more committed and more productive. Therefore we don't see ourselves obliged to choose between the armed struggle on the one hand and authority and power on the other hand. We managed all these years to successfully combine the two.

WND: Hamas has admitted to kidnapping and killing Jerusalem resident Sasson Nuriel last month, releasing a video of your members interrogating the Jewish merchant with a blindfold strapped around his head. Should Israel expect more kidnappings of its citizens?

Al-Zahar: The issue of kidnapping is not new. This tool of kidnapping has existed since the '80s and even before. Israeli soldiers Ilan Saadon and Avi Sasportas were kidnapped in order to free our prisoners. And if kidnapping will be the only way to get our prisoners freed, we shall do everything needed. There is occupation, there are prisoners and we have rights to get back, therefore we have the right to use any method in order to get our rights back.

WND: Israel is saying al-Qaida agents are in Gaza. That they were able to enter when the border with Egypt was wide open immediately following Israel's withdrawal of its troops from the area. Is al-Qaida in Gaza? And in general, do you work with al-Qaida?

Al-Zahar: All these talks about the presence of al-Qaida is Israeli talks and propaganda. Israel tries to link al-Qaida, which acts abroad, and the resistance in Palestine in order to gain sympathy in the international community and in public opinion against Hamas and the Palestinian resistance. Israel tried in the past to link the Sept. 11 attacks to the Palestinian resistance.

We know that Israel tried through its agents to have contacts with marginal activists in the Palestinian resistance. The agents represented themselves as al-Qaida members and tried to tempt these people with money and weapons. This is part of the Israeli effort to represent things even though they are not that way, in order to say that al-Qaida exists in the Gaza Strip. I don’t believe there is any presence of al-Qaida in the Gaza strip. We in the Hamas, with the great number of activists we have, why would we need the help of al-Qaida or any other group in order to fight the occupation? We hardly even collaborate with other Palestinian organizations.

WND: A bit of a side question. The PA recently formed a new investigative committee to look into late PLO Leader Yasser Arafat's demise. Do you think PA elements were involved in Arafat's death?

Al-Zahar: I can tell you from the beginning that this committee will never publish its results. It will not do so in order to keep from harm elements and members in the PA. Also, its members do not want Palestinian elements and other personalities and even other states to be involved in their investigation. I, myself, as a doctor wonder what is the disease Arafat supposedly had that cannot be diagnosed and that the big France did not succeed in diagnosing. This is a crime and it is a political issue. And many persons, many elements and many states are not interested in clarifying this story in order to prevent problems. I also believe that Arafat died a long time before the official statement of his death was given. He died at least a week before it was announced.

9 posted on 10/10/2005 5:44:04 AM PDT by SJackson (Palestinian police…in Gaza City…firing in the air to protest a lack of bullets)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

..........................................

Complete article in post 9

10 posted on 10/10/2005 5:46:23 AM PDT by SJackson (Palestinian police…in Gaza City…firing in the air to protest a lack of bullets)
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To: SJackson

Thank you for posting it.

Its good to know your enemy. He is quite articulate, skillful in his lies, and open enough with his hatred.

I usually against publishing the enemy's propaganda, but its good to show it once in a while.

Now, let's kill him.


11 posted on 10/10/2005 6:32:55 AM PDT by Tolik
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To: mal

Seems odd that WND, who frequently criticizes the press, wouldn't correct this idiot. Bush didn't condemn ALL Muslims but spoke to those who are terrorist.


12 posted on 10/10/2005 6:35:16 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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To: Smartaleck
Seems odd that WND, who frequently criticizes the press, wouldn't correct this idiot.

Haven't you heard? WND's Joseph Farah also believes that W is evil and should be removed from office. Just a thought: Why did Hamas think that WND would be a good outlet for its side of the story?

13 posted on 10/10/2005 9:17:47 AM PDT by Constitutionalist Conservative (Have you visited http://c-pol.blogspot.com?)
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To: mal
No honorable person can deny the contribution of Islam to humanity and its development human pain and suffering.

There, that's better.
14 posted on 10/10/2005 9:20:24 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Darwinism is a belief in the meaninglessness of existence - R. Kirk)
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: FrPR

THANK YOU FrPR for the link.


16 posted on 10/10/2005 2:39:33 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: SJackson; Alabama MOM; Shadow5644; DAVEY CROCKETT

Thank you for the Pings......


17 posted on 10/11/2005 3:25:02 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny (Lavender Essential Oil, should be in first aid kit,uses: headaches, sinus,insect bites,sore muscles)
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