PA Supreme Shari’ah Judge: "The Palestinian people has been subjected to injustice for 74 years"
Official PA TV, broadcast of Friday prayers and sermon by PA Supreme Shari’ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash at a mosque in Ramallah
PA Supreme Shari’ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “Allah commanded justice in all situations: justice towards yourself, towards the family, towards the neighbors, justice in commerce, in law, in relations between states and between peoples. Look at our world today, where is the justice? Where is the so-called international law? Where is the so-called international legitimacy? Seventy-four years (i.e., since the establishment of Israel) have passed for the people of Palestine, the residents of Palestine, and the holy sites in Palestine, and the oppression is overt and clear. People were uprooted from their homes and expelled out of their homeland. They were thrown into the darkness of refugeehood and into places of exile near and far, so that foreigners who have no right whatsoever in this land would be brought and put in their place, would be housed in their homes, and would steal their land. And a representative of a world power stands at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) two days ago (sic., three days ago) and says that he feels embarrassed. Why? Because the UNHRC condemns Israel due to its violation of Palestinian human rights (refers to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemning anti-Israel bias at the UNHRC during its 49th Session on March 1, 2022 -Ed.). Actually you should feel embarrassed because you are saying that… Embarrassment is what you and your state are doing. Embarrassment and oppression are what they are doing today to the oppressed and subjugated. Seventy-four years have passed for our people of Palestine, where is the international legitimacy? Where is international law that agrees to all this oppression and all this aggression throughout all the years? …
When events occur here and there we find that the world stands, takes action, and mobilizes. Okay, and the Palestinian people has been subjected to injustice for 74 years, is anyone furrowing their brow in anger over this injustice, and striving for justice and [implementing] the so-called international legitimacy? …
We have accepted international law and international legitimacy, even though this is an unjust legitimacy at its core, because at the least it compares the executioner and the victim, if it does not [actually] stand alongside the executioner against the victim. But they do not want that even this international legitimacy will be implemented for us – selectively, according to [their] mood…
But they must know that silence over oppression is not in our nature… and accepting oppression and humiliation is not in our character. For 74 years we have been resisting this occupation, and our resistance is just. Our resistance is just and fair, and it is [being done based] on a right – and the occupation is evil, it is aggression… Justice must prevail over everyone, and resistance to injustice is a right and a duty.”
Mahmoud Al-Habbash also serves as Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice. In August 2019 PA Chairman Abbas dismissed all his advisors by Presidential decree. It is unclear what their status is today.