Interview with Hamas Founder
Der Spiegel posted an interview with Hamas founder Mahmoud Zahar. A few interesting snippets:
SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it's not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true?
Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people [except those they are killing]. At the moment we can't establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don't have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: How would a Hamas-led Islamic state look?
Zahar: There would be no difference from how it looks today, because our customs and traditions in Gaza are already Islamic. Marriage, divorce, daily business -- everything is Islamic. As soon as we have a state, then everyone will have their freedom. Christians will remain Christians, parties could be secular or even Communist.
[If there is going to be no difference in the way things are, why murder so many people to achieve this non-change? Is it only a matter of which person is in charge? What will prevent the next civil war when some new person decides he would like to be the Guy In Charge?]
SPIEGEL ONLINE: If an Islamic state is the ideal, why are there not more of them?
Zahar: If there were free and fair elections throughout the Arab world, Islamic forms of government would win everywhere. Islam is against the corruption, weakening, and materialism which have destroyed societies in Europe and America. Families are broken (in the West); there are AIDS and drugs. We don't have such things here.
America and Europe do not seem noticeably destroyed to me. They seem relatively free and prosperous. While Gaza and many Islmaic societies are beset by poverty, civil war, high unemployment, no freedom of religion or speech, battles in the streets between warring Islamic factions and a declared policy of perpetual Jihad or Holy War against non-believers. I beg to differ as to which societies are healthier.
. . . .
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In the West there is a fear that the Gaza Strip may become a playground for international terrorism. Is this danger real?
Zahar: Our people can't distinguish between resistance and terrorism. We're fighting for the liberation of our land from an occupation. When people in Europe had to fight the Nazis, they were honored, later, as freedom fighters. No one would have called Charles de Gaulle a terrorist.
[Translation: Yes, the danger that the Gaza strip will become a playground for interntational terrorism is very real.]
. . . .
SPIEGEL ONLINE: The militant wings of Fatah and Hamas have been fully armed over the last few months. Are these weapons still in circulation?
Zahar: There are naturally very many weapons around now. Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around €3.50 -- now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America!
_________________________
Your welcome, Mahmoud. It's nice to know that my federal taxes are being so well spent.
Bobcat
SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it's not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true?
Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people [except those they are killing]. At the moment we can't establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don't have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: How would a Hamas-led Islamic state look?
Zahar: There would be no difference from how it looks today, because our customs and traditions in Gaza are already Islamic. Marriage, divorce, daily business -- everything is Islamic. As soon as we have a state, then everyone will have their freedom. Christians will remain Christians, parties could be secular or even Communist.
[If there is going to be no difference in the way things are, why murder so many people to achieve this non-change? Is it only a matter of which person is in charge? What will prevent the next civil war when some new person decides he would like to be the Guy In Charge?]
SPIEGEL ONLINE: If an Islamic state is the ideal, why are there not more of them?
Zahar: If there were free and fair elections throughout the Arab world, Islamic forms of government would win everywhere. Islam is against the corruption, weakening, and materialism which have destroyed societies in Europe and America. Families are broken (in the West); there are AIDS and drugs. We don't have such things here.
America and Europe do not seem noticeably destroyed to me. They seem relatively free and prosperous. While Gaza and many Islmaic societies are beset by poverty, civil war, high unemployment, no freedom of religion or speech, battles in the streets between warring Islamic factions and a declared policy of perpetual Jihad or Holy War against non-believers. I beg to differ as to which societies are healthier.
. . . .
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In the West there is a fear that the Gaza Strip may become a playground for international terrorism. Is this danger real?
Zahar: Our people can't distinguish between resistance and terrorism. We're fighting for the liberation of our land from an occupation. When people in Europe had to fight the Nazis, they were honored, later, as freedom fighters. No one would have called Charles de Gaulle a terrorist.
[Translation: Yes, the danger that the Gaza strip will become a playground for interntational terrorism is very real.]
. . . .
SPIEGEL ONLINE: The militant wings of Fatah and Hamas have been fully armed over the last few months. Are these weapons still in circulation?
Zahar: There are naturally very many weapons around now. Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around €3.50 -- now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America!
_________________________
Your welcome, Mahmoud. It's nice to know that my federal taxes are being so well spent.
Bobcat
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