As I have watched the pro-Palestinian tumult in the streets of our great cities, I have wondered how many Americans have taken time to read Hamas’ founding document — “The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement,”18 August 1988.1
In the “Covenant’s” preface, we are told: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
Article VI states, “The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.”
Article VII concludes, “The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Muslims, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.”
Hamas believes that a land once “conquered by the armies of Islam,” is forever “consecrated” “to Moslem generations until the Day of Judgement (Art. 11):”
“Palestine is an Islamic Waqf (Holy Possession) land consecrated for Muslim generations until Judgement Day."
“This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Moslems have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Muslims consecrated these lands to Muslim generations till the Day of Judgement.”
In Article XIII, Hamas rejects all compromise – all peaceful coexistence.
“Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against a part of religion."“Now and then, the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question.“There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad.“Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with.”
Article XV sets out the means Hamas intends to employ to achieve its end.
“The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In the face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.“It is necessary that scientists, educators and teachers, information and media people, as well as the educated masses, especially the youth and sheikhs of the Islamic movements, should take part in the operation of awakening (the masses).“It is necessary to instill in the minds of the Muslim generations that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should be dealt with on this basis.”
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacked the civilian population in Israel, in clear violation of the “laws of war.” Roughly 1,200 Israeli’s (including some foreign nationals) were murdered. The figure includes women who were raped, and children who were slaughtered; 250 more, including the elderly, women and children, were taken hostages.
So, what is Israel supposed to do? Abide by the Geneva Convention as to Palestinian non-combatants, while Hamas makes mockery of the Convention, revels in killing elderly Israeli women, pregnant women and infants, and exultantly sends iPhone videos of its atrocities to its supporters?
What Hamas did IS PURE EVIL.
Hamas calls for the “obliteration” of Israel and the killing of every Jew — for every Muslim to engage in Jihad. Hamas rejects all initiatives, proposals and international conferences as a waste of time and vain endeavors. And then wonders why Israel responds with total war?
Imagine living in a lawless part of town, and having a “neighbor,” who has repeatedly and publicly threatened to kill you and your family. That “neighbor” then breaks into your home, rapes your wife, beheads her and your infant daughter, and kidnaps your 2-year-old son. Not satisfied, he publicly announces he still plans to kill you and your remaining children. What do you do?
What is Israel supposed to do with an enemy who will not negotiate peace? Who calls for “Jihad” to “obliterate Israel,” and for the killing of every last Jew (who will not abjure his religion and become Moslem)?
“Hamas … and its affiliates have continued to fire rockets at Israel nearly every day, … striking some of the country’s biggest cities.
“Hamas and other armed groups have fired about 12,000 rockets from Gaza into Israel ….”
Hamas hides its rocket launchers in Gaza among the civilian population, and fires its rockets at the civilian population throughout Israel.
Hamas claims the right to torture, rape and murder all Israeli non-combatants. It beheads women and children. Takes hostages. Refuses to negotiate.
The Jews, it seems, are required to love their Palestinian neighbors as they love themselves. Hamas requires the Palestinians wage murderous Jihad against every Jew until Israel is “obliterated” and every Jew is killed.
What standing does Hamas have to demand that Israel observe all “Rules of War,” when Hamas pisses on every one of them?
1. The Covenant is available online, in full, at Yale Law School’s Avalon Project — an online library of original documents dealing with law, history and diplomacy.
First Published in the Moline Dispatch and Rock Island Argus on January 19, 2024.
Copyright 2024, John Donald O'Shea
Copyright 2024, John Donald O'Shea
