Following are excerpts from a speech given by Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi, which aired on Iqra TV on March 12, 2006.

Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi: This international terrorism, we keep hearing about, which is led by America - we reject all these forms of terrorism. We accept only Jihad and resistance to restore the rights, the lands, and the holy places.

Some people call this terrorism. America, its allies, and its satellites want to present any type of resistance as terrorism. Our brothers in Palestine are the first among these "terrorists." They are defending their land, their honor, and their holy places, so how can they be terrorists? Divine laws, international laws, moral values, and even the laws of nature itself...

According to Allah's creation, when a foreign object enters the human body, Allah mobilizes a special army inside the body to expel these foreign objects. This is the nature of Allah's creation. So how can they be considered terrorists?

Sharon and his criminal gang are not considered terrorists, and [the Americans] display understanding to their positions, saying that they are defending themselves, while the Palestinian positions are not understood. They are the ones who are considered terrorists, and whoever supports them, defends them, or stands by them is considered a terrorist just like them.

I am a terrorist, and so are Dr. 'Amara, Sheik Kubeisi, and Dr. Al-Bashir. We are all terrorists, because we say they have a right to self defense, and because we permit these martyrdom-seeking operations, and call them "martyrdom-seeking" operations, and reject those who call them suicide operations, because they are anything but suicide. They have the right to defend themselves.

At times, a woman or child may be hurt. First of all, in Israeli society, even women are recruited to the army. Israeli society is militaristic to the core. Men and women are recruited, either to the regular army or as reservists. If children are hurt, they are hurt unintentionally. These are necessities of war.