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Hamas' "Gift" To Israel on Independence Day
by Khaled Abu
Toameh
May 9, 2014 at 5:00 am
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friends to like this.
The new video clip released by
Hamas should be seen as a response to Abbas's recent claim that the unity
government with Hamas will renounce violence and accept Israel. Hamas leaders
have repeated over the past few days that the unity deal does not mean that
their movement will ever recognize Israel's right to exist. They have also
emphasized their intention to pursue terrorist attacks against Israel.
The unity deal with Hamas will
harm the Palestinians themselves far more than it will harm the U.S., the EU
or Israel.
Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that may soon become part of the
Western-funded Palestinian Authority [PA], has threatened Israelis either to
leave their country or face death.The latest threat came in the form of a video clip published by Hamas' military wing, the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, on the occasion of Israel Independence Day. In the video clip, the terrorist group, which consists of several thousand militiamen in the Gaza Strip, also threatens to assassinate Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping that the recent "reconciliation" deal he signed with Hamas will see the Hamas militiamen become part of his Fatah-dominated and US-trained security forces. The video clip serves as a reminder that Hamas has not -- and will not -- abandon its dream of destroying Israel or renouncing terrorism, even after the group joins a Palestinian unity government headed by Abbas. The video clip was released just as Abbas was holding talks in Doha, Qatar, with Hamas's leader, Khaled Mashaal, to discuss the implementation of the "reconciliation" pact between the two sides. The two men agreed to pursue their efforts to end their differences and form a joint government. Entitled "The End of Hope," Hamas' two-minute video clip is a parody of the Israeli national anthem Hatikvah [The Hope]. The video starts by describing the Israel Defense Forces as a "hopeless and defeated army built of wax." It goes on to say that the Israelis will soon find themselves divided into two parts: those who would be returned to the countries they came from if they chose to do so, and the "stupid and stubborn" ones who insist on staying and would end up "buried under the earth."
The new video released by Hamas should also be seen as a response to Abbas's recent claim that the unity government with Hamas will renounce violence and accept Israel. Hamas leaders have repeated over the past few days that the unity deal with Abbas's Fatah faction does not mean that their movement will ever recognize Israel's right to exist. They have also emphasized their intention to pursue terrorist attacks against Israel. Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have chosen to ignore Hamas's ongoing threats to destroy Israel and continue terrorist attacks. Instead, Abbas is obviously determined to pursue his efforts to achieve unity with the terrorist movement, while at the same time trying to persuade gullible Westerners that the radical Islamists are marching toward moderation and pragmatism. Even worse, Abbas is now seeking to expose Palestinians in the West Bank to Hamas's poisonous messages. Earlier this week, the Palestinian Authority leader issued an order permitting all newspapers published in the Gaza Strip, including those belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, to be distributed in the West Bank areas under his control. This means that Abbas is paving the way for the radicalization of more Palestinians. Ironically, Abbas is helping Hamas and other terrorist organizations undermine his rule in the West Bank. Hamas's words and actions show that the movement is planning to continue working toward the destruction of Israel, regardless of the unity deal with Abbas and his Fatah faction. Abbas, for his part, is continuing with his attempts to scare the Americans and Europeans into providing the PA with additional funds. The message he is now sending to them is, "Hold me back from falling into the open arms of Hamas." It remains to be seen whether those who are funding the Palestinian Authority will succumb to this extortion. Perhaps the time has come for the American and European donors to tell Abbas that this time they are not going to hold him back, and that he is welcome to pursue his efforts to join forces with Hamas and further radicalize his people. The alignment with Hamas is bad not only for the West and the peace process, but also for Abbas himself. Sooner or later, he and his Fatah faction will find themselves devoured by Hamas and other terrorist groups. The unity deal with Hamas will harm the Palestinians themselves far more than it will harm the U.S., the EU or Israel.
Related
Topics: Turkey
| Khaled Abu
Toameh
Libya: Muslim Brotherhood's New Prime Minister
by Anna
Mahjar-Barducci
May 9, 2014 at 4:30 am
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friends to like this.
El Houni said that Maiteeg is not
himself an Islamist, but that he is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, to
which he owes his rise to power.
Islamist militants in Libya now
feel free to act, and lead the country into becoming a safe haven for Muslim
Brotherhood members from Egypt, and to becoming an Islamist emirate.
Libya's interim Congress on May 5 confirmed the appointment of new Prime
Minister, Ahmed Maiteeg, a young businessman backed by the Muslim Brotherhood.Maiteeg's election was controversial. As described by the Libyan Herald, Maiteeg was elected after Congress members persuaded the deputy President to re-run a vote of confidence in him. In the earlier vote of confidence, Maiteeg gained 113 votes, seven short of the figure needed to make him Prime Minister. The Libyan Herald explains that the second vote took place after a number of absent Congress members were summoned by colleagues to come and vote. At that point, apparently, members of Congress started shouting at each other. As a consequence, First Deputy President and independent Congressman from Cyrenaica, Ezzidden Al-Awami, who had chaired the session, decided to close proceedings and departed. It was at this point that Muslim Brotherhood congressmen took advantage of the chaotic situation. Muslim Brotherhood member and Deputy President Saleh Makhzoum decided that it was wrong to end the session, so he continued with the election. Maiteeg passed the 120-vote threshold by one vote. The next day, Makhzoum administered the oath of office to Maiteeg. The day of the PM's swearing in, Libyan writer Mohammed El-Houni gave an interview, translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), to the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya, on the political situation in Libya. In the interview, El-Houni stated that the Muslim Brotherhood is striving to establish a Libyan Islamic emirate. "I believe that they are on their way there," he said. In a second part of the interview, El-Houni said that Maiteeg is not himself an Islamist, but that he is controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood, to which he owes his rise to power.
A few days before Maiteeg's appointment, Ansar Al-Sharia stormed the Benghazi security service headquarters before dawn, and slaughtered nine soldiers. Despite the attack, the Libyan grand mufti, Sheikh Sadiq Ghiryani, defended Ansar Al-Sharia. He stated that to condemn the movement is unacceptable; according to him, there is no proof of their responsibility for the attack. Ghiryani, however, is known for his extremist positions. In 2012, Ghiryani also asked the Ministry of Education to remove passages related to democracy and freedom of religion from school textbooks. Recently, he urged Libya's government to stop importing overly racy lingerie and undergarments, as they contradict the virtue of Islamic modesty. According to Mohammed El-Houni, "Libya cannot possibly see the light at the end of this dark tunnel unless hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets, and say to the Muslim Brotherhood and to Al-Qaeda: 'enough'. The simple people must take to the streets. Hundreds of thousands of people must take to the streets, demanding an end to this foolishness, and calling for the international community to protect them, and to help them establish their state." The future of Libya looks grim now that the Muslim Brotherhood managed to put in power a man loyal to it. In neighboring Egypt, the ex-military chief and presidential candidate Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has said that there would be no future for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood if he wins in the upcoming presidential elections. In a recent interview, Sisi also declared that the Muslim Brotherhood was finished. "I want to tell you that it is not me that finished (the Brotherhood). You, the Egyptians, are the ones who finished it." However, Muslim Brotherhood members from Egypt now have just to cross the Libyan border to find a safe haven and from there build a new base, to threaten the whole of North Africa and the Middle East.
Related
Topics: Anna
Mahjar-Barducci
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