Zahar's Hamastan
Hamastan's Prime Minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar,
once twice smuggled more than $20 million in
cash into Gaza in suitcases. He was interviewed today by Germany's
Der Spiegel and talked about his
'vision' for Hamastan's future. Israel, he's counting on us - to continue to treat Gaza's ill people in our hospitals. But he says there's 'no political horizon' with Israel. What's missing? He doesn't mention that Hamas will never recognize Israel's right to exist. Who does he think will operate those hospitals if Israel goes away? Oh yes, and he also thinks we will have to keep supplying him with electricity and water and that Fatah will have to share its newfound riches with him.... And watch out for
Hamas suicide bombers against Fatah in Judea and Samaria!
SPIEGEL ONLINE: What will Hamas' future relationship to Israel be? Zahar: We are ready to speak with everyone about everything. Of course we have to speak with the Israelis, de facto, for example over trade. We also have to speak with them about cross-border issues, like the movement of severely ill patients and protection from bird flu and how we can avoid environmental catastrophes. We won't discuss politics, because the Israelis have no political agenda with us. The political agenda of Condoleezza Rice and Ehud Olmert with President Mahmoud Abbas consists of trading kisses every two weeks -- but with empty hands. We will only talk about essential things.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: At the moment there are no attacks on Israel by Hamas' military wing. Is this a new doctrine?
Zahar: Yes, at the moment we have to deal with two enemies at the same time. Also, the Israelis have halted their aggression. That's a direct result of our attacks on Sderot (in Israel) -- the Israelis have suffered too much. Thousands of citizens had to leave (Sderot), and the Israeli government had to pay for their hotels. Factories and offices in Sderot also had to close.
...
SPIEGEL ONLINE: There has been talk in Israel about turning off electricity, water, and gas in Gaza. Could the people in Gaza starve?
Zahar: In that case Israel would have to open its borders. People wouldn't starve to death before violently storming the borders. Israel also loses $2 million in business income for every day the border stays closed.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: The international community plans to release all the aid money it has withheld from Palestinians for over a year to the Fatah government in the West Bank. Will the West Bank become a kind of luxury-Palestine, while the Gaza Strip starves?
Zahar: Fatah in the West Bank will receive money, and they will have to pass it on to Gaza. If it doesn't, it will lose Gaza forever. We would also have to search for alternatives. We have a very good image among people throughout the Arab world. If we want, we can get $5 million per month in donations from Egypt. We have also received money from foreign countries in the past -- $82 million from Kuwait, $50 million from Libya. I personally once brought $20 million from Iran to the Gaza Strip in a suitcase. No, actually twice -- the second time it was $22 million.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: What will improve for people in Gaza now that Hamas is in control?
Zahar: The good thing is that we can now collect information about our enemies and informants from foreign powers. We will look for Israel's spies.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Last week there were street battles in the West Bank between Fatah and Hamas militias. Fatah maintained the upper hand. How will Hamas loyalists defend themselves in the event of any new fighting?
Zahar: Let me ask you: How have we defended ourselves so far against the Israeli occupation? SPIEGEL ONLINE: With bombs and attacks?
Zahar: Exactly. But you said that, not me.
P.S. Thank you America for all those weapons:
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!
P.P.S. No one will ever take this guy seriously unless he gets rid of that wart on his nose :-)
'Palestinian' Civil War Update - Mortars shot at Mazen's office; Zahar survives assassination attempt
The 'Palestinian' Civil War continued throughout the day today. In Gaza City, two mortars were fired at the office of 'moderate' Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen. YNet reports that
six people were injured, including five 'security officers' and a 45-year old woman. The 'moderate' 'Palestinian Preident' was in his Ramallah, Samaria office at the time.
Earlier today, a 19-year old woman died of wounds sustained when she was caught in cross-fire between Fatah and Hamas terrorists in Gaza City and shot in the chest. Rumor has it that the
United Nations Human Rights Council will not be sending Bishop
Desmond Tutu to investigate this shooting.
In the northern Gaza Strip, 'gunmen' opened fire on a 'procession' organized by the 'moderate' Fatah movement. Eyewitnesses reported that at least three people were injured.
YNet also reports that about 4,000 'gunmen' from the 'moderate' Fatah-affiliated Presidential Guard (also known as
Force 17) and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades took over the 'Transportation and Agriculture Ministries' in Gaza. Hamas referred to the incidents as a "military coup," and Palestinian
Foreign Minister Chief Money Smuggler Mahmoud al-Zahar demanded that the offices be evacuated. No word yet on whether that has happened.
The Jerusalem Post reports that al-Zahar was the victim of an
assassination attempt this morning.
Earlier Sunday, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar's convoy came under fire as it passed through Gaza City, and members of his Hamas movement accused Fatah rivals of trying to assassinate him.
The shooting took place as Zahar, a senior Hamas official, was traveling near the Foreign Ministry. "It appears the target was Dr. Zahar," said Taher Nunu, a spokesman for Zahar.
Hamas officials said Zahar was unharmed, and there were no other injuries. But the shooting added to the rising tensions between Fatah and Hamas.
Better luck next time....
Palestinian Civil War Watch - A-Zahar spits on officer who demands wages
Palestinian foreign minister Mahmoud a-Zahar, who had
$450,000 in cash stolen from his Kuwait hotel room last month,
spit in the face of a 'Palestinian police officer' today after the officer asked a-Zahar to bring back money from Egypt to pay his salary.
When a-Zahar arrived at the crossing on his way to Egypt, from where he planned to tour various destinations in Asia, he heard a police officer at the border request of his driver to ask when salaries – which haven’t been paid since the beginning of March – would be paid.
The crossing manager, Samir Abu Nahala, told London’s pan-Arab newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi that he heard the officer tell the chauffeur: “Tell him to fix our salaries when he’s on these trips that he’s taking.”
According to Abu Nahala, these words enraged a-Zahar, who screamed at the policeman “You aren’t civilized” and spit in his face. A similar version of the story was recounted by police who were on the scene. Border police hurried to interfere, and pulled away the police officer after the two started cursing at each other and even pushing.
The report said that a-Zahar then returned to his car, called someone and demanded that “this policeman be educated.”
But it gets better...
But the story didn’t end here. According to Abu Nahal, a short time afterwards, some 50 armed gunmen from the Izz a-Din al-Qassam brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, along with members of the new security unit established by Hamas, showed up at the crossing and spread out in the territory for some 45 minutes. In addition, a senior official in the Foreign Ministry instructed that the policeman‘s behavior be immediately investigated owing to his lack of manners and his “unbecoming conduct” towards the foreign minister.
The minister’s media advisor, Taher al-Nunu, confirmed the incident and said that it happened after the policeman demanded, “Are you going to bring money or what?!” which riled a-Zahar. A source in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry added that the argument erupted after the policeman “insulted a-Zahar and the Palestinian government, attempted to humiliate him and make mockery of the government and its efforts, and behaved very rudely towards the minister.”
Read the whole thing.
Was Palestinian Authority 'foreign minister'
Mahmoud al-Zahar invited to China? Or wasn't he?
Chinese embassy spokesman Lu Jing on Tuesday denied Hamas Palestinian Authority foreign minister Mahmoud al-Zahar's claim that he had been invited to China.
"No, never," Lu replied when asked if Beijing had followed Turkey and Russia's lead and invited a high-ranking Hamas official for talks in Beijing.
He also said he did not know of any intention to invite a Hamas official in the near future.
Zahar, after meeting in Gaza with Yang Wei Guo, the Chinese representative to the PA, told reporters he was going to China.
Yang did not comment on Zahar's planned visit, and said that his discussions with Zahar focused on "the joint relations and the bilateral projects, and we hope to continue and strengthen the cooperation and friendship in the future."
Responding to the meeting between Yang and Zahar, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, "If Hamas can get recognition without changing its positions, there is no chance it will become more moderate."
Zahar's announcement of an imminent trip to China came a day after Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that the organization, which is trying to break out of international isolation, had held talks with French and Indian diplomats. The French denied this, while the Indians had "no comment."
Israel has informed the Chinese, as it has other nations around the world, of its position that Hamas should be denied international legitimacy until it recognizes Israel, renounces terrorism, and accepts previous agreements with Israel. The matter is to be raised anew by Israel's ambassador to Beijing on Wednesday.
Hamas' Zahar denies report that Hamas won't back Iran
Iran's FARS News is claiming that Hamas 'foreign minister' Mahmoud al-Zahar is denying a
BBC report that claimed that Zahar said that
Hamas would not attack Israel if Israel attacks Iran.
BBC Persian's website alleged in a report on Wednesday that the No. 2 Hamas official in the Gaza Strip has assured that his movement would not take any action in the face of an Israeli attack on Iran.
Al-Zahar strongly rejected the BBC claim as unfounded and a lie.
"Retaliation with utmost power is the position of Hamas with regard to a Zionist war on Iran," Zahar told FNA on Wednesday afternoon.
Zahar rejected the possibility of any Israeli aggression against Iran, but meantime, reiterated that Hamas will give a crushing response to not only the Zionists but also to "whoever helping them" in such an attack.
Consider the source: Is this wishful thinking? I'd like to see a video of Zahar saying that before I believe it.
Labels: Hamas, Iranian nuclear threat, Israeli attack on Iran, Mahmoud al-Zahar
Mahmoud al-Zahar: "We will never recognize Israel"
German daily
Der Spiegel has an interview today with '
Palestinian foreign minister' Mahmoud al-Zahar, the carrier of
cash-filled
suitcases. Zahar spent much of the summer in hiding to avoid arrest by the IDF, but he has now apparently emerged. Here is some of his interview:
SPIEGEL: But you reject a two state solution?
ZAHAR: We will never recognize Israel. The Zionists have occupied our land like the Nazis did with France during the Second World War. Israel is a foreign element in the Middle East. Why don't the Jews establish their state in Europe?
...SPIEGEL: Is there an internal struggle within Hamas?
ZAHAR: There are different opinions. But the big majority supports the resistance. The kidnapping of the Israeli soldier was the only way to release our brothers and sisters who are detained in Israel.
SPIEGEL: Western mediators say Israel would have been ready for an exchange deal. But Iran is said to have paid Hamas $50 million in order to torpedo the deal.
ZAHAR: This is Zionist propaganda. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is the one who is preventing a deal. I call on the family of the kidnapped soldier to pressure their government to do everything possible to release their son.
Does anyone really believe that Israel can negotiate with the likes of Zahar? This is whom the 'Palestinians' have chosen as their representative in 'free and fair elections.' What does this say about the 'Palestinian people's' desire for peace? It seems pretty obvious to me. They're not interested.
Palestinian Civil War Watch - Zahar accuses Abbas of 'paralyzing' government
This evening, Hamastan 'foreign minister' Mahmoud Zahar has accused 'Palestinian President'
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen of 'paralyzing' the Hamas-led government. Let's get the violin out:
Zahar also accused Abu Mazen of
disrupting the work of the Hamas cabinet. Zahar's anger at Abbas is the result of Abbas' issuing a series of "presidential decrees" that undermined the powers of the Hamas cabinet. "Some of the ministries are either paralyzed or have stopped functioning because of these decrees," he said. "The Interior Ministry is totally paralyzed and is unable to provide services to the public because of these decrees and other appointments [made by Abbas]."
Zahar was referring to Abbas's decision to prevent the establishment of a new security force, consisting largely of Hamas militiamen, and the appointment of Rashid Abu Shabak, a former security commander, as director-general of internal security. Both these decisions have been openly challenged by Hamas.
These two issues, along with the severe financial crisis in the PA, were the key items on the agenda in a meeting that was held on Saturday night in Gaza City between Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The meeting, which lasted for nearly three hours, came amid increased tensions between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party.
According to sources close to both parties, Abbas pressed Haniyeh to adopt a more "pragmatic" position toward Israel and the peace process to help resolve the financial crisis. In other words, say the magic words and the world will rain money on you - you can always revoke them later.
Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council, said the financial crisis was "politically-motivated."
He accused the previous Fatah cabinet of adding 30,000 civil servants shortly before Hamas took over. He revealed that the previous cabinet also promoted thousands of Fatah-affiliated employees after the parliamentary election, increasing the burden on the PA treasury. (I don't doubt either of those accusations by the way).
According to the Jerusalem Post, Zahar also claimed that he met with a European foreign minister during a recent trip to Arab countries, and that he believes that the EU decision to suspend all aid to Hamastan will soon be reversed (it very well might be).
But here's what may be the funniest part of all. Zahar expressed reservations about the 2002 Saudi peace initiative, saying the Hamas cabinet had studied it thoroughly. He said the cabinet had two reservations about the initiative: recognition of Israel and normalization of ties. He added that the road map plan for peace in the Middle East was also not relevant "because Israel had already made 14 reservations about it."
What else was Hamas asked to do under the ridiculous Saudi initiative (which is a non-starter for Israel in any event)?
Zahar: Hamas will accept state on '67 borders... for now
Hamas foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar says his organization will accept a 'Palestinian state' based on the 1967 borders...
for now (Hat Tip:
Stephen D).
Hamas would accept a Palestinian state "on any part of Palestine," he said in an interview with Palestinian news agency Ma'an. Hamas has previously said it is willing to temporarily accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. The ultimate goal, however, would be a state of "Palestine in its entirety," Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal told Charlie Rose last year.
At the same time, Zahar said that Hamas would not recognize Israel, because doing so would "cancel the right of the next generation to liberate the land." He added that recognition of Israel could lead to Palestinian refugees losing their right of return.
"What will be the fate of the five million Palestinians in the diaspora?" Zahar asked.
The Hamas leader told the Palestinian news agency that his faction's unity deal with Fatah, which included maintaining a ceasefire with Israel is "part of the resistance, not a cancellation." He added that "a truce is not peace."
And they actually believe that we would agree to this?
But what may be the best part is Zahar's explanation for why Abu Bluff isn't going to be visiting Gaza anytime soon.
Zahar also said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not visit Gaza soon. One of the reasons, he said, is that he can not guarantee that "Israel will not send its infiltrators to shoot Abbas" or that some Palestinians may "come out and throw rocks at him."
What could go wrong?
Labels: Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Mahmoud al-Zahar, two-state solution
Zahar: Hamas will accept state on '67 borders... for now
Hamas foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar says his organization will accept a 'Palestinian state' based on the 1967 borders...
for now (Hat Tip:
Stephen D).
Hamas would accept a Palestinian state "on any part of Palestine," he said in an interview with Palestinian news agency Ma'an. Hamas has previously said it is willing to temporarily accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. The ultimate goal, however, would be a state of "Palestine in its entirety," Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal told Charlie Rose last year.
At the same time, Zahar said that Hamas would not recognize Israel, because doing so would "cancel the right of the next generation to liberate the land." He added that recognition of Israel could lead to Palestinian refugees losing their right of return.
"What will be the fate of the five million Palestinians in the diaspora?" Zahar asked.
The Hamas leader told the Palestinian news agency that his faction's unity deal with Fatah, which included maintaining a ceasefire with Israel is "part of the resistance, not a cancellation." He added that "a truce is not peace."
And they actually believe that we would agree to this?
But what may be the best part is Zahar's explanation for why Abu Bluff isn't going to be visiting Gaza anytime soon.
Zahar also said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not visit Gaza soon. One of the reasons, he said, is that he can not guarantee that "Israel will not send its infiltrators to shoot Abbas" or that some Palestinians may "come out and throw rocks at him."
What could go wrong?
Anti-Zionism, Hamas style
Hamas 'foreign minister' Mahmoud al-Zahar gave a speech in Khan Yunis over the weekend in which he explained his ideas about
anti-Zionism.
The Jews will soon be expelled from Palestine that same way they were kicked out by France, Britain, Belgium, Russia and Germany, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said over the weekend.
“The only nation that received the Jews after they were expelled was the Islamic nation, which protected them and looked after them,” Zahar said in a speech in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip over the weekend.
“But they have no place here amongst us because of their crimes. They will soon be expelled from here and we will pray at the Aqsa Mosque [in Jerusalem].”
Zahar claimed that Jews were expelled in the past “because they betrayed, stole and corrupted these countries.”
Zahar called for unity with Fatah as representatives of the two parties prepare to hold another round of reconciliation talks in the Syrian capital of Damascus this week.
“Let’s join ranks and speak in one voice,” Zahar said in his appeal to Fatah. “Together, with blood, we could liberate our lands and holy sites. You have tasted the bitterness of arbitrary negotiations.” He said that Hamas was making “big efforts” to ensure the success of reconciliation talks with Fatah.
Anyone still want to argue that there's a difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism?
Labels: anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, Fatah, Hamas, Mahmoud al-Zahar
The leader of the 'Palestinian state'?
Hamas 'Foreign Minister' Mahmoud Zahar warns that things
could get violent if
'moderate' '
Palestinian' President
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen comes to Gaza.
This is from the first link. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has no intentions of visiting the Gaza Strip in the near future, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar told London-based al-Quds al-Arabi, hinting that there may be threats on Abbas's life should he choose to do so.
Zahar stressed that Hamas was not interested in jeopardizing the internal security situation in the Gaza Strip should Abbas decide to visit and cause internal Fatah violence to occur as a result of "unsettled accounts."
According to al-Quds al-Arabi, Zahar may have been referring to the ongoing conflict between the Palestinian Authority president and ex-Fatah official and strident Abbas critic Muhammad Dahlan.
Or maybe Hamas itself would like Abu Mazen dead.
Zahar also dismissed any attempts by Abbas to rekindle the stalled reconciliation process between Hamas and Fatah's leadership as futile, saying of the failed process: "the [reconciliation] agreement was completed [in Cairo], but it's implementation is defunct."
Zahar dismissed any sort of talks that have occurred between officials in Fatah and Hamas of being concerned simply with "peripheral matters."
But just give them a 'state' and they'll figure out later what territory it 'controls.' You mean that's not what the
Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States says? Oh well....
Labels: Abu Mazen, Fatah, Hamas, Mahmoud al-Zahar, Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome
David Bedein has an important article in today's Front Page Magazine.com:
The Radicalization of Palestine
In an "open letter to the Hamas leadership," Jenin attorney Ghassan Barham congratulated Hamas on its victory and then proceeded to propose an agenda for any new PA government. The agenda included reform, end of poverty and the implementation of government decisions.
Yet Barham makes it clear that he shares Hamas's strategy. He said the Palestinians want Hamas to confront Israel, Europe and the United States and not to blink in the face of threats to cut off foreign aid.
Barham also saw no benefit to dealing with Israel: "Negotiations with Israel achieved nothing except for corruption," Hijazi said. Hamas has released its agenda that stresses control of the PA, including security agencies, as well as war against Israel.
Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip, Mahmoud Zahar, said any government led by his movement would place security at the top of the agenda. In an interview with Egyptian Nile television on February 7, Zahar also stressed honest government, justice and transparency in finances and investment.
But the top of the Hamas agenda was Israel. Zahar pledged that Hamas would not recognize Israel or end its war against the Jewish state.
"Hamas will not abandon or budge a single inch from the Palestinian people and will keep its weapons as long as the Israeli occupation remains in Palestinian lands," Zahar said.
Zahar dismissed fears that the PA would lose foreign funding from the West. He said Arab and Islamic countries would significantly increase aid.
"Around 60 percent of the PA funds comes from those countries, thus, we are aspiring to maintain such aid and increase them if possible," Zahar said. "Hamas enjoys political flexibility without giving up Palestinian legal rights."
...
Masha'al said on February 8th: "Any truce would be long-term but limited, because there's a Palestinian reality the international community must deal with. There are those kicked out of their land in 1948, the international community must find a solution for those people."
"When Israel changes, come and ask me to change," Masha'al added.
The Palestinian Authority has also halted condemnation of Palestinian attacks on Israel.
Instead, the PA has directed its attention against Israeli retaliation.
The PA media no longer criticizes the daily Palestinian missile attacks from the Gaza Strip against Israel. The attacks have been conducted largely by the ruling Fatah movement and Islamic Jihad.
PA-owned newspapers and electronic media now refer to every Palestinian who attacks Israel as a "martyr," a term that often makes his family eligible for aid. This term applies to all those Palestinians who wage attacks, regardless of their target – even if it is the Gaza Strip border terminal at Karni, the main crossing point for cargo to and from the area.
Fatah, for its part, also announced that the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the Gaza Strip has acquired an extended-range rocket; it is said to have a range of 13-16 kilometers and a more powerful warhead that contains TNT. Until now, Fatah has used the Kassam-2 missile developed by Hamas. Fatah said it has also acquired Soviet-origin Grad missiles.
On February 9, the Palestinian Human Rights Center reported that a Palestinian rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck a home in Beit Lahiya. The center said the rocket traveled 300 meters and struck the home belonging to Sabr Mohammed Abdul Dayem. The rocket exploded in the living room.
Read the whole thing.
Awww... Hamas bigwig says Abu Mazen drive for reconciliation a hoax
Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar says that
'moderate' '
Palestinian' President
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen's drive for reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah is
a hoax.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is not serious about reconciliation with Hamas, which is evident by his continued postponement of the process of forming a unity government, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told pan-Arab daily Asharq Alawsat in an interview published Wednesday.
According to Zahar, Abbas is unfit to "meet the requirements of reconciliation," and has set untenable deadlines for the formation of a government early next year and legislative and presidential elections in May.
Zahar said the main obstacle standing in the way of Hamas-Fatah reconciliation was Abbas's reliance on what he called the "US-Israeli axis." According to the Hamas leaders, Abbas's "connection with the US" makes forming closer ties with Hamas difficult.
According to Khaled Abu Toameh,
Zahar may actually be correct. But the feeling is mutual.
Hamas officials revealed that the PA security forces have arrested or summoned for interrogation 23 supporters of the Islamist movement in the past few days in violation of the understandings reached between Abbas and Mashaal. Half of the detainees were rounded up in the past 48 hours, the officials said.
...
In Ramallah, PA security forces arrested Omar Awwad, 55, and four of his sons, sources close to Hamas said. They said that they were arrested as a means of pressure to force a fifth son, Abdel Rahman, to hand himself in to PA security forces. Rahman is wanted for membership in Hamas.
In Nablus, PA security forces summoned for interrogation eight Hamas supporters who were recently released from Israeli prison, the sources said.
In Tulkarm, Bara’a Qarawi, the son of a Hamas legislator, said he would not report for interrogation after being served with a summons earlier this week.
Two university students who also received summons’s for interrogation by PA security forces said they would not comply, the sources added.
A Hamas official said that at least 93 supporters and members of the movement were being held in detention in various PA prisons. He said that 40 of the detainees were from Hebron and 20 from Nablus.
...
Fatah, for its part, accused Hamas security services of arresting and harassing Fatah supporters in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Abdullah Nofal and Muhammad Nawajha, two Fatah-affiliated university students, were picked up by Hamas security officers, Fatah activists said.
The activists said that dozens of Fatah supporters have been summoned for interrogation and were being banned from leaving the Gaza Strip.
Since the beginning of the week, Hamas has also arrested four Palestinian journalists for allegedly being affiliated with Fatah. The four are Salah Abu Salah, Mahmoud Abu Riyaleh, Hani al-Agha and Ziad Awad.
A fifth journalist, Manal Khamis, has been repeatedly summoned for interrogation by Hamas security officers, who also confiscated computers and documents belonging to the journalists.
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Labels: Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Mahmoud al-Zahar
Hamas' Zahar: 'We need a foothold in 'West Bank' to finish Israel off quickly'
For those of you who think that 'negotiating' with a 'Palestinian Authority' that includes Hamas is no big deal, please consider the words of Hamas Foreign Minister
Mahmoud al-Zahar, a doctor who
slits throats for a living. This is from the first link.
Last
week, Hamas Political Bureau member Mahmoud Al-Zahar stated that Hamas
wants to build an Islamic state in all of Palestine, meaning it would
replace Israel:
"[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
Surah from the Quran about "the final promise", which speaks of
destroying "the enemies" and "what they had taken over with [total]
destruction" [Surah 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 Surah 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) Hamas using it in the context of Israel is
promising a future war of destruction against Israel.
A
recent Palestinian poll shows that Hamas indeed has a strong base of
support in the West Bank. Last week, the Palestinian Center for Policy
and Research found that were elections to be held now between Hamas
leader Ismail Haniyeh and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Haniyeh would win
with 55% support compared to 38% for Abbas. Interestingly, Haniyeh would
win with only 50% - 47% in Gaza but on the West Bank Hamas' Haniyeh is
even stronger winning 57% to 33% over Abbas.
Read the whole thing. What could go wrong?
Labels: Hamas, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Judea and Samaria, Mahmoud al-Zahar
Zahar injured during final days of Cast Lead?
A Kuwaiti daily is reporting based on a 'Palestinian' source that Hamas 'foreign minister' and second-in-command
Mahmoud al-Zahar was injured during the final days of Operation Cast Lead and has been taken to Egypt for treatment.
The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report.
The [Kuwaiti] paper also reported that Zahar was taken to Cairo before a medical team could reach the area of the Strip in which he was injured. No further details were given about either the severity of his injury or his current condition.
During the three-week-long operation in Gaza, the IDF tried to locate senior Hamas officials, including Zahar, and assassinate them. Three of Zahar's bodyguards were killed by an IAF strike near his house in Gaza City.
Heh. Couldn't happen to a
nicer guy.
By the way, someone please make sure to
search his
bags when he is returned to Gaza. And could someone please fix that ugly wart on his nose?
Remind me again what you wanted to discuss
Former 'Palestinian foreign minister' Mahmoud Al-Zahar has some insights into what
'talks' with Hamas might be about for Israel:
Former Palestinian foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar said Monday that if Israel agreed to withdraw from the West Bank and release Palestinian security prisoners, the Palestinians would be obligated to negotiate with Israel, since there would be a national purpose involved, Israel Radio reported.
Zahar emphasized, however, that "negotiations" did not mean recognition of Israel.
In an interview with a Hamas-affiliated Web site, the former minister said that there was nothing preventing talks with Israel, as long as the talks did not involve making concessions.
Even the prophet Muhammad, Zahar said, held negotiations with infidels and enemies.
On Friday, Zahar said in an interview that recognizing Israel ran contrary to the teachings of the Koran.
I know - why don't we skip the 'talks' and just give them a
state reichlet?
Dr. Zahar's specialty
Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar (pictured, top left) is a medical doctor by profession. A New York Times reporter recently asked about his medical specialty.
Here's what he answered (
Hat Tip: Nathan in Teaneck, New Jersey):
Consider the case of Mahmoud Zahar, currently the most powerful Hamas figures in the Gaza Strip. His public image could hardly be less attractive; Zahar often seems to enjoy his chilly abrasiveness. One of the movement's leading hawks, he displays a deep suspicion of most Westerners, journalists included. A New York Times reporter once asked the Islamist, who is a medical doctor by trade, about his field of expertise. "Thyroids," Zahar replied. "I'm very good at cutting throats."
But give them a
state reichlet.
Haniyeh and A-Zahar still hiding?
Syria's SANA news agency reported on Saturday that the chinless ophthalmologist
Bashar Assad congratulated Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal on the 'great victory' won by Hamas in Gaza. Some of you might be wondering why he congratulated Meshaal and not Hamas' leaders in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud A-Zahar. I think I know why. Haniyeh and A-Zahar are
still in hiding.
Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud A-Zahar are still in hiding, a senior Egyptian official told Al-Hayyat on Friday. The two fear Israel still sees them as a target despite the conclusion of the Cast Lead operation in Gaza, he explained.
Haniyeh, A-Zahar and others went into hiding during the operation as the IDF targeted Hamas leaders and bombed hundreds of the terror group's buildings, weapons caches and tunnels. Among those killed were senior Hamas heads Nizar Rayyan and Said Siam.
The official reported that Israeli political-security official Amos Gilad told Egyptian diplomats that Israel was not interested in a temporary ceasefire deal like the six-month ceasefire (also known as the tahadiyah) in the second half of 2008. Hamas has drastically reduced attacks from Gaza for the time being following a unilateral Israeli ceasefire, but no agreement has been struck. Israel, which does not want to grant Hamas legitimacy as a partner for negotiations, refers to any possible deal as a hasdarah, or 'arrangement.'
Some 'victory.' Heh.
Homeless!
Now, Hamas '
foreign minister' and
money smuggler Mahmoud al-Zahar, who claims to be
an expert at cutting throats, can really say he's homeless. During the night,
the IDF obliterated his home.
An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday night targeted the home of senior Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar, security officials told the AFP news agency.
There was no one in the house, in western Gaza City, at the time the airstrike hit, the security sources and witnesses said.
Witnesses said at least two missiles hit Zahar's home, flattening the
four-storey building and causing damage to the adjacent mosque and
several neighboring houses.
...
Al-Zahar recently issued a direct threat against Israel, declaring that Hamas has rockets that can hit any city in Israel.
He further said that during Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012,
Hamas held a “dry run” in attacking Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem. Hamas is known to have test-fired long-range M-175 rockets
that can reach Tel Aviv and even beyond that when fired from Gaza.
It is believed that Al-Zahar and the other senior leaders of Hamas are hiding in underground bunkers.
Cowards - leaving civilians to absorb the consequences of his hubris. Here's hoping that their underground bunker collapses. (I'm sure much of Gaza would agree with that sentiment).
Labels: Gaza, Hamas, IDF, Mahmoud al-Zahar
What's a 'precondition'?
The Washington Post gives its op-ed pages over to terrorist leader
Mahmoud al-Zahar of Hamas this morning (
Hat Tip: Hot Air). While there is much that can be said about this article, I'd like to point out two internal contradictions. Let's look at two passages. Here's the first one:
The U.S.-Israeli alliance has sought to negate the results of the January 2006 elections, when the Palestinian people handed our party a mandate to rule. Hundreds of independent monitors, Carter among them, declared this the fairest election ever held in the Arab Middle East. Yet efforts to subvert our democratic experience include the American coup d'etat that created the new sectarian paradigm with Fatah and the continuing warfare against and enforced isolation of Gazans.
Now, finally, we have the welcome tonic of Carter saying what any independent, uncorrupted thinker should conclude: that no "peace plan," "road map" or "legacy" can succeed unless we are sitting at the negotiating table and without any preconditions.
And here's the second one.
Our movement fights on because we cannot allow the foundational crime at the core of the Jewish state -- the violent expulsion from our lands and villages that made us refugees -- to slip out of world consciousness, forgotten or negotiated away. Judaism -- which gave so much to human culture in the contributions of its ancient lawgivers and modern proponents of tikkun olam -- has corrupted itself in the detour into Zionism, nationalism and apartheid.
A "peace process" with Palestinians cannot take even its first tiny step until Israel first withdraws to the borders of 1967; dismantles all settlements; removes all soldiers from Gaza and the West Bank; repudiates its illegal annexation of Jerusalem; releases all prisoners; and ends its blockade of our international borders, our coastline and our airspace permanently. This would provide the starting point for just negotiations and would lay the groundwork for the return of millions of refugees. Given what we have lost, it is the only basis by which we can start to be whole again.
In the first passage, Zahar demands that Hamas be seated at the negotiating table "without any preconditions," i.e. without having to concede Israel's 'right to exist.' And yet in the second passage he gives what he terms a "starting point for negotiations" that demands that Israel "withdraws to the borders of 1967; dismantles all settlements; removes all soldiers from Gaza and the West Bank; repudiates its illegal annexation of Jerusalem; releases all prisoners; and ends its blockade of our international borders, our coastline and our airspace permanently." So is he willing to negotiate without preconditions or not?
In the second passage, Zahar says that Hamas 'fights on' because "we cannot allow the foundational crime at the core of the Jewish state -- the violent expulsion from our lands and villages that made us refugees -- to slip out of world consciousness, forgotten or negotiated away." If we're talking about a "foundational crime at the core of the Jewish state," it would seem to be referring to the results of Israel's 1948 War of Independence. And yet, the entire concept of 'negotiations' with the 'Palestinians' is predicated upon the acceptance of 1948's results, i.e. Israel's existence, and limiting negotiations to being over 'territory,' i.e. the results of the 1967 War.
Zahar cannot have it both ways. Parties cannot negotiate with each other unless they first agree on a framework for their negotiations. Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with someone who makes it a precondition to negotiations that Israel put its neck on the chopping block. Israel cannot be expected to negotiate with someone who repeats over and over again that the sole acceptable outcome is the end of Israel's existence, and who is willing to come to the negotiating table only if that outcome remains possible. Israel cannot be expected to negotiate its legitimacy or 'right to exist.' Accepting the other party's legitimacy is not a precondition of these negotiations; it's a prerequisite for
any meaningful negotiation. Until Zahar attains these basic understandings, there is nothing to discuss with him or his movement.
Hamastan's Prime Minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar, 
