LATEST STATEMENT FROM HAMAS
In a speech from Damascus on January 11, Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’ political leader, spoke on the events arising from Israel’s ongoing 15-day raid on the Gaza Strip:
The edited text of the Saturday televised address follows:
The Zionists wanted to impose a humiliating defeat on us because the only obstacle to confront them is resistance, especially in the Gaza Strip. Perhaps the Zionists, because of the difference between the resistance in Lebanon and Gaza, thought that in comparison with Hezbollah, we were weak and they could regain the reputation of their army following its defeat in Lebanon. They tried to use the territories of Gaza to show their military might.
So this is a battle of demonstrating military strength, a fight or war to impose a defeat on our people. The Zionists thought that we were the weakest. However, the Zionists were surprised by the resistance.
All our supporters in the Arab and Islamic world as well as the West should be sure that the resistance in Gaza is in its best situation.
The resistance was able to absorb the strikes of the enemy and then take the initiative and day by day, we are seeing new surprises by the Palestinian resistance.
Just less than two hours ago we struck the airbase of Balnakhim which is 50 kilometers away from the Gaza Strip
The enemy had assigned aims for itself to achieve. These aims are now lessening with the passing of time. Israel wanted to destroy Gaza, wanted to end Hamas’ control of Gaza as it said, the enemy wanted to destroy the resistance in Gaza, wanted to stop the rockets from Gaza.
But what are the Israelis left with today? They are now focusing and targeting north Gaza and are demolishing peoples’ houses over their heads while trying to enter north Gaza and stop the rockets. However, the heroic resistance has not allowed them to make progress. In the south, they are trying to stop weapons reaching Hamas. They are trying to impose new realities whereby with the new situation they can negotiate for what better suits them, for instance in the Security Council.
They are trying to send a message to the Israeli population that they are victorious; that they have imposed new realities, in order to cover up their defeats in these 15 days. But very frankly the enemy has achieved nothing.
Let us make calculations. What has the enemy achieved? I can say with all confidence according to facts on the ground that from a military perspective the enemy has failed completely. Have they stopped rockets being launched? Now they are talking about ways to stop the rockets. They want to impose new facts on southern Gaza so they can guarantee their security as they allege. But they have not attained any of their aims. So what have they achieved?
The enemy has succeeded in one thing. In addition, to covering up for their loses, Israelis do not confess to their causalities and deaths among their soldiers. They prevent the media from entering into Gaza. Israel tries to cover up these losses by talking about friendly fire and road accidents. But the truth will come out and the Zionists will discover how many people they have lost and the magnitude of their failure in Gaza. They also try to trick the world and show that they have gone deep into Gaza by fabricated TV footage. They depict by means of false pictures that they have entered deep into Gaza.
So what has the enemy succeeded in? The enemy has succeeded in committing murders. Murders against the women and children of Gaza. Israel has grouped people in houses and then destroyed the houses. They kidnap people and then execute them in cold blood.
The enemy has succeeded in bringing about a new Holocaust on Gaza.
Let me now speak to Israelis and Zionists. What have you achieved in this war that you supported? You supported your leaders in going ahead with this war, but what have you achieved besides killing innocent children, breaking skulls and creating an ocean of blood in Gaza?
What have you achieved except a Holocaust that your leaders want to use to win the next elections in February? Palestinian blood is now a means for political achievements in your elections.
You complain about the Holocaust that was committed against you, but you today are now committing an even harsher Holocaust. The Palestinians can now make a museum of your Holocaust in Gaza…
What prevented the US from allowing Resolution 1860 being passed a week or two weeks ago? They wanted to give Israel a chance to kill more Palestinians and claim victory over Gaza. But when the resistance did not back down and Israel failed and when the magnitude of these massacres were uncovered and the USA and those who collaborated in this military campaign witnessed the dissent and intifada among the Muslim masses, which carries with it real danger, at that point they let the resolution pass.
But they took the teeth out of (UN Security Council Resolution) 1860. The resolution is a non-binding cease-fire with no date specified for the cease-fire.
The question now is about who should implement the resolution. Those who started the military campaign in the first place, the Zionists, should implement it and immediately pull out of Gaza. This is logic.
Concerning us, we want the immediate and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the lifting of the unjust siege on Gaza that has led to the current situation.
Our other request is the opening of all border crossings including the Rafah border crossing.
We, with an open mind, will deal with any initiatives and decisions based on these three requests.
Therefore, we will not accept any negotiations for a truce in the light of and under the pressure of a military campaign and siege.
Let the military campaign stop, let the Israelis withdraw, and let the rights of our people be admitted to, let them recognize our rights to live without a siege and closed border crossings, just like other humans, then we are ready to discuss a truce, just like we did before.
We will not accept a permanent truce, because it will take the right of resistance from the Palestinian people. The resistance is against occupation and military campaigns and therefore as long as occupation exists, resistance will too…
We will also not accept the interference of international forces because international forces will come only to protect Israel’s security and any international force imposed will be considered as occupiers.
We will not accept any talks about strengthening the ‘choke hold’ on the resistance concerning its weapons. Some are speaking about the tunnels as if Gaza is a super power with advanced weapons, while we are people with very limited capabilities to defend our territories and ourselves. No body has the right to take our legitimate right for defense and resistance. The US, as if the whole of the Israeli arsenal does not exists, sends hundreds of tons of explosives and artillery shells to Israel.
In this context, we still sent our delegation to Cairo to talk about Egypt’s proposal and other political plans. The November 2005 Rafah crossing agreement, must be reconsidered because this agreement really promoted the blockade on Gaza and we proposed different means and methods.
I call on Mr. Mahmoud Abbas - who called for national unity in the face of Israel’s attacks - to declare to the world that we must agree to a Palestinian partnership between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in Gaza, so that we can reach a firm arrangement in Rafah. This is appropriate choice for you. Anything besides this has no credibility when it comes to national unity.
We supported national unity from day one–nNational unity based upon confronting the military campaign, but this needs honesty and credibility. All political detainees must be freed and the Palestinians in the West Bank must be free to hold protests without being arrested. We saw them arrested of course yesterday. We also call on Mahmoud Abbas to stop cooperating with the enemy and to stop negotiations with the Israelis. There is no future for these negotiations…
And to the Arab countries, by God you abandoned and degraded us. But if you made mistakes in the past go ahead and correct your mistakes before it is to late… I call on Arab countries not to welcome any Israeli official in their capitals.
The Arab leaders must coordinate and be aligned with the will of their people. Moreover, I call on Arab countries that have relations with Israel to tell the Israelis either that they should stop their war, or that the Arab countries will stop their relations.
After this resolution, the Muslim Ummah should not calm down and assume the atrocities are over. Resolution 1860 has not brought about any changes on the ground. Israel refuses the resolution and the battle in Gaza is in its most intense phase. What we need is more stern resistance in Gaza and we need more fierce protests in the Arab and Islamic world and the international community to achieve victory for the people of Gaza. We need a third ‘Intifada’ (uprising) in the West Bank and a revolution in the Arab, Islamic world until the enemy withdraws from Gaza, the siege is lifted and the border crossings are opened.
A very important point is that the Muslim world should stand by us. In spite of all these massacres committed by Israel, some say that we are the problem and the massacres are our fault. These are shameful words. What provided the atmosphere for the Zionists to boost their reputation (among their people) and to increase our wounds and impose new circumstances, for example the separation wall, settlement activities and so on, all happened at the time of negotiations.
Concerning are casualties and wounded, resistance cannot liberate without martyrs and casualties. It is better to achieve victory through martyrs and wounded, instead of having casualties without resistance and victory.
Some express fear that after all the sacrifices, the leadership of the resistance may collapse or make a settlement for example. On the contrary, the blood of our women and children and people will increase our cohesion and determination to achieve our aims. It is unjust that after all these massacres to just go and say lets make a truce. On the contrary, the price of this bloodshed is freedom and to decide our own destiny and to end the occupation and siege.
End.
…terrorists, Charter, Islamists etc. etc. I just like to presuppose what will be written by the willfully outraged when they catch a glimpse of the headline. In seriousness, someone has to publish this - particularly with the nonsense treatment of them as a terrorist organisation by people who know better. I particularly liked “And to the Arab countries, by God you abandoned and degraded us”. Tired, correct, and scathing.
Comment by steffaction — 12 January, 2009 @ 9:27 pm
Great that the PFLP are using a picture from the Edinburgh demo to illustrate their article recognising international solidarity and calling for it to continue;
http://www.pflp.ps/english/?q=aggression-escalates-pflp-calls-takeover-israeli-e
Comment by Eddie Truman — 12 January, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
Hamas correctly identifies that peace with the Zionists is not possible and have dared these cowards and thieves to annihalte them. They have shown that the two-state peace process is a ziocon. The oppressed people of the world salutes the heroic Palestinian resistance in Gaza and mourns but celebrates its heroic men, women and children martyred by the cowardly zionist oppressors and their imperial backers. We are confident that you will prevail and zionism will collapse under the strength of your will and heroism.
Comment by Our hearts are with you — 13 January, 2009 @ 1:02 am
Can we replace Shabba Goy’s idiocy with something from the far more intellectually capable Shabba Ranks?
Comment by Inigo Montoya — 13 January, 2009 @ 1:57 am
Mishal is an abhorrent fascist. Check out his views although you should be aware of them already.
Truly vile.
Comment by this machine kills fascists — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:10 am
I know I should be beyond caring but I am still shocked to find self-proclaimed leftwing UK websites quoting at length and without comment the statements of fascists such as Mishal. What destiny do you imagine Mishal intends for your left wing comrades, especially gay and feminist comrades in his future Palestine?
Comment by John Meredith — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:15 am
Good piece here:
Israel is losing this war
Uri Avnery
NEARLY SEVENTY YEARS ago, in the course of World War II, a heinous crime was committed in the city of Leningrad. For more than a thousand days, a gang of extremists called “the Red Army” held the millions of the town’s inhabitants hostage and provoked retaliation from the German Wehrmacht from inside the population centers. The Germans had no alternative but to bomb and shell the population and to impose a total blockade, which caused the death of hundreds of thousands.
Some time before that, a similar crime was committed in England. The Churchill gang hid among the population of London, misusing the millions of citizens as a human shield. The Germans were compelled to send their Luftwaffe and reluctantly reduce the city to ruins. They called it the Blitz.
This is the description that would now appear in the history books – if the Germans had won the war.
Full text…
http://www.progressive.org/mag/avnery011109.html
Comment by David Ellis — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:28 am
#6:
Well right now the IDF and IAF are in the process of slaughtering more people than cancer in that concentration camp otherwise known as Gaza. Of course, according to them, they are doing so only reluctantly and in the name of human progress.
Fascists are those who practice ethnic cleansing, not those who resist. As things stand, if the Israelis get their way, there will be no Palestine to worry about in the future you describe.
I think at this point, with the Palestinians facing the barbarism of the Israeli war machine, the time to discuss the nuances of Hamas’ orientation towards gays or women is secondary to the demands of resistance. Don’t you think?
Moreover, as a materialist I’m prone to believe that a peoples’ cultural level is inextricably linked to the material conditions of their existence. As such, I would imagine that six decades of oppression and occupation could be a factor in determining the outlook and worldview of at least some of the victims of said oppression and occupation.
Comment by John Wight — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:44 am
Take a look at this amazing footage by a Korean News Team from Occupied West Bank about a year ago:
http://www.deepdishtv.org/News/Default.aspx?id=80
By the way, I’m getting these from postings on Louis Proyect’s Marxism List.
Comment by David Ellis — 13 January, 2009 @ 11:33 am
‘Hamas correctly identifies that peace with the Zionists is not possible and have dared these cowards and thieves to annihalte them. They have shown that the two-state peace process is a ziocon. The oppressed people of the world salutes the heroic Palestinian resistance in Gaza and mourns but celebrates its heroic men, women and children martyred by the cowardly zionist oppressors and their imperial backers. We are confident that you will prevail and zionism will collapse under the strength of your will and heroism.
Comment by Our hearts are with you —’
Is this a spoof?, i sincerely hope so
Comment by frenetic — 13 January, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
#7. The Nazis would have been more likely to say “Stalin and his criminal gang of Judeo-Bolshevik commissars held the millions of inhabitants hostage…”. This was the kind of phrasing used in their actual propaganda leaflets during the war. But a good post.
Comment by Faust — 13 January, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
The left is becoming utterly unrecognizable.
Comment by sad — 13 January, 2009 @ 1:53 pm
I’d love to see you peace-loving people out on the streets for the Congolese, the Zimbabweans, the Kurds, the Darfuris, the Somalis, the Burmese, the Tibetans, the Muslims in China, the Chechens. Ooops, sorry, but they aren’t being “oppressed” by the Jews, so they don’t count. Call yourselves Socialists. You are nothing but a bunch of crypto-Nazis.
Comment by Yerterrorists — 13 January, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
I’d love to some SWPers out on the streets for the Congolese, the Zimbabweans, the Kurds, the Darfuris, the Somalis, the Burmese, the Tibetans, the Muslims in China, the Chechens. Ooops, sorry, but they aren’t being “oppressed” by the Jews, so they don’t count. Call yourselves Socialists. You are nothing but a bunch of crypto-Nazis.
Comment by Yerterrorists — 13 January, 2009 @ 6:58 pm
I’d love to see Yerterrorist come out on the streets for just about anyone actually. Can’t imagine it though.
Comment by johng — 13 January, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
#13 and 15. For once in my life I agree with the SWP (johng). As it happens I have demonstrated for/with Zimbabweans, Kurds and Tibetans, so I score three points in “Yerterrorists” game. How many of these groups has he/she demonstrated for/with? Do tell us.
Not that I agree with much with John Wight’s posts…
Comment by ross bradshaw — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
#16. Stop press! I just remembered that I demonstrated for some Darfuri and Congolese refugees too, so I get five points. What is your score “Yerterrorists”?
Comment by ross bradshaw — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
#16, John Wight is posting Hamas statements which I think is useful, I don’t get to read them other than on SU.
Alexander Cockburn has an interview with Khaled Meshal on Couterpunch;
http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn01092009.html
I don’t see any accusations of anti Semitism made against him.
Comment by Eddie Truman — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
Everyone must fight against any expression of sick anti-semitism that should arise at any time.
However, the religious views, if any, of those nazis currently carrying out acts of cold-blooded mass slaughter in Gaza is utterly irrelevant.
Were those who fought Hitler predudiced against Austrians? Were Mussolini’s opponents driven by anti-Italian predudice?
What about people who struggled against the Franco dictatorship? Were they anti-catholic?
No, they were anti-nazis and anti-fascists, just as those who, today, oppose Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians are driven by powerful feelings of anti-fascism and a determination that nazism such as this must be defeatead.
Comparing the attitudes and actions of the Israeli government and military to those of the nazis may well offend supporters of the Israeli government, but it is a filthy lie to accuse those who make this comparison of predudice against any religion.
We’re only predudiced against fascism and nazism.
Comment by Karl Stewart — 13 January, 2009 @ 10:52 pm
The Hamas leader haughtily discards peace proposals for tragic Gaza.” No permanent ceasefire” – but nothing is permanent mate. “No international presence” – it’s the best on offer and most are not Zionist agents.” No to cessation of arms importation” - it’s all very well for him to say that the Palestinians can “absorb” Israeli attacks but how is that in the best interests of Gaza people today?
It seems to me that left wingers that are pro Hamas resistance are frustrated armchair urban guerillas that would sacrifice the innocent population of Palestine in the hope that the situation will bring on the global hegemonic crisis so desired. But in the meantime there are rents to be paid and pension contributions to be made, here, not in Gaza of course, they can all die as an abstract symbol of sanctimonious resistance.
Comment by Hugh — 13 January, 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Alexander Cockburn has an interview with Khaled Meshal on Couterpunch;
http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn01092009.html
I don’t see any accusations of anti Semitism made against him.
http://www.hurryupharry.org/2005/02/27/counterpunch/
Now you have.
Comment by Gene — 14 January, 2009 @ 2:54 am
It’s a good job you ideological socialist dinosaurs sprinkled with Islamo-fascism are entirely irrelevant to the mainstream political debate. A world run by you inadequates would truly be a disaster.
Comment by Bob — 14 January, 2009 @ 3:13 am
no Bob North Korea and Iran are beacons of light in a darkening world of the zionazis or something….
Comment by Fred — 14 January, 2009 @ 8:17 am
From Hansard;
Sir Gerald Kaufman: Is it not an incontrovertible fact that Olmert, Livni and Barak are mass-murderers and war criminals— [ Interruption. ] Yes. And they bring shame on the Jewish people whose star of David they use as a flag in Gaza, but whose ethos and morals go completely against what this Israeli Government are doing.
Comment by Eddie Truman — 14 January, 2009 @ 8:28 am
” don’t see any accusations of anti Semitism made against him.”
He leads an organisation which has as a charter aim the genocide of the Jews. Alexander Cockburn may not see anything antisemitic about that (it is hard to imagine what Cockburn would recognise as antisemitic) but I think most people would recoil.
Comment by John Meredith — 14 January, 2009 @ 12:33 pm
Hamas doesnt call for a ‘genocide’ against Jews, in its charter it called for ‘destruction of Israel which is illeagaly built on our land’ however Hamas has evolved and is prepared to recognized Israel when it withdraws to pre-1967 borders and gives east Jerusalem as palestinian capital.
Comment by JG — 28 January, 2009 @ 9:28 am