By IOL Palestine Office

PALESTINE, May 27 (IslamOnline) – “We do not target children, the elderly, hospitals, schools or temples, although these temples openly call for killing Muslims,” said Salah Shehada, the leader of Ezzedine Al-Qassam Martyrs’ Brigades, the armed branch of Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas in an exclusive interview with IslamOnline.

“We fight according to clear moral jihad principles. We do not fight Jews because they are Jews, but because they are occupying our lands. We do not fight them because of their faith, but because they are violating our rights,” he added.

Salah Mostafa Mohammad Shehada was born in Biet Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip, and has a B.A. in social work from an Egyptian university.

Shehada, the most wanted person by the Israelis, and one of the most important resistance figures in occupied Palestine, talked about the movement’s methods of resisting Israeli occupation.

He pointed out that “Israel did not honor any agreements signed with the Palestinian Authority before or after the Madrid Peace Conference, leaving no other alternative open to the Palestinians but resistance.” 

Answering a question concerning the selection of people who conduct the resistance attacks, Shehada said the selection depends on four criteria.

“The candidate for these attacks must first be a devout Muslim, with all the moral virtues this entails, such as kindness to one’s parents. Secondly, he must be unmarried, must not be supporting a family, and should not be an only child.”

Shehada added that while the third criteria is to have the capabilities and skills to conduct such mission, the fourth is that their martyrdom be a call and an incentive for others to follow. He also said that he does not approve of the idea of children conducting resistance missions, as it could be easily misused.

Shehada refused to discuss details concerning the methods with which Al-Qassam penetrates Israeli security, but pointed out that while the Israeli army is applying the most advanced, as well as aggressive, security measures, Al-Qassam’s fighters were able to penetrate through these measures and conduct their operations.

He explained that there are observation groups, or military intelligence, inside the brigades, and their role is the surveillance of Israeli military checkpoints and Israeli settlers in various places.

“We take advantage of any security breakthrough, define the target, take some camera shots to decide whether the operation will be conducted or not,” he added.

“The main obstacles we face are the lack of weapons such as long-range and anti-aircraft missiles, in addition to the unclear political views of the Palestinian Authority that disturb Hamas military operations,” Shehada said.

“Is the Palestinian Authority a national independence authority, or is it a self-rule authority? Is it against these operations or does it support them? These points disturb a lot of the resistance fighters.

“The political statements made by the Palestinian Authority are very contradictory. Sometimes it calls for a cease-fire, and sometimes it demands that resistance continues.”

He added that the Palestinian Authority’s persecution of the group’s members, the high expenses of weapons, and the Arab governments’ refusal to deliver weapons to the resistance through their borders are among the major obstacles to the group.

“Weapons and arms are rare and expensive. An M-16 costs U.S. $5,000, while one of its bullets costs U.S. $1.5, and a Kalashnikov costs U.S. $2,000, while its bullets cost U.S. $4 each.”

Shehada also said it is only natural that the group develops the kind of weapons it needs, such the missiles called Qassam 1 and 2, as well as Al-Banna.

“There are a lot of young people out there who have volunteered for these operations, and this shows that the Palestinians are aware and understand the issues at hand.”