August 16, 1998
Yasir Arafat has again called for “jihad”–Islamic holy
war–against Israel, and the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is
urging the Clinton administration to take action.
In a speech to the Organization of Islamic Conference’s Jerusalem
Committee, in Morocco on July 29, 1998 (reported in the official
Palestinian Authority newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda on July 30, 1998),
Arafat said:
“We shall continue to act against the settlement onslaught…to
save holy Jerusalem from the Judaizing monster…Israel has started the war
over Jerusalem…but with Arab and Islamic assistance, this shall be our
faithful jihad–to defend holy Jerusalem from the danger of Judaization and
the Zionist plot.”
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said: “It was President
Clinton who once said, ‘Bitter words have bitter consequences.’ Clinton
should publicly denounce these words of war by Arafat and his aides before
they again turn into violence against Jews. Clinton’s silence encourages
Arafat to believe that there will be no consequences to his constant
incitement of the Palestinian Arabs to carry out anti-Israel violence.
Why does Clinton issue ultimatums to Israel to make more concessions, but never
issues ultimatums to Arafat to halt his inciting speeches? The Clinton
administration has sufficient leverage–including $100-million in annual
aid–to compel Arafat to cease his anti-peace behavior. When will Clinton
use that leverage?”
Other recent calls for “jihad” by Arafat or his aides:
- “The path of jihad.”
Speaking at the funeral of an Arab
terrorist in Gaza on June 24, 1998, Ahmad Hils, secretary-general of Yasir
Arafat’s Fatah movement in Judea-Samaria, said:“The path of jihad, struggle, and heroism continues to be the only way to liberate
Palestine and to establish our independent state with
Jerusalem as its capital, and so it will be in the future.”(Quoted in the Palestinian Authority-affiliated newspaper Al Ayyam, June 25, 1998.)
(Translation courtesy of Middle East Media and Research Institute ) -
“Colleagues in jihad.”
In a statement published in the official
Palestinian Authority newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda on April 16, 1998
Arafat sent this message to his people:
“O my dear ones on the occupied
lands, relatives and friends throughout Palestine and the diaspora, my
colleagues in struggle and in arms, my colleagues in struggle and in
jihad…Intensify the revolution and the blessed intifada…We must burn
the ground under the feet of the invaders.” - “Swear by the blood of the jihad.”
Also on April 16, 1998,
Arafat’s official Voice of Palestine radio station broadcast a speech by
Marwan Barghouti, chairman of Arafat’s Fatah movement in Judea-Samaria, in
which he said:
“The rifle of Fatah, the rifle carried by the Palestinian
people which ignited the revolution, will not be buried…Brothers and
sisters, I swear, I swear, I swear by the blood of the jihad and the blood
of our nation’s martyrs.” - “March as warriors of jihad.”
From a song sung by children on
the program “The Children’s Club,” broadcast on PA Television on February
13, 1998:
“Each and every part of your soil I have drenched will all my
blood. And we shall march as warriors of jihad. O my exalted martyr, you
are my example.” - “We know only one word: jihad.”
Speaking at a rally in
Dehaishe, near Bethlehem, on October 21, 1996, Arafat said:
“We know only
one world, jihad, jihad, jihad. Whoever does not like it can drink from
the Dead Sea or from the Sea of Gaza.”
(Yediot Ahronot, October 23, 1996) - “Jihad via deaths.”
In a speech at Al Azhar University in Gaza
on June 19, 1995, Arafat said:
“The commitment still stands and the oath
is still valid: that we will continue this long jihad, this difficult
jihad…via deaths, via battles.”
(Jerusalem Post, Aug. 3, 1995) - “Liberate Jerusalem by jihad.”
The PA-appointed Mufti of
Jerusalem, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, said:
“Jerusalem is under occupation and
the Moslems of the world should liberate it by jihad and put it under
Islamic and Arabic authority.”
(Jerusalem Post, May 3, 1995) - “No option other than jihad.”
The Gaza Arab newspaper Al Watan,
reporting remarks by PA cabinet minister Nabil Sha’ath on February 28,
1995, reported:
“In response to a question on steps the Palestinian
Authority might take to confront Israeli measures, Sha’ath stressed that
the Palestinian Authority is
waging a struggle at the negotiating table. If it becomes certain that the
negotiations process with Israel is ending in failure, there will be no
option other than jihad.” - “A nation of jihad.”
In a speech relayed by telephone to a
rally in Hebron, and broadcast on the PA’s Voice of Palestine Radio on
February 14, 1995, Arafat said:
“Our nation is a nation of sacrifice,
struggle, and jihad.” - “The weapon of jihad.”
Speaking to Arab laborers in Gaza in
January 1995, Arafat said:
“All of us are willing to be martyrs along the
way, until our flag flies over Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine. Let no
one think they can scare us with weapons, for we have mightier weapons–the
weapon of faith, the weapon of martyrdom, the weapon of jihad.”(Parade magazine, June 25, 1995)
- “The jihad will continue.”
From Arafat’s speech to a
Johannesburg mosque on May 10, 1994 (quoted in Ha’aretz, May 23, 1994):“The jihad will continue, and Jerusalem is not for the Palestinian people,
it is for all the Muslim people…You have to come to fight and to start
the jihad to liberate Jerusalem.”
