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Name
Mahmoud
-
Profession
Question
Dr. Azzam, how do you see the stance of the European Union regarding the assissination of the Sheikh Yassin?
Answer
On the day of the assassination condemnation statements came out of several EU capitals; however, it is widely believed here that EU governments are somehow responsible for the Israeli campaign of assassinations against Hamas and other Palestinian leaders. That is so because the EU under pressure from the United States took a decision to outlaw Hamas political wing and that was tantamount to giving the Israelis a green light. In fact on that same day when the decision was taken an attempt was made on the life of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin but did not succeed at the time. Yesterday, a top British official, Gordon Brown, issued a directive to British banks to freeze the bank accounts of five Hamas leaders including Dr. Rantisi, Sheikh Yassin's successor. Although none of these leaders has any accounts or property in the UK, this was seen as a sign of support for Israel despite the earlier condemnations issued by Tony Blair and his foreign secretary.
Name
A.S
-
Profession
Question
Hamas said they would revenge immediately, but it seems it is too late. Do you think they would be able to get Sharon?
Answer
Only Hamas can answer this question.
Name
Radwa
- Austria
Profession
Question
Why did Sharon declare that he oversaw the assissination from his own office? What implication this includes?
Answer
Sharon has a personal interest in this. I do not personally believe that the interests of Israeli Jews mattered to him. This man promised the electorate in Israel more than three years ago that he would, if elected prime minister, finish off the Palestinian resistance in 100 days. He has managed only to provoke more resistance because of his war on the Palestinians. He managed also to get so many Israeli killed. Now, he is trying to salvage his political career and prepare himself for the next election. This is a gamble; if it works - he perhaps believed - he might just be re-elected. If, however, it does not work, he can always join the long list of his predecessors who tried and failed but are still seen as heroes by the perplexed and confused Israeli public.
Name
Khalid
- Egypt
Profession
Question
How did the Western media receive the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin?
Answer
On the first days, the British media treated the event as a breaking story for much of the day. I myself gave no less than a dozen interviews to TV's, radios and press. A good number of journalists saw the assassination as a miscalculation on the part of Sharon that was bound to backfire. The press that is dominated by Zionist writers were less sympathetic toward the victim, Sheikh Yassin. However, it was indeed a day for Hamas to present itself to the world. Although I am aware of the intense world media interest in the event, I have not been able to follow the reactions outside Britain.
Name
Get lost
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Profession
Question
Yassin was a real terrorist...get lost and all Muslims.. how can you defend someone who has taken upon himself the responsibility of destroying Israel?
Answer
We'll see who will be lost in the end.
Name
Nizan
- Belgium
Profession
Question
Do you think Hamas new leadership is able to teach Israel a lesson? Don't you see a difficulty somehow in the new spiritual leader being out of Palestine?
Answer
There is no spiritual leader after Sheikh Ahmad Yassin. There are leaders on the inside and leaders on the outside. History has shown that no act of repression against the movement has weakened it. One may trace the mass arrests of 1989, the deportations of 1992, the assassinations of the mid 90's onwards, the attempted assassination on the life of Khalid Mishaal, the removal of Hamas from Jordan and subsequent attacks on figures in Gaza and the West Bank. All of this has only made the movement more popular and stronger.
As to whether the movement is able to teach Israel a lesson, that remains to be seen. However, if we were to extrapolate a lesson from the past 10 years, I would say it is very likely that Sharon will one day regret assassinating Sheikh Ahmad Yassin as Perez before him regretted, and paid the price for, assassinating Yahya Ayyash.
Name
Zahran
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Would the assissination of Sheikh Yassin end the peace efforts completely? Do you think the Egyptian intitiative will have another hope?
Answer
The problem with all previous peace initiatives is that they seek to endorse and maintain the status quo. The Palestinians have been struggling for so many decades in order to end occupation and liberate themselves and their homeland. The refugees have been waiting patiently in refugee camps in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza not to be told after so many years that they have no chance of going home while these same homes are occupied by aliens.
The only initiative which may be acceptable to the Palestinian people is the one proposed by Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and rejected by the Israelis. If the Arab governments are truly interested in offering something genuine, that is the initiative they should espouse: A truce agreement (hudnah) in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from all areas occupied in 1967, the removal of all settlers from the West Bank and Gaza and the release of all Palestinian prisoners. Once the term of the hudnah approaches an end, it would be up to the generation living then to decide what to do: that is to renew it or resume the struggle for the liberation of the rest of Palestine. The Israelis and their supporters would simply be fooling themselves if they thought for a minute that a single Palestinian (or for that matter a Muslim) would accept the illegitimate occupation by the Zionists of a single inch of Palestine. But that of course does not mean that the Jews cannot, or should not, live with Muslims and Christians in Palestine. Sheikh Ahmad Yassin was very clear about this. He always maintained that this is not a war against the Jews but against Zionist occupation. Jews who disagree with Zionism would always be welcome and the region (the whole of it) is spacious enough for all those who live in it today.
Name
Umm Nadiya
-
Profession
Question
In their comments on the crime, most of the Palestinian groups and factions expressed their determination to unify their efforts in face of the occupation? Do you think that all Palestinian factions at least will be working under one leadership, thereby unifying their efforts and improving their techniques?
Answer
It is too early to talk about one leadership; but it is good news that the positions have become much closer than ever before. The assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin has had the impact of unifying the Palestinians on vision and hopefully approach. That is all what matters now. Eventually, those that offer sacrifices for the cause will be seen by the people as the true leaders and the credible 'authorities'.
Name
Mona Ghameel
- Netherlands
Profession
Question
What is the future of Hamas under the new leadership? Can you provide some details as it seems the media are not covering this part very well?
Answer
Hamas is no different from other liberation movements in recent history. If you are embarked on a project of liberation you'll have to expect losses on the way. However, these losses - unlike among the invaders and foreign occupiers - provide motivation and hope for the strugglers. The Vietnamese people went through this before and so did the people of South Africa and many of the peoples of Latin America. In every single case of struggle, the resistance wins and the oppressive colonialists pack up and go home.
Hamas is a well-structured organization that is run according to the Islamic principle of Shura (consultation). A high degree of transparency and accountability has so far protected the movement from what other Palestinian factions have fallen into of ills on the way of struggle. The fact that Hamas derives its vision from Islam and considers its project a long term one, the entire Muslim world is its fountain of resource and support. After all, if you think about it, the Palestinians are only the vanguards in this struggle against Zionism, a movement which is a threat to the entire humanity and not only to the Muslims.
The Israelis so stupidly believe that the removal of Sheikh Yassin is tantamount to cutting off the head of the snake. Had Hamas been a snake, that would have been true. However, Hamas is like a haughty palm tree, and Sheikh Yassin was one of its lofty branches. The tree is still solid on the ground and the removal of one branch will only provoke the growth of many more.
Name
Abu Shakir
-
Profession
Question
What did the Muslim Association of Britian do anything in condemnation of Sheikh Yassin?
Answer
The Muslim Association of Britain is one of many Muslim organisations in the UK that felt the paid and shock of the crime committed by Sharon. On the same day statements were issued, media interviews were conducted and a rally was held opposite to 10 Downing Street. Muslims from all over the London area met at the Central Mosque in London to offer their condolences for three nights ending yesterday. On Saturday a number of rallies will be held after noon prayers in no less than ten different cities across the UK including Leicester, Birmingham, Manchester, etc. For further details you may visit MAB's webside on www.mabonline.net
Name
Khalid
-
Profession
Question
As-Salamu `Alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh Dr Tamimi.
Given the oppressive nature of the successive Israeli regimes (1948 - current) and their blatant disregard for the rest of the world, people are saying that the only language that they understand is force. The resistance has demonstrated this. While some might say violence breeds violence, history has shown that attempts at dialogue have failed with the various Zionist regimes. Do you believe that the Israeli government and people are responsible for what comes their way and what do you think is the way forward in cutting off the hand that feeds it (US)? Jazakallaahu Khairan and May Allah grant you strength in your good work and keep you on the Right Path.
Answer
When we talk of dialogue, it really depends what you mean by it and what it would entail. There is nothing wrong in principle with talking to anyone; but what do we talk about? Here we have a clear cut case: Europe had a problem with its Jews and did not want them. When Britain and France destroyed the Ottoman Caliphate, they found a golden opportunity provided to them by the defeat of the Axis; by then they could partition the legacy of the Ottoman's between them and create a military outpost in the very centre of this most crucially strategic region in order to perpetuate the weakness of the UMMAH and prolong their domination of the world. They found too that this would also enable them to solve the Jewish problem: just dump the Jews in Palestine and turn it into a Jewish state in the heart of the Muslim lands. Although the Jews were truly persecuted throughout the history of Europe it was definitely not the Palestinians and not the Muslims that persecuted them. But the colonial 'Darwinian & Machiavellian' authorities in Britain at the time did not give a dam about the Palestinians, the Arabs and the Muslims. They thought it would just be another Red Indian population you may be able to wipe out.
In light of this clear cut history which no one could fabricate or eliminate from the memory of the world, there can be only one topic of discussion: how to bring about an end to the injustices that ensued out of the creation of Israel. In my humble opinion, there can be real peace for all, Muslim, Jew and Christian in the region if we agree to undo Sykes-Picot. Why not think about the United States of the Middle East instead of talking about a useless, stupid, vulnerable and resourceless beggar state called 'Palestine' next to an extremely powerful, armed to the teeth and fully resourceful state called 'Israel'? Let us instead talk about a better future for all of us in the entire region. If that is what they are willing to talk about, then dialogue is a useful thing. It may also be useful if they agree to the truce initiative offered to them in the hope of ending the bloodshed and give time to think for a generation or two before the struggle resumes.
Name
Ahmed R.
- Morocco
Profession
HEAD ACCOUNTANT
Question
We are saddened very by our guide's death, I think that the time came so that the Islamic movements to unite in only one movement. It will be the good memory of the death of our big unifying leader Ahmed Yassin. The role of Hamas is very big in this enterprise. Please throw a call in this sense to the new leaders of Hamas?
Answer
I'd rather talk about cooperation and coordination than unity. If we insist on organizational unity, that will not happen but it will always be possible to work together and save resources. I hope that the recent calamity will motivate everyone in the Palestinian arena to work together and to avoid friction. All Palestinians are targets for Sharon and his administration.
Name
Mohammad Al-Rajeah
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Profession
Question
How do you analyze the American demand for both parties to practice self-control...it seems America is in big trouble and they don't know what to say, but one thing I hope you elaborate is whether US administration will interfere or do the same if Sharon is assissinated by Hamas resistance. thanks in advance.
Answer
I suspect that the Israelis would not have gone along and assassinated Sheikh Ahmad Yassin without a green light from the Americans. The US response reminds of the case of a powerful policeman who watches as a criminal rapes a vulnerable woman, who starts shouting and crying for help, but all he does is ask the rapist to show some compassion while doing it and ask the victim to restrain herself and keep quiet.
We can only wish for one thing as far as the United States of America is concerned and that is that the people of America will wake up and see that their leaders do not work for them and do not serve their interests. I am sure that if tomorrow or days later something happens and Israelis are killed, whether Sharon or others, the response of the US would be, as before, to condemn the Palestinians, especially as we are in a presidential election year and both Republicans and Democrats compete to appease and please Israel and its Zionist lobby in America.
Name
mm
-
Profession
Question
What do you think would be the massage from those Zionist to the Islamic world in this horrific crime of killing Sheik Yassin?
Answer
The reason why the assassination was carried out is to improve Sharon's political standing in prelude to the next election. However, the general message may be that they do not hesitate to attack anyone anywhere at any time.
Name
Madiha
-
Profession
Question
Is the upcoming Arab Summit useful? Can the world pin hope on them? Will they even talk about the killing of Sheikh Yassin? How bad the Arab Summit will look if they did not come up with a real support to the intifada?
Answer
I have no hope in these leaders. They are useless and nothing good will come out of their meetings. In fact, whenever they agree on something it is usually bad and not for the interest of the Arabs or Islam. If only these leaders have not let down the Palestinians for so long and left them alone to confront the Israeli beast when some Arab governments so shamelessly have diplomatic or economic ties with this Zionist state.
Let's hope that the peoples of the region will do something about this.
Name
Muhammad Abu-Rees
-
Profession
Question
Kata'ib Al-Aqsa declared today that there is no longer restriction to military actions, civilians or not? Is that true? Hamas has always declared that they don't attack civilians?
Answer
I have not heard that news. I believe it is accepted by all Palestinian factions today that so long as Israel does not discriminate in its attacks on the Palestinians between civilian and military targets, the Palestinians cannot be expected to comply unilaterally.
Name
Manal Assaf
-
Profession
Question
Are the threats given by Hamas taken seriously especially in the Western media, or they are looked at as exagreation?
Answer
It depends on where the journalist stands. Those who support Israel and act as mouthpieces for its Zionist regime will only echo what Sharon says. However, those who know and dare speak what they know have been warning that Hamas never failed in the past to carry out a threat.
Name
hussa
-
Profession
Question
The Jews are losers because they are scared from a man on wheel chair.. could you imagine that?
Answer
I prefer to say the Zionists, simply because not all Jews agree with Sharon and his Zionist regime. Indeed, you're right. Oppressors of all types are horrified by any symbol of defiance; and Sheikh Ahmad Yassin was a great symbol indeed. He proved to us all that you do not need legs and arms or even good hearing and seeing faculties to be able to make a difference and change the world; all you need is a brave heart and clear vision.
Name
Fareed
-
Profession
Question
You said Sheikh Yassin always said it was not a war against Jews, but Zionist occupation? I don't get the difference?
Answer
There are today many Jews who do not accept Israel and even consider it a danger to their existence. Just about one hundred years ago when the Zionists were struggling with their project the majority of the Jews around the world were opposed to them. Had it not been for the Holocaust, Israel would never have come to existence simply it would have lacked the most important component of a state: its people. Most Jews were not interested at the time in leaving their homes and business to live in somebody else's home. When the Belfor declaration was submitted to the British cabinet in 1916 it was opposed by one cabinet member, the only Jewish member of that cabinet who saw the plan as an attempt to get rid of the Jews and embroil them in a project that was likely only to finish them off.
Today, it is sad to say, more Jews support the Zionist project than at any time. Still there those who opposed to it. Two weeks ago a conference was organised at the London University School of Oriental and Africa Studies on the Impact of Zionism and Relations among Muslims, Christians and Jews and we had speakers from different segments of the Jewish spectrum who were anti-Zionist and against Israel. If you wish more details, please visit my website and see my article on the Muslim and the Jews. The website is: www.ii-pt.com
Name
huzema
- India
Profession
Question
I don't understand why the Arab world is just a spectator to all that is happening in Palestine, and being aware that the Israel has got full support of America they are trying to be friendlier with bush?
Answer
That applies to the Arab governments; there I would agree with you. However, the overwhelming majority of the Arab masses are very supportive of the Palestinian cause and have been unable to do much because the Arab armies, police and security services have no job other than project Israel and suppress the people.
Name
Raouf El-Khalil
-
Profession
Question
How can a Muslim defend the Palestinian issue in the West?
Answer
1. Be educated, or well-informed, about the history of the problem.
2. Be willing to convey such knowledge and understanding in a comprehensible fashion in the hope of educating the masses and changing public opinion.
3. Adopt a positive posture vis-a-vis the media and politicians; that do not just remain indifferent, make a move: protest, write, complain, explain, etc.
4. If you have the right to vote, then use you vote in any election in order to minimize the chances of Zionists to get to office whether in a council or a national parliament or in the European parliament.
Name
Faisal Hammoud
-
Profession
Question
Some newspapers said that the King of Jordan paid a visit to Israel a week before the attack on Sheikh Yassin and gave them the green light to go ahead with the assassination? Is that true or possible? If possible, what does this mean?
Answer
I do not think this likely at all. If he paid a visit it must have been a coincidence.
Name
Shon
- United States
Profession
Question
Dr. Tamimi, I am an American Christian, who can't understand the hatred towards the U.S. and Israel. It seems at times that the opinions of both sides (Arabs/Israel/Westerners) are all contradictory in their accounts of history. Yassin's assassination was just another example of useless violence, which was condemned worldwide, but how is that any different from a suicide bomber getting on a bus and blowing everyone up in it? How can there be peace when you read, hear and see Muslim's say everyone who is an infidel must die! Why can't the Palestinians just accept Israel's right to exist and work towards that end? As an American, all we see are images of our flag being burned and hatred coming out of the mouths of everyone in the Arab world. I know that the U.S is not perfect, but I would like to think that we help more than we hurt. It is very hard to understand why everyone like me, (non-Islam) must die. Finally, if all these comments I have made are true, how can those who hate us expect us to respond in any other way than we have to protect ourselves? Thanks.
Answer
I think the problem is that in this vicious cycle we choose to start telling the story from different points. For the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims the story starts when Western European powers decided to create a Jewish state in Palestine. For people who are not so interested in history, the story starts from the last thing that has happened. In Israel and in the United States and problem begins always when there is a suicide bombing and when Israelis get killed. The media does not usually tell viewers, listeners or readers what provoked a Palestinian to kill himself in this way and why he came to the conclusion that these Israelis did not deserve to live. It is rather sad, but this how it is today. We simply look into different mirrors. I would disagree and even condemn any Muslim who believes that a non-Muslim deserves to die just because he or she is a non-Muslim. I even suspect that no Muslim says this unless there is a long story behind him, a story that is never told.
For you, it would seem that the United States is only doing good things around the world. For a Palestinian it is not at all a good thing to give the Israelis F16's, Apache helicopters, rockets and ammunition of all types and billions of dollars while the Palestinians have nothing with which to defend themselves against all of this.
Let me finally ask you: If I, as a Muslim, were to come as part of an armed gang to your house, surround you, force you and your family out of it and say to you go find somewhere else to live this land and this house was given to us by our God, what would be your response? Would you just leave and let us get away with our crime? Or would you settle for the shed or perhaps a small corner in the garden or perhaps if we are more generous one of the house's many rooms? Why must I as a Palestinian agree to the occupation of the house where my mother was born by Jewish immigrants from Poland? Why Must the millions of Palestinian refugees who have been rotting in refugee camps across the region accept Israel's right to exist while the Zionist who built their state in these people's land and homes do not recognize them as rightful owners of those lands and homes. Would you blame a Palestinian whose home is levelled to the ground using an F16 or whose father was assassinated using an Apache helicopter made in your country and given free of charge to the Israelis, would you blame him for hating your country and your government?
I have personally been trying hard in my writings, lectures and interviews to explain to my fellow Muslims, Arabs and Palestinians that what America does should not be blamed on the American people because many of them do not know what their government is doing to the rest of the world and because an increasing number of them realize now that is wrong and are opposing it.
Name
Ahmed, UAE
- United Arab Emirates
Profession
Question
What would be the attitude of Hamaz towards the rulers of middle east who indeed accept US/Israel agenda by not raising their hand against oppression in a most suitable & sufficient manner?
Answer
My understanding is that Hamas field of action is in Palestine. The rulers of the region are the responsibility of their own peoples.
Name
Abdelmajid
-
Profession
Question
I hope my question is not that much far from the topic of the dialogue, but it sounds important to some. If you were to give a speech on the death of Sheikh Yassin in Canada, what would you say, what would be the main points you should raise, given the huge difference between speaking in Canada or outside of Canada?
Answer
It is important to tell the world about the history of the man, as a Palestinian who was driven out of his home at the age of ten together with his mother and other brothers and sisters to live as a refugee in Gaza. The view of the Israelis will always be negative of him, but what matters here is to highlight what he meant to the Palestinians and what he means to the Arabs and the Muslims today and perhaps for future generations. Compare him with Nelson Mandela. Mandela was once called a terrorist by Western powers that supported apartheid in S. Africa. Today he is a hero. The time will come when the world will also see Sheikh Yassin as a hero and Sharon for what he is: a terrorist.
Name
Hani Makram
-
Profession
Question
What are the lessons we learn and the Ummah can learn from the martyrdom of Sheikh Yassin?
Answer
The path to liberation is cotly and is long too.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank our guest for speaking to Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
