PA sermon: victory for the Palestinians and Iraqis "against the Jews,
Britain, and the United States, and their allies"

FBIS Report - Friday sermons carried by the news media of the Palestinian
Authority on 18 April 2003:
[With thanks to www.mideastweb.org/mewnews1.htm ]

WEST BANK & GAZA STRIP:

Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic, official television
station of the Palestinian Authority, carries at 0950 GMT a live sermon from
Ijlin Mosque in Gaza.

Shaykh Ibrahim Mudayris delivers the sermon, which he begins by saying: "O
people of Palestine, O steadfast people on the land of beloved Palestine, I
know that your hearts are bleeding painfully over what happened in Iraq. I
know that your hearts were wounded by the fall of Baghdad, the capital of
the caliphate. But, the fall of Iraq does not mean that we will give up our
resoluteness and bow to the enemies of God. The quick dramatic events that
led to the fall of Baghdad remind us of the Monguls, who entered Baghdad and
overwhelmed it in a matter of hours. History repeats itself. That was caused
by treason. And today's events smack of treason. But, O God's subjects, it
is early to distinguish the traitor from the victim of treason. My fellow
preachers and friends blamed some figures for treason and other things. But,
I say from here: O people, O God's subject, you must wait until the facts
become clear. We are sure that Baghdad was delivered and that it did not
surrender. The whole issue smacks of treason. But, was Saddam the head of
treason, or was he the victim of this treason? Let us leave the answer to
the coming days. At any rate, we are not paining over a person or a regime,
but over the people of Iraq, the children and women of Iraq who are being
butchered, and the resources of Iraq. We are grieving over the land of Iraq
and the Islamic civilization in Iraq. This is what is grieving us and making
our hearts bleed and pain so much."

The imam adds: "America organizes the systematic destruction of Iraq.
America organizes the looting, plundering, and destruction operations.
America shows more concern for the Oil Ministry, which is obvious, than all
the other ministries, institutions, houses and resources. It also organizes
persons who we doubt are Iraqis. These are not Iraqis, but agents, traitors,
mercenaries, and hirelings to serve certain aims, such as showing Arabs as
uncivilized." "What is most unusual, O God's subjects, is that America
organizes these campaigns by thieves and traitorous plotters in order to
strike at honest Iraqis and the upcoming Iraqi resistance."

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He says that
with the fall of Iraq, the nation has suffered a setback, "but it does not
mean that it should despair and bow to the enemies of God." Rather the
nation should regroup and pool its resources for God's promised victory, he
adds.

The imam concludes with a prayer for God's victory for the Palestinians and
Iraqis "against the Jews, Britain, and the United States, and their allies."
He prays to God to save Palestinian and Iraqi children, women, and elderly
people. He prays: "O Lord, save Iraqi civilization, its resources, Islam,
education, and culture. O Lord, save Palestine and its holy places." He also
prays for the liberation of Al-Aqsa and the release of prisoners so that
they will reunite with their families.

Ramallah Voice of Palestine, official radio station of the Palestinian
Authority, carries at 0950 GMT a live sermon from Al-Aqsa Mosque in
Jerusalem.

Shaykh Yusuf Abu-Sunaynah delivers the sermon, which he devotes to the
subject of treason, relates an anecdote from early Islam and says: "What
about those who delivered their country, humiliated their people, and handed
rule to the invasion and occupation forces? They delivered the land of
Al-Rafidayn on a golden platter." He says: "O Muslims, the capital of
Al-Rashid and the land of Al-Rafidayn were delivered. The city of peace fell
in the hands of the rancorous invaders through plotters."

The imam refers to the "anarchists" who robbed Iraqi museums and
universities within the sight of the occupation forces." "Tomorrow, he says,
"Iraq will witness a civil war encouraged by imperialist circles, because
the United States wants to mutilate Iraq, wipe it off the map, plunder its
resources, and achieve security for Israel."

The imam continues: "We said in previous sermons that the United States
wanted to attack Islam everywhere. It attacked Afghanistan and Iraq and it
is now Syria's turn. Here we are hearing threats against it under the same
charges of harboring terrorists, possessing weapons of mass destruction, and
supporting groups hostile to the United States." The imam says that if the
Islamic nation wants to defend its honor, it must learn the lessons of
Afghanistan and Iraq and return to God so that faith will be the strong
link, as in the case of early Muslims.

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He wonders
about divisions among Muslims and says Islam should unite and not divide. He
says that the solution to all problems lies in faith in God. He adds: "O
Muslims, it is about time you learned that the way out of your problems is
the establishment of God's rule on earth. Turn to God and His prophet and
establish the Islamic caliphate."

The imam concludes with a general prayer to God to support Islam and
Muslims.