A Palestinian terrorist throws a rock at Israeli security forces. (Flash90)
Unlike what some Western leaders have claimed, it is the Palestinian hope to destroy Israel through Jihad that serves as the driving force behind their terror attacks – not desperation, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said.
The Palestinians aspire to destroy Israel through Jihad [Muslim holy war] and therefore commit terror attacks against Israelis, and are not driven by desperation as some Western leaders have claimed, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh stated.
“This intifada is a jihad, a holy war fought by the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupation. Only a holy war will drive the occupier out of Palestine,” Hamas’ leader in the Gaza Strip told supporters on Tuesday, Israel Hayom reported.
“This intifada [violent uprising] is not the result of despair,” Haniyeh clarified.
He called for the continuation of the attacks and violence, saying that no political or diplomatic solution would bring them to a halt.
Haniyeh rejected remarks made by his rival, Palestinian Authority (PA) head Mahmoud Abbas, that the violence stemmed from Palestinian despair over the deadlocked diplomatic process with Israel.
Several Western leaders have also stated that the Palestinians are driven by despair, the result of 50 years of “Israeli occupation,” thus placing the onus of four months of Palestinian terrorist attacks solely on Israel.
In his statement, Haniyeh underscored the Islamic drive behind the wave of violence, one that is inspired by the advent of the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group and Muslim fundamentalism in the region.
By: United with Israel Staff