The terrorist attacks that took place during the past two weeks since the start of Ramadan in Jerusalem and the West Bank were described by Hamas and Islamic Jihad websites as acts of courage and heroism. The websites stressed the connection between Ramadan and the increase in attacks in the West Bank and especially in Jerusalem, explaining that during Ramadan there is greater willingness to sacrifice and risk one's life, and also to call for actions of resistance and jihad. The websites quoted experts and clerics as saying that Ramadan is the month of victories and jihad in Islam, a month of resisting temptations and urges which prepares fighters to deal with the enemy.
Some of the articles also noted that last summer's war in Gaza took place during Ramadan, and therefore witnessed some of the "most notable acts of heroism in the history of Palestine." One article reviewed the deployment of Islamic Jihad fighters on the Gaza front during this month.
The following are excerpts from several of the articles:
Hamas-Affiliated Website: Attacks On Ramadan Have A Unique Flavor And Character
The website Palinfo.com, which is associated with Hamas, published an article titled "Resistance During Ramadan - A New Beginning And A Different Flavor", which stated: "During Ramadan, the Palestinians welcome resistance to the occupation and carry it out with a different flavor that reflects courage, investment [of efforts], and a natural willingness for sacrifice during this most important month for all Muslims. Ever since the first intifada, martyrdom operations, stabbing and shooting attacks have had a special character during the month of Ramadan...
"During the recent Gaza war, the resistance wrote an important chapter in the history of the conflict by showing courage and creativity, so that Ramadan remained the month of encouraging the Palestinians to pry their rights from the occupation. At the start of the current Ramadan there was the Dolev settlement operation, in which one settler was killed and another injured. Two days later, a youth stabbed a border patrol soldier in occupied Jerusalem, which harkened back to the resistance's sacrifice operations during Ramadan, which have a unique character."
The article quoted released prisoner Muhammad Al-Qaram, who was involved in a 2001 bus bombing in Haifa in which 15 people were killed and dozens wounded. Al-Qaram said: "When I offered delicious food to the martyr Maher Habesha, who carried out the attack on the Haifa bus in 2001, in which dozens were killed and wounded, he refused, and said that he would only break his fast in paradise. My task was to plan the operation, prepare [Habesha], and drive him [to the site of the attack] on the 17th day of Ramadan." Al-Qaram mentioned the Ramadan atmosphere, which was reflected in the courage of the resistance commanders he accompanied, especially before carrying out suicide operations and bombings. "During Ramadan," he added, "there is a special air of willingness to invest effort and sacrifice in every way, based on religious and emotional influences [that affect] the Muslims and the possessors of just rights and prompt them to risk their lives."
Experts, Clerics: Ramadan - The Month Of Jihad, Victories And Resistance
The article also quoted experts and clerics on the connection between Ramadan and increased actions of resistance and jihad. Dr. Dardah Al-Sha'er, a social science professor at Gaza's Islamic University, said: "Ramadan influences a person's will both psychologically and emotionally, and drives him to stand fast, because he is in a state of confronting the transient temptations of life. This is automatically expressed in resistance. If [people] manage to resist themselves and their desires, they can resist their enemies. The scope of resistance increases substantially during Ramadan. Additionally, Ramadan has [always] been a month of victories for Muslims and continues to be one. During this month people are close to their maker. When they feel this closeness, they become more obedient."
Al-Sha'er added: "In the recent Gaza war, it was during Ramadan that [we] witnessed the most notable acts of heroism in the history of Palestine and the conflict with the occupation. The resistance fighters were under complex emotional strain, fasting underground, living off scraps and water, [yet] keeping calm and showing high [levels of] endurance."
Maher Al-Houli, a professor of Islamic law, said: "In Islam, Ramadan is the month of jihad, resistance and victories. During this month, people stand ready to sacrifice, and when Muslims are zealous for their homeland, their strength and energies awaken. Faith increases, [and people] prepare themselves for resistance actions metriculously and loyally out of the love of jihad. The Battle of Badr[1] is the best example of this. The members of the Islamic movements in Palestine welcome resistance during Ramadan. During this month, their resistance and faith are stronger. In the history of Palestine, many campaigns were won and many acts of sacrifice were carried out during Ramadan."
Dr. Khaled Safi, an expert on Islamic movements, said that "the resistance of Islamic movements stems from a religious impulse. Their history has seen intense resistance during Ramadan, especially in Jerusalem. Even during the first intifada, our resistance had a special flavor during Ramadan, [which is when it] published leaflets and recruited the public. Last year's [Gaza] war saw the strongest resistance during Ramadan."[2]
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"Ramadan - Month of Victories" (image: paldf.net, June 24, 2015)
"Ramadan - Month of Jihad" (image: Saraya.ps, June 17, 2015)
Websites Affiliated With Hamas, Islamic Jihad: "Ramadan Is The Month Of Resistance In The West Bank"; Jerusalem Has A History Of Jihad And Victories During Ramadan
The Hamas-affiliated website Omamh.com published an article titled "Ramadan - The Month Of Resistance In The West Bank," which praised the recent Ramadan attacks, calling them "quality operations carried out by fasting fighters" who drew inspiration from the last Gaza war. The article stated that, last Ramadan, during the Gaza war, the resistance fighters confronted the Israeli soldiers "at point blank range" and also fought inside Israel, "behind enemy lines," and this Ramadan, they are doing the same "in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank." [3]
The article on Omamh.com
The website for the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, the Al-Quds Brigades, posted an article titled "Sacrifice Operations - A Spark Ignited by Ramadan."[4]
The Saraya.ps article
In the Palinfo.com article, Dr. Jamal 'Amr, an expert on Jerusalem, said: "The resistance has a very unique perception of Jerusalem. The month of Ramadan in the history of this holy city is a month of jihad and victories, and those who love Jerusalem are in a state of purity and cleanliness during it. The visitors who came to Jerusalem in the recent weeks have made it feel that it is not alone again. The spirit of resistance came back to life there, and several days ago, an attack took place there that renewed the residents' faith in themselves after their state of frustration with the political process... This frustration was recently expressed by acts of resistance."[5]
Article On Al-Quds Brigade Website: In Ramadan, Our Fighters Fast While Putting Their Lives On The Line At The Front
Another article on the Al-Quds Brigades website described the brigades' activity during Ramadan and their deployment on the Gaza front. The article stated that "Ramadan is not just the month of worship and obedience, but also the month of victories..." Abu Hamza, an Al-Quds Brigades commander in Rafah, said in the article: "Strong faith and deep conviction are the reasons for success, as Allah willed it, and the key to power, liberty and return. Allah alone grants victory and power. The blood spilled in Gaza on the altar of Islam is the fuel for the liberation of Jerusalem. Those who combine fasting with sacrifice of life will not lose the Palestinian cause after the vast number of sacrifices that our heroic people has [already] made... During Ramadan we make sure to spend our nights on the front. The fighters take turns carrying out this religious practice, and read Koranic verses, which does not detract from their vigilance and readiness to confront any infiltration by the Zionist special forces and to monitor the movement of enemy vehicles. We draw strength from the Koran and feel safer the stronger our connection with it. Our life is in its hands, and our success depends on it alone. Being on the front during Ramadan is different than in other months. There is a deep sense of [earning] prestige and a great reward from Allah."[6]
Endnotes:
[1] A battle that took place on 17 Ramadan, 624 between the Muslims, led by Muhammad, and the Quraysh tribe and its allies. The battle, which is considered the first battle of Islam, took place in the Badr area between Mecca and Medina, and ended with a Muslim victory.
[2] Palinfo.com, June 24, 2015.
[3] Omamh.com, June 23, 2015.
[4] Saraya.ps, June 23, 2015.
[5] Palinfo.com, June 24, 2015.
[6] Saraya.ps, June 23, 2015.
