On November 25, 2023, against the backdrop of the Qatar-brokered humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza war, the Qatari daily Al-Sharq published an inciting poem titled "O Glorious Gaza, Rise Up" by Osama Al-Agha, an Arabic teacher in a Doha elementary school. The poem urges the people of Gaza and the Muslims at large to rise up and wage jihad in order to "crush the Zionists on the battlefield," liberate the Al-Aqsa mosque and restore Islamic rule throughout the world. The poet also addresses Hamas' late founder, Ahmad Yassin, saying, "Oh [Ahmad] Yassin, I see victory smiling."
It should be noted that, as documented by MEMRI over the years, Qatar has for years been sheltering Hamas leaders, extending economic aid to Hamas and backing its armed action against Israel.[1]Moreover, the Qatari press regularly publishes articles praising jihad and armed struggle against Israel and encouraging terror within it.[2]
The poem in the Al-Sharq daily
The following is a translation of the poem.[3]
"O glorious Gaza, rise up and anticipate victory.
O people, wage jihad, for victory beckons.
Rise up and rebel, and establish the state of Islam
So that we realize our aspirations, my people.
Stand up and let us defeat the army that was the enemy's pride,
Stand up and let us now crush the Zionists on the battlefield.
The [Gaza] Strip has come to lead the convoy,
And the lions leapt up to attack in our land.
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The rebels burst forth like a flood,[4]
To drive out evil, oppression and humiliation.
Jerusalem too is enraged,
The mountains of Nablus erupt like volcanoes.
O Muslims, come [fight], for the call is directed at [all of] us.
The masses of worshipers at Al-Aqsa call out to us.
Let us advance on Al-Aqsa and liberate it.
We shall restore Islamic rule throughout the world.
We shall advance in battalions towards our mosque,
For the hour of victory in Al-Aqsa is waiting to welcome us.
Persevere, my nation, persevere, for your steadfastness
Has revived [the battles of] Badr[5] and Hattin.[6]
O Yassin,[7] I see victory smiling,
And the Al-Aqsa compound fragrant with basil"[8]
[1] For example, during the 2021 round of fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, while Qatar was involved, along with the U.S., Egypt and other countries, in attempts to mediate a ceasefire between the sides, a mass rally in support of Hamas was held in Doha with the participation of Hamas officials. See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis No. 1661 - Palestinian Authority Responds To Violence Wave In Two Conflicting Ways: Tries To Restrain West Bank Gunmen, While Also Encouraging Them And Inciting Terror – October 21, 2022. See Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1576 - As Qatar Mediates Between Israel And Hamas, It Holds Mass Rally For Hamas In Doha Supporting Armed Struggle And Jihad Against Israel – Participants Included Hamas Political Bureau Head Isma'il Haniya – May 21, 2021; Special Dispatch No. 10251 - Hamas Hosts Iftar Dinner In Doha, Qatar; Leader Ismail Haniyeh, Dozens Of Foreign Diplomats Attend – April 16, 2023. On Qatar's support of terror, see e.g., MEMRI reports: Daily Brief No. 152, Cut Off Qatar, March 4, 2018; Daily Brief No. 148, Is Gaza In Need Of Qatar's Aid?, January 29, 2018; Daily Brief No. 146, Qatar, The Emirate That Fools Them All, And Its Enablers, January 18, 2018.
[2] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10620 - Article In Qatari Daily Incites Palestinians To Carry Out Terror Attacks Throughout Israel – May 22, 2023. See also MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 10526 – Article In Qatari Daily Incites To Terror Attacks Against Israelis: Surround Them, Pursue Them, 'Make It So That They Will Never Be Safe – Not In Jerusalem, Not In Tel Aviv', March 16, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 10452 - Al-Jazeera Presenters, Journalists In Qatari Press, Qatar-Backed Muslim Clerics: Terrorist Attack Near Jerusalem Synagogue Was 'Brave Act' Of 'Legitimate Resistance,' Its Perpetrator Is A 'Hero' – February 1, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 9316 - Article On Al-Jazeera Website: Ramadan, 'Month Of Jihad And Victories,' Is The Season Of Palestinian Armed Operations – May 3, 2021; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1634 - Antisemitism, Holocaust Denial In Qatari Press – April 28, 2022; Special Dispatch No. 9891 - Qatari Press Praises Tel Aviv Terror Attack In Which Three Israelis Were Killed – And The Terrorist Who Carried It Out – April 11, 2022; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1527, Al-Jazeera Unmasked: Political Islam As A Media Arm Of The Qatari State, August 12, 2020; Special Dispatch No. 8242 - Blog Post On Website Of Qatar's Al-Jazeera Network Praises Hamas Summer Camps And Its Efforts To 'Raise A Generation That Believes In The Duty Of Jihad' – August 26, 2019; Special Dispatch No. 7975 - Qatari Press Praises Armed Palestinian Resistance, Self-Sacrifice For Palestine – April 1, 2019.
[3] Al-Sharq (Qatar), November 25, 2023.
[4] A reference to Operation Al-Aqsa Food, Hamas' name for the October 7, 2023 attack.
[5] A battle in 624 CE in which the Prophet Muhammad's forces defeated a much larger force of Meccan polytheists.
[6] A battle between the Crusaders and the Muslim forces of Saladin Al-'Ayyubi in 1187 CE, which ended in the defeat of the Crusaders and set off the swift Muslim conquest of the entire Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.
[7] The reference is to Hamas founder and spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin.
[8] In Islamic tradition, the fragrance of basil represents God's bounty.
