Jihad in Palestine

Political Islam and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Shaul Bartal

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781138854956
• eBook ISBN: 9781317519607
• Topic: Politique et relations internationales
• Subtopic: Terrorisme

The 21st century exists in the shadow of the return of extremist Islam to the center of the world's political stage, a process that began at the end of the previous century. While researchers have focused on the rise of Hamas, this return has in fact manifested itself in a range of independent Islamic extremist groups with their own philosophies.

Jihad in Palestine provides a comprehensive study of the variety of Islamic extremist groups operating inside Israel/Palestine today, examining their philosophies and views concerning martyrdom, as well as their attitudes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These ideologies are presented in their own words, thanks to the author's extensive translations and commentary of primary sources in Arabic, including the writings of the Islamic Jihad, al-Jama'a al-Islamiya, Hizbal-Tahrir al-Islami, Hamas and the Islamic Movement. The book studies the attitudes of these organisations towards the fundamental issues surrounding Jihad, including the concept of personal obligation, the relationship of the movement to the peace agreements and attitudes towards Jews expressed in the movement's writings. Exploring the basic theories of sacrifice and analysing modern day Palestinian society, it promotes a greater understanding of the religious angle of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The book will be of interest to students and scholars of Middle East Studies, Jewish Studies, Political Islam and Terrorism & Political Violence.

Part I

The jihad way in Palestine

1 Virtues of the shahid and holy death

Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof; but whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer—those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account.

Surat the Forgiver (40), verse 40¹

A Background

In order to understand the meaning and the importance of jihad to the Muslims of today, one has only to take a look at recent Arab literature. A good example of the jihad concept can be found in a pamphlet distributed for free in the mosques of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.² This pamphlet, written by Islamic extremists in Palestine, presents the legal and moral basis for the believer to seek out a martyr’s (shahid) death. It attempts to convince the believer that he must be ready to sacrifice himself for God and for the nation of Islam by carrying out activities against the Zionistic enemy. According to the pamphlet, this is not a choice but rather a commandment from God which must be carried out in order to redeem his soul and his nation. Only a true believer and someone with great skill can convince the young, innocent men to bravely blow themselves up into hundreds of pieces of meat and blood to become a martyr. This religious text justifies suicide attacks and explains that holy death (al-shahada) is a religious obligation in Islam.

The frontispiece of the pamphlet is divided into two parts. On the upper part of the page appears the headline,

The will³ of a superhero in a period of moral decay.

The writing on the left-hand side of the pamphlet (in parentheses) indicates that the pamphlet has been distributed without cost in order to enable every Muslim who wishes to study it, to learn the importance of the martyr’s death. This pamphlet is just one of many of its type bringing religious discourse to the masses, preaching sacrifice to the general public in the various mosques in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and providing the general Palestinian public accessibility to the views of extremist Islam.

There is a continuation to the above headline on the bottom half of the pamphlet. It reads:

A will for a world fighting a holy war

Patience is for Allah the warrior

To the Islamic nation

On the back of the pamphlet appears a photo of Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Azzam of the village of Silat al-Harithiya in the Jenin district. Abdullah Azzam, also known as the “jihad sheikh,” is admired by many Muslims—those imbued with enthusiasm and ideology and who carry his name on their lips before they commit suicide.⁴ This last will addresses the future generations. According to the pamphlet, that is why it is of such great importance to distribute it to each and every mosque and to every house where there are Muslims, who will swallow its words enthusiastically.

This pamphlet of the Islamic Jihad in Palestine strengthens the hands of the brothers-in-arms of those loyal to Islam in Palestine who see themselves as continuing in the way of Izz al-Din al-Qassam, the father of Palestinian jihad of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). A portion of the Islamic Jihad organization even nicknamed themselves Ikhwan al-Qassam (Brothers of al-Qassam), or Qassamiyun, in memory of their hero. The pamphlet is dedicated to the brothers of the struggle of al-Qassam and Hamas.

The dedication appears on the second page of the pamphlet, preceding even the presentation of the holy words explaining and justifying the holy martyrs:

In the name of God the merciful and the beloved

This pamphlet is dedicated to the holy souls of the merciful friend (the Hebron martyrs).⁵

To the heart that leaps with faith.

To the noble who delayed the treason.

To the holy warriors everywhere who raise the slogans of Islam up high …

To the most pure of souls of our martyrs, they are the most free and the righteous ones⁶ who wrote with their pure blood [in a way] that arouses awe are a good example of perseverance, militarism and leadership …

To the fathers and mothers who went, put and prepared the Godlike Islamic generation …

To the brothers of the way of al-Qassam and Hamas, we will read them this book …

From those who hold shahada [a martyr’s death] and anbar⁷ al-mujahideen [the holy warriors], in the way of truth, strength and freedom …

This pamphlet is dedicated to:

The martyrs of Ibrahim al-Khalil 16/4/1995⁸

The martyr Jihad Ghlma The martyr Adel Saad al-Falah (Jaber)

The martyr Tarek Hamdi Ali al-Natsha

On the next page there appears a photograph of the martyr Jihad Ghlma and on the final pages appear photos of the other two martyrs—Adel al-Falah and Tarek al-Natsha. The pamphlet does not explain what act was carried out on the date when these three martyrs gave their lives.

B Translation of the last will of the superhero

In the name of the merciful and beloved God.

Among the believers [al-rejal]⁹ are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration—that Allah may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

Surat the Combined Forces (33), v. 23–24¹⁰

In this pamphlet there are two articles that are, in effect, a eulogy and a lamentation for Sheikh Abdullah Azzam. The authors of the articles in the pamphlet are Dr. Amar Suliman al-Ashkar and Sheikh Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, the spiritual teacher and mentor of Osama bin Muh . ammad bin ’Awad . bin Laden and the al-Qaeda movement.¹¹ Both were knowledgeable in the laws of Islam and were known for their support of jihad against unbelievers. Both were connected to the fighting that took place in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union and made a connection between the struggle in Palestine against the Jews and the struggle against “the communist atheists.”

Dr. al-Ashkar does not mention the name of the martyr but, from the content of his words and the context in which they are said, it is clear that it is a eulogy on the death of Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Azzam. After the poetic eulogy, the pamphlet reprints the will of Sheikh Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. This will was read after the death of Galal ad-Din Haqqani, one of the leaders of the Afghan revolt, who was killed in April 1986, during the war against the Soviets. The words of Ashkar and Azzam were gathered together to give hope and faith on the righteousness of the way of the Islamic warriors and include an explanation of the importance of battle against infidels. The pamphlet explains that the Islamic nation is currently in a stage of war in which it is surrounded on all sides. That is why the people of the Muslim nation must be drafted and fight shoulder to shoulder against the army of the infidel, wherever they are, whether in Afghanistan or Palestine.

The jihad is not just a religious commandment; it has enormous value to Muslims, although not everyone is suited to becoming a martyr. Jihad warriors are the pioneers who go before the camp, fighting the war of the whole Islamic nation. We see an intimate picture of a jihad warrior and feel the “pride of the unit” of a united family believing in the righteousness of their ways (’aaela mujahida). That is why the men of Islamic Jihad in Palestine, those who founded the organization, were nicknamed al-Talia al-Islamiya—the Islamic pioneers.¹²

Azzam served as the spiritual teacher of Osama bin Laden and his teachings serve as the ideological basis for the justification of jihad in every place where Islam was once practiced. Despite the fact that the articles before us deal with jihad and how it relates to the war in Afghanistan, and despite the fact that it appears as if the pamphlet were written at the end of the 1980s, it is important to emphasize that this booklet, which carries the logo of Islamic Jihad in Palestine and all of the ties of that organization, was dedicated to the martyrs of Hebron, an event that apparently took place in 1995.

The principles of jihad and its advantages are characteristics that are shared in all the war zones where Islam is fighting—in Afghanistan, Egypt, Palestine and Iraq. While it is true that the principal aim is to free Jerusalem and fight for Palestine, one must first fight the enemy who is close by. These are the Arab regimes that are not loyal to Islam. The commandment of jihad, as Muhammad ’Abd al-Salam Faraj describes in his book, is the most important of all principles of the Islamic religion.¹³ Although not counted as one of the five pillars of Islam (arkan al-Islam), according to radical Islam, jihad is the sixth pillar. Its value is very great both in our world and in the world to come. The existence of this commandment promises continuity and development of the Islamic nation, the realization of Islam’s goal to become the major world religion, and the reward of heaven to believers.

1 Article by Dr. Amar Suliman al-Ashkar

The connection between death and carrying out the will

Dr. Amar Suliman al-Ashkar¹⁴

Thank God who blessed us with Islam, who lit up our hearts with the Qur’an and who gave us, the creatures that he created, a portion of his kind benevolence. Prayer and peace upon his followers and the commander of the holy warriors who were sent away [were taken from us] with mercy forever. There they will dwell together with God and their comrades who sacrificed their souls for God. The victory is theirs before God. [It is our wish] that their deeds of kindness and the commandments that they have carried out for God will stand in their stead on Judgment Day and afterwards.

The last will that was handed down from them is the will of a superhero, one who was raised up during this period of decline and slump [in attributes and morals]. [The late Abdullah Azzam] is a man who felt and saw the epidemic besieging the Islamic nation worldwide which desired to wipe out the vision and Islam. [This] ruinous [process] leaves nothing, not even a remnant [of our values].¹⁵ He sacrificed himself to protect his nation and his religion. Because of this, he even neglected his family and relatives. It is as if he is saying to his children who are included in his will that, “It is true that I neglected you, but what else could be done as the troubles that the Muslims were facing were serious [and it was necessary to act] for [the future] of the babies. Thus, the horrors [such as these] which befell the Muslim nation and aged the children will not return.”

It is true that our martyr took his pen and wrote and composed for the people of this nation. His voice still echoes when he calls for aid for the men and he warns them about the danger that is about to come down on their land. He waves his sharp sword while he rides on his noble horse.¹⁶ He fights the Jews on most of the land of Palestine and in its valleys. At the time that he sanctified the grace of jihad in Palestine we saw him atop the mountains of Afghanistan, in its plains and in its valleys, roaring like a lion and fighting the communist atheists.¹⁷

It is true that our dear martyr was already like a flame that lights the way for all of the family of Islam. Like the flames of fire [that wind around] the enemies of God. His writings [of our martyr] reached the East and the West and were passed on to readers who still keep the faith and our great tradition. Because he wro...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Part I: The jihad way in Palestine
• Part 2: Studies of jihad philosophy
• Afterword
• Bibliography
• Index