"It is time that the world woke up to realize that this Zionist terrorism destroys peace, stability and the lives of the Palestinian people," Rantissi said

By Mostafa al-Sawaf, IOL Palestine Correspondent

GAZA CITY, June 10 (IslamOnline.net) – Speaking from his hospital bed after a failed Israeli assassination attempt on his life, Hamas leader Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi reaffirmed that "resistance and rifle are the only way to achieve victory and liberate our land.

"You have no option but Jihad and martyrdom. By Allah Almighty, we will pursue Jihad until we bring back all Palestinian refugees to their homeland and restore every inch of our usurped land," he said in exclusive statements to IslamOnline.net correspondent.

Addressing the Palestinian people, the Hamas leader urged them to "fight (Israelis) and Allah will help you achieve victory and let them down.

"Kill them wherever you find them and force them out from your land. They must pull out their troops if they want security," Rantissi stressed, paying homage for his associate Saleh and Khedra, who were killed in the attack.

He also exhorted the entire world to take off the blinders to see the true face of the Israeli terrorism.

"It is high time that the world woke up to realize that this Zionist terrorism destroys peace, stability and the lives of the Palestinian people," Rantissi told IOL.

Rantissi was wounded with his son in an Israeli helicopter attack that claimed the lives of three Palestinians.

"I was sitting in the back seat of the car en route to al-Shifaa hospital (in Gaza City) to visit a friend of mine along with my son Ahmad, who was on the driving seat and my friend Mostafa Saleh.

"500m meter before reaching the hospital's gate, a missile hit the car's front, but Mostafa and I succeeded in leaping out of the car," Rantissi recalled the tragic moments.

Reassuring the Palestinian people, he said he underwent a successful surgery in his left leg.

"As for my son Ahmad, I pray that either he would win martyrdom or emerge triumphant (over the Israelis)," Rantissi said.

Interviewed by Al-Jazeera earlier in the day, Rantissi asked "Palestinian resistance groups to kill Israeli political leaders, because all of them are killers."

"Not a single Jew in Palestine is safe from now on. You will have no security except outside the homeland (Palestine)," the 55-year-old political leader said.

He lamented that he has "been deprived of martyrdom. May God grant me martyrdom."

Palestinian Premier Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli crime and stressed that "such attacks obstruct and sabotage the political process."