Abbas' advisor: We’re against the occupation, not Judaism

Official PA TV, excerpt of Friday sermon by Supreme Shari’ah Judge, Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash at the mosque in the PA headquarters in Ramallah; in audience: PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Muhaisen, Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee Saeb Erekat, and Secretary-General of the PA Presidential Office Tayeb Abd Al-Rahim

Supreme Shari’ah Judge, Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "We were never supporters of hatred, and were not enemies of peace. We did not exploit anyone, did not attack anyone, and did not deny anyone’s right… and here – what we have said and are saying and will continue to say – we do not resist the occupation- we do not resist the occupiers because they are Jewish. No, we resist occupiers whatever their religion may be. You know, if the occupation was Muslim Arab we would resist. What more do you want? We are not against the Jewish religion. And we honor all of the prophets, and all of the religions, and we honor all of the narratives. Every person has a right to his narrative, in religion or in history, as he pleases. But we will not agree that anyone force his narrative on us. We also have our narrative. We also have our religion and our history. They are not obligated to accept our narrative, OK. And we are also not obligated… Our page is smooth and shining, and our positions cannot be misinterpreted because they are as clear as day. This is a message to everyone: Pay attention and beware of deceit, and know that Palestine is of its people, sooner or later, and its people will be its sooner or later, and our unity – we will return it, and we will end the [Fatah-Hamas] rift, and we will trample the [Hamas] coup [in the Gaza Strip] (see note below –Ed.), and the same for the occupation, sooner or later…"

2007 Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip - Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah won the 2005 Palestinian Authority Presidential election. However, Hamas won the 2006 parliamentary elections in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with a majority of 74 out of 132 seats, to Fatah's 45 seats. Fatah's rule of the PA Presidency and Hamas' rule of the PA government led to friction and eventually armed conflict between Hamas and Fatah. Hamas defeated Fatah militarily in the Gaza Strip in 2007, and since then Hamas has ruled in Gaza while the PA continues to rule the PA areas in the West Bank under Fatah.