Israel Matzav

Another side to the 'Palestinian' civil war

Oh the Sunnis hate the Shiites
And the Shiites hate the Wahhbis
And the Wahhbis hate the Sunnis
And everyone hates the Jews!

But you knew that already. Or did you? Tell the truth - did you think that the Wahhbis got along with either the Sunnis or the Shiites? I did.

But it turns out that they don't:

Salafism is a branch of Islam that is often referred to as Wahhabi - a derogatory term that many adherents to this tradition avoid using. Salafis believe that Islam declined as a result of foreign innovations (bid'ah) and seek an Islamic revival through the purging of these influences and the emulation of the early generations of Islam.

Unlike Hamas, the Salafis believe that Muslims should not engage in politics. Instead, they argue, Muslims should stick to Islamic activities, particularly jihad, and promote Shari'a rather than an Islamic political program or state.

Followers of Salafism have appeared in different locations in the Gaza Strip over the past few months, drawing sharp criticism from Hamas members. At least two other Salafi sheikhs have been killed in the Gaza Strip and West Bank over the past six months.

Palestinian Authority security forces have blamed Hamas for the assassinations. But Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip on Saturday strongly rejected the allegations, saying those behind the killings were trying to drive a wedge between Hamas and the Salafi followers.

Eyewitnesses told The Jerusalem Post that Adnan Manasreh, 30, a prominent member of the Salafi branch in the Gaza Strip, was gunned down as he walked out of a mosque in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City last Friday. Two of his relatives were wounded in the attack.

"Four masked gunmen approached him and opened fire, killing him instantly," the witnesses reported. "They fled in a white Peugeot."

A senior PA security official in the Gaza Strip told the Post that "Hamas's fingerprints are all over this murder." He said that intelligence gathered by the PA security forces showed that the assassination was carried out by members of Hamas's armed wing, Izzaddin Kassam.

Read it all.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:19 PM