Op-ed justifies all acts done in struggle against Israel, including terror
Op-ed by member of PA Parliament and former PA minister, Imad Al-Faluji:
Headline: “We are not terrorists and we have no regrets”
“We emphasize, we are not terrorists, if we are speaking about terrorism in its Western and American sense, meaning unjustified killing or killing that is not preceded by exploitation or loss that justify fighting…
We are not terrorists, if the meaning of this term is in the sense of attacking another for the purpose of taking over his property and occupying his land, while not respecting human or animal rights or refraining from preventing the killing of innocent children and old people …
We are not terrorists for all these reasons and for many more. But when it comes to uprising against the occupation and the fact that it is not given a chance to put security and calm into effect on our land, or whether this means spreading terror among the enemy’s ranks until it understands that Arab and Palestinian blood is not and will never be cheap, so that the enemy will think a thousand times before carrying out any plot against us – here lies the glorious and sacred meaning of terror, which Allah alluded to in the Quran saying: ‘Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know.’ (Sura 8:60, Yusuf Ali)
And when children are killed… as is happening on the soil of Palestine… For this reason we do not regret anything that we have done in standing up to this hated occupation, because our nation fulfilled its duty to the best of its abilities. Full appreciation and blessings are given to the Martyrs (Shahids) of this nation, its prisoners, wounded, fighters and anyone who waved the flag of confrontation, whether it was with the word or with the rifle, or political and diplomatic struggle or the civilian struggle.
And we do not regret anything that we have done during the stages of open struggle against the occupation…
We have no regrets, despite our awareness and our knowledge of regional and general changes, [and our knowledge] about the fact that there is direct American control of the region following the fall of Baghdad; [we have no regrets in light] of the September events (i.e., 9/11 terror attacks) in America or in light of the fact that this region is under American control, [America] who is our enemy’s strategic ally, because all this does not mean that we must give up or [that we must] deny what we have already achieved, or that we must evade taking full responsibility for the outcome of the [negotiating] stage that has forced itself on us.”
(Faluji calls for the struggle to continue so that the occupation will be removed. He repeats: We are not terrorists and we have no regrets.)
Note: Al-Faluji wrote the op-ed days after lethal terror attacks took place in Israel, while Mahmoud Abbas was meant to have been fighting terrorism:
April 24, 2003: Suicide attack in the Kfar Saba train station. 1 person was killed.
April 30, 2003: Terror attack in a restaurant on the Tel Aviv promenade. 3 people were killed.
May 17, 2003: Suicide attack in Hebron. 2 people were killed.
May 18, 2003: Suicide attack on the No. 6 bus in Jerusalem. 7 people were killed.
May 19, 2003: Terror attack in a mall in Afula (city in Northern Israel). 3 people were killed.
June 11, 2003 (two days after the op-ed was published): Suicide attack on the No. 14 bus in Jerusalem. 16 people were killed.
Headline: “We are not terrorists and we have no regrets”
“We emphasize, we are not terrorists, if we are speaking about terrorism in its Western and American sense, meaning unjustified killing or killing that is not preceded by exploitation or loss that justify fighting…
We are not terrorists, if the meaning of this term is in the sense of attacking another for the purpose of taking over his property and occupying his land, while not respecting human or animal rights or refraining from preventing the killing of innocent children and old people …
We are not terrorists for all these reasons and for many more. But when it comes to uprising against the occupation and the fact that it is not given a chance to put security and calm into effect on our land, or whether this means spreading terror among the enemy’s ranks until it understands that Arab and Palestinian blood is not and will never be cheap, so that the enemy will think a thousand times before carrying out any plot against us – here lies the glorious and sacred meaning of terror, which Allah alluded to in the Quran saying: ‘Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know.’ (Sura 8:60, Yusuf Ali)
And when children are killed… as is happening on the soil of Palestine… For this reason we do not regret anything that we have done in standing up to this hated occupation, because our nation fulfilled its duty to the best of its abilities. Full appreciation and blessings are given to the Martyrs (Shahids) of this nation, its prisoners, wounded, fighters and anyone who waved the flag of confrontation, whether it was with the word or with the rifle, or political and diplomatic struggle or the civilian struggle.
And we do not regret anything that we have done during the stages of open struggle against the occupation…
We have no regrets, despite our awareness and our knowledge of regional and general changes, [and our knowledge] about the fact that there is direct American control of the region following the fall of Baghdad; [we have no regrets in light] of the September events (i.e., 9/11 terror attacks) in America or in light of the fact that this region is under American control, [America] who is our enemy’s strategic ally, because all this does not mean that we must give up or [that we must] deny what we have already achieved, or that we must evade taking full responsibility for the outcome of the [negotiating] stage that has forced itself on us.”
(Faluji calls for the struggle to continue so that the occupation will be removed. He repeats: We are not terrorists and we have no regrets.)
Note: Al-Faluji wrote the op-ed days after lethal terror attacks took place in Israel, while Mahmoud Abbas was meant to have been fighting terrorism:
April 24, 2003: Suicide attack in the Kfar Saba train station. 1 person was killed.
April 30, 2003: Terror attack in a restaurant on the Tel Aviv promenade. 3 people were killed.
May 17, 2003: Suicide attack in Hebron. 2 people were killed.
May 18, 2003: Suicide attack on the No. 6 bus in Jerusalem. 7 people were killed.
May 19, 2003: Terror attack in a mall in Afula (city in Northern Israel). 3 people were killed.
June 11, 2003 (two days after the op-ed was published): Suicide attack on the No. 14 bus in Jerusalem. 16 people were killed.