In its November 27, 2006 issue, the Hamas biweekly Al-Risala published an article by Hamas spokesman 'Abd Al-Latif Al-Qanu' praising Fatima Al-Najjar, the Palestinian grandmother who blew herself up on November 23, 2006 near Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. In the article, Qanu' also praises resistance as a means of liberating Palestine "from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river" and calls for suicide attacks in the heart of Israel.
In another article in the same issue, Hamas MP Dr. Muhammad Al-Shihab asked what would happen if millions of believers carried out suicide attacks like Fatima Al-Najjar.
The following are excerpts from the two articles:
"We Will All Be Human Time Bombs, That Will Explode in the Heart of the Criminal Zionist Entity"
Hamas spokesman 'Abd Al-Latif Al-Qanu' wrote: "How exalted is the Palestinian woman when she takes leave of her sons as they go out to fight jihad for the sake of Allah. She mixes tears with cries of joy at one and the same time, to emphasize to the world that she is the only woman with true will and inflamed emotions. How magnificent is she when she joins the ranks of the resistance and easily surrenders her life for the sake of Allah, sacrificing herself for the martyrs, the prisoners, and the wounded.
"Fatima Al-Najjar, 'Umm Muhammad', 72, the martyrdom-seeker from the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, wrote out, in her pure and untainted blood, [her] loyalty to the resistance, the martyrs, the prisoners and the wounded, and [her] devotion to [Palestinian] principles and rights. She saluted and expressed her loyalty to Palestinian Prime Minister Isma'il Haniya and to ['Izz Al-Din] Al-Qassam [Brigades] Commander Muhammad Deif, as was written in her will. This Palestinian woman, 'mother of self-sacrificing women,' Fatima Al-Najjar, succeeded in tracing, with her blood and her body, the path of glory and honor. This self-sacrificing woman, this grandmother, Umm Muhammad, had an impressive record of jihad and sacrifice in the first Intifada. She gave birth to men with who have a record like hers. Her house, where some 20 people lived, became a home and refuge for jihad fighters and fugitives…
"Thursday, November 23 [2006], was an historic day in the life of the Palestinian people and a true turning point in the Palestinian people's jihad. This woman revolutionary acted like a man, put an explosive belt around her waist, and advanced towards a group of soldiers… she became the first Palestinian grandmother from the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades to have carried out martyrdom.
"In her heroic act, Umm Muhammad sent a clear message to all those who call to recognize Israel: that we, as a subjugated and oppressed people - the elderly, women, youth, children, and even fetuses in their mother's wombs - cannot recognize [Israel]… We will all be human time bombs, that will explode in the heart of the criminal Zionist entity. She sent a message to everyone who claims that the resistance and its missiles are ineffective and hold back the resistance: that the entire Palestinian people, and all its constituent parts, and groups, and generations, rally around the resistance and cheer on the resistance and the jihad fighters. We cannot give up the resistance.
"The latest tactics adopted by the resistance in the northern Gaza [Strip] are - like the actions of the women who sacrificed themselves during the siege [for the gunmen and fugitives who took refuge in a mosque], like the human shield [i.e. presence in homes so that they will not be bombed], and like the action of 'the mother of the self-sacrificing women' - all clear evidence that the Palestinian people is closing ranks in support of the resistance and the jihad fighters, and is adopting resistance as a strategic option for the liberation of Palestine from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River." [1]
Imagine What Would Happen if Millions of Believers Did as Fatima Al-Najjar Did
Hamas MP Dr. Muhammad Shihab wrote: "Imagine, together with me, what could happen in another few years, if millions of believers, men and women, decided to break through [their] fears and lunge forward to resistance, jihad, and martyrdom in Palestine - just like 'the mother of the self-sacrificing women', Umm Muhammad. What would be the fate of the occupying invaders? They are only thieves and robbers, and they have no history, culture, or roots in this land. The best decision they could make would be to pack their suitcases and disappear from our lives." [2]
[1] Al-Risala (Gaza), November 27, 2006.
[2] Al-Risala (Gaza), November 27, 2006.
