Preacher threatens Israel: Your “end is near” - in PA TV sermon
In a sermon broadcast by the PA, an unidentified preacher called on Palestinians to wage war against Israel, warning Israel that “its end, Allah willing, is near”:
“The oppression will not last, and this stage is destined to pass. The occupation (i.e., Israel) has Judaized the holy sites and defiled them, and continues to do so… This is a warning to the occupation that its end, Allah willing, is near.”
[Official PA TV, June 5, 2020]
The preacher quoted the beginning of a Quran verse whose continuation calls for war to “terrify the enemy of Allah.” The verse, which is known to be a call for Jihad, used in the current context is clearly identifying Israelis as “the enemies of Allah” to be fought. The words quoted by the preacher implores Palestinians to use “all means of power” against Israel. The preacher stressed that now is not a time merely for “prayers” but a time to act:
“The divine religions and the international conventions and customs – they all allow us to defend ourselves… The oppressed -he is allowed to defend himself… There is no option but to take initiative. Let us not just pray and say: “The occupation (i.e., Israel) will pass thanks to the prayers.” Let no one understand me thus. There is no choice but to take all the types of initiative. “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power” [Quran 8:60] ... We say to the occupation that all the types of power are permitted for the Palestinian people in order to defend itself, to defend its land, to defend the [Jordan] Valley, to defend Jerusalem, to defend Al-Aqsa, to defend the holy sites, to defend the water, to defend the tax money that is being held, to defend all our stolen rights.”
[Official PA TV, June 5, 2020]
In its entirety, the Quran verse from which the preacher quoted is an explicit call to war:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.”
[Quran 8:60, Sahih International translation]
The Muslim Brotherhood – which doesn’t recognize the State of Israel and whose Palestinian branch is the terror organization Hamas – refers to this particular Quran verse on its logo with the word “prepare” under the two swords:
This PA TV sermon echoes another sermon - also broadcast by the PA - in which the PA’s Supreme Shari’ah Judge and the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice, Mahmoud Al-Habbash, explained that the Quran commands fighting and permits killing Israelis.
The following is a longer excerpt of the recent sermon:
Unidentified preacher: “The oppression will not last, and this stage is destined to pass. The occupation (i.e., Israel) has Judaized the holy sites and defiled them, and continues to do so. It has gnawed away at the land, and did not stop with the land but also has fought the people, trees, and institutions. It has fought the state and fought us, our water, our lands, our air, our borders, and our money... This is a warning to the occupation that its end, Allah willing, is near… It has stolen our lands, robbed our land, and defiled our holy sites that we believe in, preserve, and hold onto with all our might, even if it costs us that which is most precious… The divine religions and the international conventions and customs – they all allow us to defend ourselves. Everyone must know that we are not oppressors, not attackers, and not terrorists. This classification has been ascribed to us. The oppressed -he is allowed to defend himself… There is no option but to take initiative. Let us not just pray and say: “The occupation will pass thanks to the prayers.” Let no one understand me thus. There is no choice but to take all the types of initiative. “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power” [Quran 8:60] ... We say to the occupation that all the types of power are permitted for the Palestinian people in order to defend itself, to defend its land, to defend the [Jordan] Valley, to defend Jerusalem, to defend Al-Aqsa, to defend the holy sites, to defend the water, to defend the tax money that is being held, to defend all our stolen rights.”
[Official PA TV, June 5, 2020]
The entire Quran verse from which the preacher quoted is a call for war:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.”
[Quran 8:60, Sahih International translation]