In a fiery speech in Cairo on October 3, 2012, at a rally commemorating Saladin's liberation of Jerusalem, Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash'al said that the Zionists are enemies of Allah and the prophets, and called for preparing to liberate Jerusalem and restore the homeland once more through jihad, the rifle, and self-sacrifice. The event, under the banner "Jerusalem – Together, We Will Defend And Restore Her," was held under the auspices of Egypt's cultural minister and representatives of institutions operating in Egypt to liberate Jerusalem, with the participation of advisors to President Mursi.
Mash'al during his speech.[1]
In his speech, Mash'al praised Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi and the new Egyptian regime, and stressed that the Arab ummah, and especially the Palestinians, need an Egypt that once again embraces all the problems of the Arab peoples, chiefly the Palestinian cause. He said: "Egypt's swift momentum is not just an Egyptian need, but a Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic one [as well]. Egypt needs to awaken quickly, and to get through the transitional period."
Calling on Egypt to unite and act with all its might – "Islamists, liberals, pan-Arabists, Muslims and Christians, women and men."
He then called on Egypt to show tolerance in the internal camp, to administer its policy harmoniously and with the involvement of all elements, and to protect its security, to recover economically, and to develop technology so that it could stand at the forefront of superpowers, as it had in the past.
Stressing that Egypt is the leader of the Arab world, and that it would continue to play that role,[2] Mash'al added: "The land of Palestine will only be restored by an Egyptian leadership that can bear responsibility, by means of an awakening in all areas... If Egypt disappears, the entire Arab ummah disappears, and the Arabs and Muslims are defeated in all areas. Egypt once again adopts all the problems of the Arab peoples, particularly the Palestinian cause."
Mash'al said, "The victory of October 6 [1973] is not just Egypt's victory, but vengeance [against Israel] for the sake of the Palestinian people and the Arabs. It is [also] a message of humiliation to the Zionist entity, which must know that when Egypt prepares for conflict, it is not defeated by any aggressor. The Zionist entity must know that Egypt has returned, and everyone must know that the Zionists are the enemies of Allah and of Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, and Abraham – the enemies of the Prophets, of the Messengers, of values, and of morality."[3]
Reiterating his support for the Arab Spring, Mash'al said: "Hamas recognizes the value of Arab peoples, and it has no other way than to support the rights of the peoples and their aspiration for freedom and honor... Hamas has memory, values, and morality, and therefore it does not forget those who assisted it and who continue to do so. The movement will not strike a bargain over the blood of the ummah and of Arab peoples... The best defense, and the strength of [our] foreign policy, which is based on conflict (with Israel), is manifested in our support for the resistance and by granting rights to the people. Today is the day of the Arab Spring. There is no turning back. Democracy is our right, and resistance is our duty."
Mash'al went on to warn that Israel intends to create a new reality in Jerusalem, and that therefore, "following the [Arab] Spring, we [Arabs] must prepare for the project of liberating Jerusalem – and the Palestinian role [in this] is no substitute for the Arab role." He called for ending negotiations with Israel: "The time has come to overturn the negotiating table on those who wished to enslave us."
He then called on the Palestinian leadership and all its factions to begin the major step of ending division and completing the national reconciliation, adding: "Resistance, not negotiation, is the path to the restoration of rights. Nothing will restore the homeland but jihad, the rifle, and self-sacrifice."[4]
Endnotes:
[1] Al-Wafd (Egypt), October 3, 2012.
[2] Al-Risalah (Gaza), October 3, 2012.
[3] Al-Wafd (Egypt), October 3, 2012.
[4] Al-Risalah (Gaza), October 3, 2012.
