Cross-posted by guest blogger and contributor,
Maggie at Maggie's Notebook
When considering the avenues open to Israel for peace, it is imperative to keep an historical perspective, even when there may be positive news - such as Hamas being removed from the Palestinian government. Links to updates and background information and at the end of this post:
As a reminder, here's what Israel and the world chooses to ignore:
Following is the text of specific Articles included within the Fatah Constitution, the Hamas Charter, (“Hamas” Articles are taken from “The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas), and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Charter:
Hamas Charter Article 7: Follows just a portion of Article 7, which according to the Hamas Charter, quotes The Prophet Allah:
Fatah Constitution Article 12: "Complete liberation of Palestine and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence."
Fatah Constitution Article 19:
Armed struggle is a strategy and not a tactic, and the Palestinian Arab People's armed revolution is a decisive factor in the liberation fight and in uprooting the Zionist existence, and this struggle will not cease unless the Zionist state is demolished and Palestine is completely liberated.
"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem).
Hamas Charter Article 15: Follows just a portion of Article 15:
The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. 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.(Two paragraphs deleted here)
"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, Moslem, al-Tarmdhi and Ibn Maja).Then just to back-up the fervor of the Palestinians for their mission, there’s this from The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Charter:
"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 Moslem).
Regarding the above PLO Charter Article 15, iris.org says this:
Iris.org - The PLO Charter Article 15: The liberation of Palestine, from an Arab viewpoint, is a national (qawmi) duty and it attempts to repel the Zionist and imperialist aggression against the Arab homeland, and aims at the elimination of Zionism in Palestine. Absolute responsibility for this falls upon the Arab nation - peoples and governments - with the Arab people of Palestine in the vanguard. Accordingly, the Arab nation must mobilize all its military, human, moral, and spiritual capabilities to participate actively with the Palestinian people in the liberation of Palestine. It must, particularly in the phase of the armed Palestinian revolution, offer and furnish the Palestinian people with all possible help, and material and human support, and make available to them the means and opportunities that will enable them to continue to carry out their leading role in the armed revolution, until they liberate their homeland.
“The text is the English version published officially by the PLO, unabridged and unedited.A portion of Article 9 of the Charter states that:
Note, however, that the PLO's translation sometimes deviates from the original Arabic so as to be more palatable to Western readers. For example, in Article 15, the Arabic is translated as "the elimination of Zionism," whereas the correct translation is "the liquidation of the Zionist presence." "The Zionist presence" is a common Arabic euphemism for the State of Israel, so this clause in fact calls for the destruction of Israel, not just the end of Zionism.”
“Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. Thus it is the overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase. The Palestinian Arab people assert their absolute determination and firm resolution to continue their armed struggle and to work for an armed popular revolution for the liberation of their country and their return to it….”The threat of Islam against Israel is a threat against the free world. "Hope" must now abide as we await Mahmoud Abbas. Can he maneuver the miracle that allows Israel to live in peace with it's unfriendly neighbor, Palestine? Does he want to?
Links
Hamas/Fatah/Israel Update
Israel Retaliates - Updated
Who and What are Palestinians?
Arabs Inside Israel Seek Change
Yasser Arafat: The Ugly Legacy Continues
US, EU Restore Palestinian Ties
Breaking Point in the Middle East?
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