In an October 2, 2018 interview with the Tunisian Musaique FM radio channel, Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi said that people should slap Israeli soldiers "regardless of whether they did anything or not" and that it should become a "regular thing." She pledged "to continue on the path of the martyrs" and "to continue to make sacrifices, even sacrificing my life, for the sake of liberating Palestine." A day later, speaking on the Tunisian Nessma TV channel, she rejected the two-state solution, saying: "We, as a generation, will fight for the liberation of Palestine in its entirety."
MEMRI has previously released other clips of Tamimi. On August 22, 2018, following her release from an Israeli prison, she spoke on the Lebanese Al-Jadeed/New TV channel, thanking Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah for his support; he had called her position "brave and courageous." She said that Nasrallah's words had boosted "not just my morale, but the morale of many people" (view this clip on MEMRI TV here; see transcript in Appendix). Subsequently, in a September 17, 2018 interview on France 24 TV, she said that she had no regrets about expressing her support for Nasrallah despite the ensuing outcry, adding that she agreed with his anti-U.S. and anti-Israel positions and thanking him for supporting the Palestinian cause (view this clip on MEMRI TV here; see transcript in Appendix).
To view the clip of Ahed Tamimi's October 2-3 2018 statements on MEMRI TV, click here or below.
The following is the transcript of her October 2-3 statements.
Musaique FM Radio (Tunisia), October 2, 2018
Ahed Tamimi: "The world should not be shocked or taken aback by a Palestinian slapping an [Israeli] soldier. We should all be slapping soldiers, not just me. What I did should be a regular thing. We should always be slapping soldiers, wherever they may be, regardless of whether they did anything or not. Ultimately, these are occupying soldiers. They occupied our land, and they shoot at little children and target homes and people. So this is a natural reaction to the presence of the occupation, to the presence of soldiers on my land. Everybody should be slapping soldiers."
Interviewer: "Ahed Tamimi, our guest on the Midi Show on Musaique FM – what pledge have you taken upon yourself?"
Ahed Tamimi: "I have pledged to continue on the path of the martyrs, so that their blood will not have been shed in vain. We shall always continue on their path. I have pledged to continue to make sacrifices, even sacrificing my life, for the sake of liberating Palestine." [...]
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Nessma TV (Tunisia) October 3, 2018
Ahed Tamimi: "The previous generation fought, died as martyrs, were wounded and imprisoned, for the sake of the two-state solution. They placed their trust in the world and in the international institutions, but they did not reach this solution. We, the [new] generation, will not repeat this. We, as a generation, will fight for the liberation of Palestine in its entirety. The generation before us sacrificed 78% of its land, and even so, Israel missed the opportunity. We, the [new] generation, will not give them a second chance. We shall fight to liberate Palestine in its entirety. We won't give up 78% of our land."
APPENDIX
MEMRI TV Clip 6726: Palestinian Activist Ahed Tamimi Salutes Hizbullah Leader Nasrallah: We All Support Him And Are Proud Of Him – August 22, 2018
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah: "The position taken by the girl Ahed Tamimi is brave and courageous. This is a girl who confronts the Israeli soldiers and slaps them."
Journalist: "In return, Ahed salutes [Nasrallah]."
Ahed Tamimi: "To the honorable sheikh, Hassan Nasrallah, I say: Thank you very much. I wish you a happy holiday. His words boosted our morale – not just my morale, but the morale of many people, because I represent the people. I'm not just representing myself, but the people and the cause. This was in support of the entire Palestinian people, not just me. I'd like to salute him, to thank him for his support, and to tell him that he always makes us grow stronger. We all support him and are proud of him."
To view this clip on MEMRI TV, click here.
MEMRI TV Clip No. 6788: Palestinian Activist Ahed Tamimi: I Do Not Regret Supporting Nasrallah, I Agree With His Positions Against U.S. And Israel – September 17, 2018
Interviewer: "What do you say to those who criticize you for your message to Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah?"
Ahed Tamimi: "At the end of the day, everybody is entitled to an opinion. I'm with Hassan Nasrallah..."
Interviewer: "Do you regret it, having seen the outcry..."
Ahed Tamimi: "Of course I do not regret it. Hassan Nasrallah supports the Palestinian cause, and he is against America an Israel, so I'm with him on that matter. I agree with many people on certain issues and disagree with them on others, but ultimately, I thank him for his support for the Palestinian cause."
To view this clip on MEMRI TV, click here.
