12 November 2000

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful  

An appeal from Sheikh Ahmed Yassin founder of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, to leaders and peoples of the Arab and Islamic Nation on the occasion of holding the Islamic summit conference in Doha

“An appeal for backing the people of Palestine”

“How should ye not fight for the cause of Allah and of the feeble among men and of the women and the children who are crying: Our Lord! Bring us forth from out this town of which the people are oppressors! Oh, give us from Thy presence some protecting friend! Oh, give us from Thy presence some defender!” (Quran 4/75)

Our Arab, Islamic Nation ... Our brothers in religion and creed

From the holy land of Palestine, from Beit Al-Makdes and the precincts of Beit Al-Makdes, from the arena of Jihad, resistance and blessed Intifadha, from the heart of the bleeding wounds and ruins, from the screams of orphans, widows and bereaved mothers, from the midst of the continuous columns of martyrs, I send you, our Nation, an appeal to back the people of Palestine. The people of Palestine who are stationed on the cherished land of Palestine, the Mujahid for the sake of liberating it from Jewish usurpers and the defender of the Nation’s dignity and sanctities topped by the first Islamic Qibla, third holiest shrine in Islam and Isra’ site of prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him.

We call on you our people and brothers on behalf of the children of Palestine who are facing the enemy with their bare chests. We appeal to you in the name of the mothers and wives of martyrs who rejoice each time a martyr is raised up to the heavens. We appeal to you in the name of the wounded who were mercilessly targeted by enemy helicopter gunships, tanks and gunboats. We appeal to you when everything in Palestine has turned into a target for the enemy’s fire whether civilians, houses, installations, streets, trees, mosques and places of worship. Everything has been the target of Jewish savagery, terrorism and aggression. The martyrs have exceeded 200 persons, the wounded surpassed 7,000 persons while thousands of cultivated lands and trees were uprooted, hundreds of houses demolished, institutions paralyzed and the people besieged from all directions.

Day and night your brothers in Palestine are liable to shelling, threatening choppers and settlers’ sniper fire. What is going on in Palestine is a war of liquidation and annihilation. A liquidation of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Aqsa, a liquidation of the people and their fighting youth generation and even a liquidation of the whole Palestine cause. Your brothers’ blood is cheap in the eyes of the Jews, killers of prophets, and each day your brothers walk in funeral processions and receive more wounded and disabled persons. Such terrorism did not single out any Palestinian including your brothers stationed in the Palestinian lands occupied in 1948.

Our brothers everywhere …

Your brothers and sisters in Palestine face death each and every moment … the columns of martyrs do not stop … the roaring sounds of guns do not calm down and all bombard your flesh and blood. Fires break out and bodies dismembered as a result of the pouring missiles that assassinate our people in broad daylight.

We wonder how long will such a situation persist? How long will silence continue vis-à-vis such premeditated killing of a whole people? How long will we be content with condemnation statements that do not help in face of liquidating Al-Quds and the Aqsa Mosque in addition to offending all human values and norms? If we wait until America “bestows” on us a fact-finding committee or international protection or restoration of the settlement framework that drowned in our people’s blood then the Zionist danger will spread into other areas of Arab and Islamic lands.

Leaders and peoples of the Nation …

What you view on TV, despite the horrific scenes, is much less than what is really taking place. Your brothers are besieged in lands and pockets without having arms to defend themselves or to ward off death that is targeting their families and children. If the conscience of the oppressed world had died, then the Arab and Islamic conscience should wake up from its long nap … why don’t you support your brothers here with arms, money and supplies? Why don’t you open the door for Jihad before the Mujahdieen brigades in backing of the people of Palestine and in defense of the Aqsa and the holy shrines and to halt the ongoing carnage? The people of Palestine beseech you and appeals to you, after praying to almighty Allah, for the mothers’ screams had reached the farthest point on Earth and Allah had obliged you to extend support “ … but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them)…” (Quran 8/72)

The Islamic summit conference currently convening in Qatar is called upon to launch an effective act to save Palestine, its people and Quds in addition to boycotting the enemy and draining its source of arrogance on the lands of Islam and Muslims.

The wound is deep and the hearts are bleeding. No fine-worded statements would be enough, for the time now is for serious and fruitful work for the sake of liberating Palestine and its people and lifting the oppression on them through the use of force for whatever was taken by force would be only regained by force.

From the heart of the holy Aqsa Intifadha we hail this Nation, which reacted from the ocean to the ocean, to reflect its backing to the people of Palestine. Such reactions proved that the question of Al-Quds was not solely a Palestinian question but also an Arab and Islamic one. So more support is needed along with protection means to our people for the situation is extremely grave and Al-Quds is in serious danger.

We affirm to you, Muslims everywhere, that we will continue along the road of Jihad and we will not be terrorized by the enemy’s might or suppression for its might, God willing, is dying out and its suppression will lose in the end. And we will remain sticking to the land of Palestine from the sea to the river and we will proceed in unity under the banner of Haq (Right) along the road of Jihad and resistance until victory or martyrdom.

“Your Ummah is nothing but one and I am your Lord so worship me.”

Allaho Akbar and all praises are to Allah

Your brother Sheikh Ahmed Yassin
Founder of the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas
12 November 2000