On October 29, 2023, the Qatari daily Al-Watan published an article by Palestinian journalist Samir Al-Barghouti titled "The War For The End Of The Zionist State." Al-Barghouti wrote that the war in Gaza is a religious and existential war of an entire nation, and he called on all Arabs and Muslims to take part in it in accordance with their field of expertise. He also wrote that Israel wants to eliminate Hamas "in order to temporarily delay the elimination of the Jews," but that the Muslims will prove victorious.[1]
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The following is a translation of the article:
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"The War For The End Of The Zionist State"
"A small group [i.e., Hamas] scared the West and stopped the plan to cause the Palestinians to capitulate, which was in stages of preparation… This group reshuffled the deck, and Israel is now waging this battle with the help of the West and its supporters, who brought the aircraft carriers and the Marines in order to aid the occupation state that they planted as a thorn in our side!
"Had this group [i.e. Hamas] been only a few armed militants [as the Israelis claims], then they would not have been standing at the gates of Gaza, terrified of taking as much as a single step towards it. And if the speeches [of Hamas's leaders] had been hollow, [the Israelis] would not have been currently glued to their TV screens in order to hear the words of the masked [Hamas spokesman] and analyze them, and we would not have felt this great sense of honor spreading within us. Had the posts shared on social media been ineffective [as the Israelis claim], they would not be deleting them and restricting accounts!
"This is a war of consciousness and public opinion. Do you not see how BBC lies and CNN cheats, and how The Guardian fired its cartoonist Steve Bell, who had worked there for 40 years, only because he criticized the crimes of the occupation government's prime minister in a sarcastic cartoon?
"This is the war of an entire nation, and not just of Gaza. Gaza is only the spearhead. This is a religious war, and not a war between armies. This is fighting for survival, not over borders! So take your position in it, in accordance with your field of expertise, whether by means of your pen, your cell phone, your land, your home or your family.
"This war did not begin today, but 75 years ago, and we have lost every round. But this round will [end with the victory] of this group, since its members are the believers and servants of Allah mentioned in the Torah and the Quran. Israel wants to eliminate them in order to temporarily delay the elimination of the Jews."
[1] Al-Watan (Qatar), October 29, 2023.
