Hamas Will “Build an Islamic State in All of Palestine”
JERUSALEM (Worthy News)– Last week, Hamas Political Bureau member Mahmoud Al-Zahar said that Hamas wants to build an Islamic state in all of Palestine, meaning it would replace Israel, in statements translated by [wp_colorbox_media url=”http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=12815″ type=”iframe” hyperlink=”Palestinian Media Watch”].
“[Some] have said Hamas wants to create an Islamic emirate in Gaza. We won’t do that, but we will build an Islamic state in Palestine, all of Palestine.” [Al-Ayyam, Oct. 1, 2014]
Al-Zahar further said that if Hamas had a military foothold in the West Bank as it does in the Gaza Strip, it would be able to destroy Israel. He alluded to a possible future war of destruction against Israel by citing a Sura from the Quran about “the final promise,” which speaks of destroying “the enemies” and “what they had taken over with [total] destruction” [Sura 17:7]:
“Al-Zahar said that if his movement [Hamas] were to ‘transfer what it has or just a small part of it to the West Bank, we would be able to settle the battle of the final promise with a speed that no one can imagine.'”
His expression “the final promise” is taken from Sura 17:7 of the Quran: “Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies]… to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.'” (trans. Sahih International) By alluding to this passage in the context of Israel, Hamas is promising a future war of destruction against Israel.
The following is a longer excerpt of the report on Al-Zahar’s statements about using the West Bank to destroy Israel and establishing an Islamic state in place of Israel:
Headline: “Al-Zahar: The Hamas movement will build an Islamic state in all of Palestine”
“Hamas Political Bureau member Mahmoud Al-Zahar emphasized that Hamas would ‘build an Islamic State in all of Palestine.’ During a ceremony for the relatives of policemen killed by the Israeli army in Gaza, Al-Zahar said: ‘[Some] have said Hamas wants to create an Islamic emirate in Gaza. We won’t do that, but we will build an Islamic state in Palestine, all of Palestine.’ Al-Zahar said that if his movement were to ‘transfer what it has or just a small part of it to the West Bank, we would be able to settle the battle of the final promise (an allusion to Sura 17:7 of the Quran) with a speed that no one can imagine.’
He continued by saying: ‘We know exactly how to liberate the land of Palestine, and we know how to hit every inch of Palestine with our hands, brains, and money.’ Al-Zahar promised ‘to protect the resistance project, including all its military, police, security and civilian wings.’
On the [issue of the] PA and the transfer of control of the Gaza Strip to the unity government, he said: ‘They relinquished these positions, but we look out for our citizens and our homeland. In no way whatsoever will we allow anyone to harm the resistance project or the dignity of any citizen.'” — [Al-Ayyam, Oct. 1, 2014]