9 February 2000

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Mercy-giving

Press statement on the treacherous acts of Zionist aggression against Lebanon

Commenting on the acts of naked aggression committed by the aircraft of the Zionist enemy on civilian targets whose purpose is to provide utility services to Lebanon; an authorized spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement -- Hamas -- made the following statement:
The new acts of Zionist aggression reveal the true, ugly face of Ehud Barak's Zionist government, which has tried to market itself as a seeker of peace.  The aggression exposes the impotence and bankruptcy to which the Zionist enemy has been reduced in its confrontation with the qualitative military operations of the Islamic Resistance against both its soldiers and puppet troops. The Resistance operations have deeply disturbed the ranks of its forces, dashing their morale.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and with it the Palestinian people reaffirm their complete commitment to the Lebanese people, to their state, and their resistance, and stress their right to resist the Zionist occupation and to retaliate for the treacherous attacks to which their utility services were subjected.
In this context, the Hamas movement calls on the Arab and Islamic world to take a serious stand on the side of Lebanon and its heroic resistance, and to give them all forms of support until the enemy has been defeated and routed from Lebanese territory.
In light of this development the Arab political establishment must halt all contact and cooperation with the enemy state, now that it has confirmed its disdain for the feelings and scorn for the values and norms of the world community, after it has committed these criminal acts, intended to inflict comprehensive harm on civilians on the pretext of preserving the security of the Zionist settlers, in a vivid example of the racist practices unique to the Zionist enemy.
The Hamas movement hails the firm national unity that characterizes Lebanon in its confrontation with Zionist treachery, and hails the solidarity of the Lebanese people and government with the Resistance. The failure of the occupation forces to respond to the ability of the Resistance to penetrate its military strongholds proves clearly that the hour of the defeat and rout of the enemy has come, and that the liberation of Lebanese territory is, by the grace of God, imminent.

Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas - Palestine