Hamas Leader: Jerusalem And The Homeland Will Be Restored Only Through Jihad, The Rifle, And Self-Sacrifice

MEMRI – “In a fiery speech in Cairo on October 3, 2012, at a rally commemorating Saladin’s liberation of Jerusalem, Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mash’al said that the Zionists are enemies of Allah and the prophets, and called for preparing to liberate Jerusalem and restore the homeland once more through jihad, the rifle, and self-sacrifice. The event, under the banner ‘Jerusalem – Together, We Will Defend And Restore Her,’ was held under the auspices of Egypt’s cultural minister and representatives of institutions operating in Egypt to liberate Jerusalem, with the participation of advisors to President Mursi.

In his speech, Mash’al praised Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi and the new Egyptian regime, and stressed that the Arab ummah, and especially the Palestinians, need an Egypt that once again embraces all the problems of the Arab peoples, chiefly the Palestinian cause. He said: ‘Egypt’s swift momentum is not just an Egyptian need, but a Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic one [as well]. Egypt needs to awaken quickly, and to get through the transitional period.’

Calling on Egypt to unite and act with all its might – ‘Islamists, liberals, pan-Arabists, Muslims and Christians, women and men.’

He then called on Egypt to show tolerance in the internal camp, to administer its policy harmoniously and with the involvement of all elements, and to protect its security, to recover economically, and to develop technology so that it could stand at the forefront of superpowers, as it had in the past.

Stressing that Egypt is the leader of the Arab world, and that it would continue to play that role,[2] Mash’al added: ‘The land of Palestine will only be restored by an Egyptian leadership that can bear responsibility, by means of an awakening in all areas… If Egypt disappears, the entire Arab ummah disappears, and the Arabs and Muslims are defeated in all areas. Egypt once again adopts all the problems of the Arab peoples, particularly the Palestinian cause.’

Mash’al said, ‘The victory of October 6 [1973] is not just Egypt’s victory, but vengeance [against Israel] for the sake of the Palestinian people and the Arabs. It is [also] a message of humiliation to the Zionist entity, which must know that when Egypt prepares for conflict, it is not defeated by any aggressor. The Zionist entity must know that Egypt has returned …'” Read more.