In the second part of the interview to the Leader’s official website, Mr. Osama Hamdan responded to questions of the support by Islamic countries to Palestine, the prospects of some Islamic countries normalizing relations with Zionist regime and importantly, Hamas’ current relations with Syria. Mr. Hamdan firmly believes that the Palestinian issue will go on for the future and that the European and Western youth will have true insights to the nature of Islam. Only after that, would changes in Western governments and public behavior regarding the Palestinian issues be clearly traced to come to reality:
Currently, there is a big question in the west, that needs to be addressed practically, and that is the issue of Islamic unity. If Islam is a great religion, why are its followers fighting each other?
The western governments perpetuate among their youth is overlooking the civilized and practical history of the Middle East and the World of Islam. Instead, they view our region, the Arabs and the Muslims as “backward” and “uncivilized.” If they learn accurate details and are properly educated in Islamic civilization, they will discover that their own civilizations have originated in ours; this has been conveyed to the west through Muslim scholars and scientists. Moreover, there is a group emerging among the new generation of western scholars who reveal the truth about Islamic civilization and how it has served so many all over the world. Today the west tries to prevent us from acquiring knowledge and scientific advancements, because they prefer that we remain consumers. I believe that the operation brought forth, in order to distort the mindset of western youth by concealing the truth, is implemented through several strategies. Today these issues are being exposed in Europe but there still exists a major distance.
What do you think of these justice-seeking movements by the youth in the west who support the Palestinian cause? What would be the message of Hamas for the youth in the west, if you want to address the west?
The first part of the message, which we would like to deliver, is that we are a nation which belongs to a greater nation. A nation that - when it’s civilization flourished in the world- offered goodness, mercy and decency to all humans. I don’t think there is any civilization that has freely offered so much goodness and so many benefits for humankind as our civilization did.
Today there might be governments that try to offer services towards humanity but they set their political conditions in return or seek cultural influence with a desire to dictate certain social issues; our nation did not do so and respected the rights of humankind. We belong to a nation that possesses such great virtues. Hence, the Palestinian nation and the resistance movement should be perceived as a part of this Islamic nation that has been the source of so much goodness and righteousness throughout world history.
This regime which has occupied Palestinian Territories is an alien regime to these lands. If you ask all Israelis the question, “where were you born,” you will discover that many of them were not even born in Palestine. Moreover, their parents were not born in Palestine; some did not even live in Palestine for a single day! And if you ask any Palestinian the same question you will realize that they, their parents, their grandparents and 20 generations before them were born in Palestine. Even more significant is if you ask any Arab or Muslim, “who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina before the occupation of Jerusalem?” You’ll discover that they have probably made pilgrimage to Jerusalem too. It is the first direction which Muslims used to pray and you may even find out that they have relatives or family members who live there. Hence, you can find Muslims from an array of nationalities who have visited Jerusalem because of the sacred site there.
The third point is that we resist against the occupier. We have no interest in murder and massacre. We are followers of Islam, the only religion that says “Certainly, We have honored the Children of Adam” and human beings are honored and have a special status on earth. But if a man violates our rights, we will respond. Thus, when we resist, we do so in response to an invasion or violation and this resistance will last as long as the invasion continues. If you (the youth in the west) want to assist the Palestinian people, try to put an end to occupation and invasion. Then you will witness peace return between members of different religions and ethnicities in Palestine, just as it used to be before the occupation by the Zionists.
In your opinion, how should a Muslim nation whose own government maintains relations with the usurper Zionist regime, react?
Our message to these nations is lucid. As a movement, we established in the middle of a phenomenal resistance -regardless of what our name is- rejected any kind of relation or normalization of relations with the Zionist regime. We declare that, the duty of the Ummah (Islamic nation) is supporting the resistance. Those who cannot or do not have the potential to support the resistance the least they can do is avoid standing with the Israelis and remain silent. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Anyone who believes in God and the Hereafter, should either speak good or remain silent.”
I believe the response among these nations to end establishing or normalizing relations with the Zionist regime, would allow Islamic governments reflect before taking any action in this regard. But if these nations remain silent, they will probably give authorities a greater motive to continue on with their efforts to normalize relations with Israel. Hence, we want to see that these nations manifest their nobility and credibility by setting examples for those states who seek to establish relations with Israel. We want to see that they display their affiliation with the Islamic nation towards the authorities of those Islamic governments, who seek peaceful relations with the Zionist regime. Muslim nations should remind Islamic governments, occasionally it may happen an Islamic community is invaded somewhere in the world, or disagreements happen among Muslim countries, but the issue of Palestine is not one that can be compromised; for it entails a part of Muslim nations’ creed. They should remind the officials that Palestine is the main concern of the Islamic World.
The United States and the Zionist regime have made efforts to marginalize and whitewash the issue of Palestine. They created deviant fronts which commit murder and fratricide in Syria, Yemen and Libya. Have the US and Israel managed to marginalize the issue of Palestine to some extent, by creating new goals and issues?
I believe that if we do not stay vigilant, we may reach a point where the issue of Palestine will be forlorn completely in the hearts and minds of Muslims. Americans have worked harder than ever (and they are working) right now to steer people from the movement. They have observed how the Tunisian nation (during their own revolution), echoed similar slogans and expressions, which three decades ago the Iranian nation had demonstrated during their revolution.
Just like the Iranian nation who chanted “Down with Israel” (after the Islamic Revolution), the Tunisian nation chanted “Today Tunisia, Tomorrow Palestine!” The Egyptian nation also chanted “Today Egypt, Tomorrow Palestine!” This was definitely an intimidating prospect for Israel and its supporters; and for the same reason they tried to deviate us from Islamic revolutionary movements in recent years.
I think they managed to create calamity; I do not believe they have managed to entirely redirect these movements. Our duty today is to guide the movement into the right direction and consolidate it. This is not only the duty of the movements’ resistance but also the obligation of those in Islamic nations who seek the truth, are sincere and love Palestine. It is the responsibility of us all to declare, “Our chief battle is against the Zionist regime and its supporters.” We as an Islamic nation and are brothers in the same home. Brothers might have disagreements among themselves but they never chose disunity and conflict. They go for dialogue, cooperation and collaboration; this is our duty as well. I suppose we have two main paths ahead that call for action in order to realize this important goal, the goal of putting the movement back on the right track.
The first path is to promote the status of those who struggle against the Zionist regime, so the regime is aware that resistance is still very much alive in Palestine. The second path requires hard work and effort in order to achieve unity in the region; settling the crisis through dialogue rather than weapons and murder.
If Islamic nations and other nations in the region do not realize the danger of the US and Israel’s ploy to sow discord among the world of Islam, what will await the Islamic Nation?
This is impossible to imagine and resolving the issue won't be easy either and will require much time and effort. However, we can gain victory from this confrontation. What we have observed today concerning Takfirist ideology is that it has nothing to do with Islam. While Takfirists affiliate themselves with Islam, the struggle is ideological and cultural. We should raise awareness in our nation and educate subsequent generations on pure Islam by simply showing them that Islam is a religion of mercy. Islam is a religion of goodness for Islamic nations and for the entire world. The Takfirists have gone astray from the true Islam. As I have mentioned, this is not an easy task particularly due to mean at the mercy of the enemies who are conditioned to support such viewpoints.
Mr. Hamdan, how would you assess Hamas’ current state of relations with Syria?
We have no problem with Syria. The leadership of Hamas has spent extensive time in Syria. After the Syrian crisis, the leader of Hamas left the country since managing the fight against the Zionist regime requires a great deal of effort and concentration. We announced from day one, the Syrian people should make the ultimate decision in resolving their issues; they should be resolved through political dialogue.
If certain forces that instigate acts of war against the Islamic nations are allowed to intervene, this will have no concrete results than devastation of Syria and the Syrian nation. For at the end of the day, they do not facilitate the countries good intentions. We still hope that our brethren in Syria manage to get out of this crisis which has afflicted them. We have always known them stand within the resistance axis.
If we were to want a comment that would be recorded for history, in your opinion, what role did Syria play in the axis of resistance?
Syria was one upon which the axis of resistance relied and this means a lot.
In the midst of what terrorist groups do, in particular ISIL in order to destroy Syria, the US and Israel have sought to prevent Syria from assisting their brethren in Palestine. Do you think the U.S. and Israel have managed to achieve this goal?
I believe that this “triumph” of theirs is temporary and the battle has not been won. It is unfortunate that they have managed to gain a small victory; I do believe they failed in achieving the outcome desired. At the end of the day, this nation will not submit to this situation. This situation cannot last in the region. It is unfortunate that we are facing such hardships. But, we should keep in mind that this region is the most vital region on the earth and we have been destined to live in this region. We have gone through so many incidents in this region. We battled the Tatars and the Mongols; we defeated them and then invited them to Islam. They returned home and established glorious Islamic kingdoms in India and Central Asia. We did not only defeat them militarily, but given them Islam. The invaders who came to terrify and murder the people were defeated in a military attack and then by observing the mercy and beauty of Islam, they embraced the religion. The Franks came and occupied our country, Palestine and Jerusalem. After that, we managed to drive them out. This is the potential of the children in our region.
Osama Hamdan was born in Gaza in 1965. He received his bachelor degree in Chemistry from the University of Yarmuk in Jordan in 1986. Throughout his school years, he was an active member of students Islamic movements. He was appointed the director of Hamas headquarter in Beirut in 1998 and since 2009 he has been serving as the International Relations Chief for the Hamas. The senior member of Hamas survived a terrorist attack targeting him in South Dhahia which was plotted by Mossad and killed many.
End of Part Two
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