17 July 2001

“If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him.”

A new massacre in Bethlehem to be added to the Zionist criminal record

In a new massacre, the Zionist enemy affirmed its ugly face, which had tried to beautify through various means. The new massacre employed two American-made Apache helicopter gunships that raided the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Tuesday afternoon. They fired more than five missiles at two civilian houses in which Palestinian citizens were gathered awaiting the release of one of their detained relatives from the occupation prison of Majeddo. The despicable crime resulted in the martyrdom of:

Omar Saadeh, Mohammed Saadeh, Ishac Saadeh and Taha Al-Urouj in addition to wounding 15 women, children and youth who were present in the two houses.

We, in the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, condemn this savage crime by that criminal enemy whose crimes could not be covered-up. We urge the whole world, especially those who race to condemn the Jihad of our people and their heroic deeds, to denounce that crime and to firmly confront the Zionist terrorist and criminal government led by Sharon and Peres, the butchers of Sabra and Chatilla and Qana, since the crime affirmed that our people were daily facing murder and that all their houses and individuals were targeted.

We proudly bear the tidings of the martyrdom of those four and affirm that Jihad against our enemy will continue. We affirm that the blood of the martyrs of this massacre and all martyrs will not be wasted but Insha’allah will serve as a beacon along the road of Jihad and resistance until liberation of our lands and restoration of our Quds. We affirm that the intifada will persist regardless of sacrifices until realizing our people’s goals and aspirations for the sake of which they have sacrificed and are still sacrificing enormously.

We affirm, as history of our Jihad proves, that the enemy will pay the price of its crimes. Let the enemy know that with such a crime it turned all Zionists on our lands into legitimate targets of our Jihad and operations and that the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and its military wing the Qassam Brigades will violently retaliate “And soon will the unjust assailants know what vicissitudes their affairs will take!”

And it is a Jihad until either victory or martyrdom

The Islamic Resistance Movement 
Hamas – Palestine
Tuesday 25^th Rabee Thani 1422H
17^th July 2001AD