PMW Bulletin
July 14, 2014

Hamas tells civilians to return to their homes to act as human shields

Palestinian indoctrination to seek Martyrdom for Allahosters willingness to
act as human shields
"Answering the occupation's [Israel's] calls will merely aid it in carrying
out its plans to weaken the [Palestinian] home front and to destroy property
and homes as soon as you leave them. We call on all our people who have left
their homes to return to them immediately."

[Hamas' Ministry of Interior spokesman Iyad al-Buzu,
on Ministry's Facebook page, July 13, 2014]
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=12019

by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org

Two days ago, Israel warned Palestinians who live near the Israeli border in
the Northern Gaza Strip, an area from which Hamas launches long-range
missiles, to evacuate their homes to areas of safety before Israel bombed
the launching sites. Hamas' Ministry of Interior immediately called on its
civilian population to ignore Israel's warnings and remain in their homes in
spite of the danger:

"An important and urgent message:

The [Hamas] Ministry of the Interior and National Security calls on our
honorable people in all parts of the [Gaza] Strip to ignore the warnings [to
vacate areas near rocket launching sites before Israel bombs them] that are
being disseminated by the Israeli occupation through manifestos and phone
messages, as these are part of a psychological war meant to sow confusion on
the [Palestinian] home front, in light of the [Israeli] enemy's security
failure and its confusion and bewilderment."

[Hamas' Ministry of Interior spokesman Iyad al-Buzu,
on Ministry's Facebook page, July 12, 2014]

However, many Palestinians did leave their homes, and yesterday Hamas called
on them to return, saying that leaving only helps Israel "in carrying out
its plans... to destroy [your] property and homes." Hamas' demand that
people stay in their homes to prevent Israeli attacks on these missile sites
is a demand that they act as human shields:

"Answering the occupation's calls will merely aid it in carrying out its
plans to weaken the [Palestinian] home front and to destroy property and
homes as soon as you leave them. We call on all our people who have left
their homes to return to them immediately."

[Hamas' Ministry of Interior spokesman Iyad al-Buzu,
on Ministry's Facebook page, July 13, 2014]

Hamas opposition to Palestinians leaving their homes is so great that after
UNRWA opened schools to house those who had run for safety, Hamas TV
broadcast a press conference protesting UNRWA's opening of schools. A
representative of the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces read the
decisions reached at the conference:

"We call on our Palestinian people, particularly the residents of northwest
Gaza, not to obey what is written in the pamphlets distributed by the
Israeli occupation army. We call on them to remain in their homes and
disregard the demands to leave, however serious the threat may be."

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), July 14, 2014]

Click to view
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=1046&fld_id=1046&doc_id=12022

Palestinian Media Watch has reported in the past that using civilians as
human shields is a strategy of choice for Hamas, which is why it places
missiles near homes and mosques. Last week, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri
said that Hamas' use of civilians as human shields has proven effective:

Al-Aqsa TV reporter: "Witnesses are talking about a large crowd. The
residents are still gathering to reach the Kaware family home in order to
prevent the Zionist occupation's fighter planes from striking it."

Al-Aqsa TV host: "People are reverting to a method that was very successful
once."

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri: "The people oppose the Israeli fighter
planes with their bodies alone... I think this method has proven effective
against the occupation. It also reflects the nature of our heroic and brave
people, and we, the [Hamas] movement, call on our people to adopt this
method in order to protect the Palestinian homes."

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), July 8, 2014]

The PA and Hamas death-seeking ideology fosters willingness to die as human
shields

Hamas' success in convincing civilians to act as human shields is a direct
outcome of years of PA and Hamas indoctrination that there is no greater
achievement than dying for Allah. Dying in the conflict with Israel, as a
fighter, suicide bomber, or a passive civilian in a combat zone, is defined
by both the PA and Hamas as "achieving Shahada (Martyrdom)." Dying for Allah
is an achievement to be sought. Recently, the essence of this Palestinian
Shahada-seeking (Martyrdom-seeking) ideology was explained in great detail
by then-PA Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash, (today the
Supreme Shari'ah Judge and Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic
Affairs):

PA Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "After prophecy and
righteousness, there is no status Allah has exalted more than Shahada

(Martyrdom)... Allah forbade us to consider them [the Shahids - Martyrs] as
dead or to speak of them as being dead... They went smiling to their
deaths... The Shahid has merit with Allah, a merit that no one else has...
'The Shahid
- his sins are forgiven with the first gush of his blood from his wound...
The Shahid advocates on behalf of 70 members of his family, and saves them
all from hell. The Shahid lives [in Paradise] together with the prophets and
the righteous ones...'We will never reach the level of the prophets. We
won't. So let us reach the level of the Shahids. I say to you, brothers, as
the Prophet [Muhammad] said: 'He who honestly seeks Shahada, Allah will give
him the status of the Shahids, even if he dies in his bed.'"
[Official PA TV, Nov. 8, 2013] (See longer text translated below)

In a later sermon, Al-Habbash preached:

"Brothers, Allah willing, only 'one of the two best things' (Quran) will
happen to us - victory or Shahada (Martyrdom) - and what a great fate this
is, what a great rank this is - victory or Shahada."
[Official PA TV, Dec. 20, 2013]

It is notable that this death-seeking ideology was delineated by a PA
religious leader.

The great success of this indoctrination, which goes against the basic
instinct for self-preservation, can be seen in numerous statements by adults
and children broadcast on Palestinian TV stations glorifying Shahada and
expressing yearning for this acclaimed Martyrdom death for Allah.

A few months ago, Hamas TV broadcast interviews with children in Jenin in
the PA-governed West Bank, expressing the ideal of dying for Allah:

Newsreader: "For most of these children, resistance has become a dream...
When you speak to them, you're surprised by the strength and eloquence of
their words."

Boy: "We love the resistance. We want to die as Martyrs. Long live the
Martyrs."

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas) YouTube channel, May 8, 2014]

Hamas' call to use civilians as human shields is successful only because the
PA and Hamas have educated their people to value the ideal of dying for
Allah.

In 2008, PMW reported that Hamas openly took pride in comparing their
preference for death to the "Zionist enemy's" preference for life:

Then-Hamas member of Palestinian Parliament, Fathi Hammad said:

"For the Palestinian people, death became an industry at which women excel
and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters
excel, and the children excel. Accordingly [Palestinians] created a human
shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the
Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: We
desire Death, as you desire Life."

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), Feb. 29, 2008]

The following are longer texts of the items glorifying Shahada:

PA Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "After prophecy and
righteousness there is no status Allah has exalted more than
Shahada (Martyrdom)... ''And think not of those who have been killed in
Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from
their Lord.'
Allah forbade us to consider them [the Shahids (Martyrs)] as dead or to
speak of them as being dead... They went smiling to their deaths... The
Shahid has merit with Allah, a merit that no one else has... No one - not
even the righteous - yearns to return to this world after death. Only
Shahids. Why? Because they see the great honor Allah has prepared for them.
One of them aspired to return to this world in order to be killed again, in
order to die as a Shahid yet again... Allah spoke with one of them (a
Shahid), Jabir ibn Abdullah... After all he saw in Paradise, he wanted to
return and be killed [again] in order to taste the pain of death a second
time. Abdullah said to Him:
'Lord, then tell those who follow us about what we have found.'
Allah Himself is conveying to us the message from the Shahids. The prophets
convey Allah's message and Allah conveys the message of the Shahids. What
kindness!
'The Shahid - his sins are forgiven with the first gush of his blood from
his wound...
The Shahid advocates on behalf of 70 members of his family, and saves them
all from hell. The Shahid lives together with the prophets and the righteous
ones.'
When they threatened Yasser Arafat, [he said] 'You threaten me with death?

I yearn to die! I come only to it; I seek only it.'
We will never reach the level of the prophets. We won't. So let us reach the
level of the Shahids. I say to you, brothers, as the Prophet [Muhammad]
said: 'He who honestly seeks Shahada, Allah will give him the status of the
Shahids, even if he dies in his bed.'"

[Official PA TV, Nov. 8, 2013]

PA Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "We know for certain
that as long as we [adhere] to the truth, we will face challenges and be
made a target - as individuals and as groups - we know this for certain.
Nonetheless, we are also confident in the words of Allah: 'Say, 'Do you
await for us except one of the two best things' (Quran, Sura 9:52,
translation Sahih International). What do you expect, enemies, cowards
(indistinct word), what do they expect will happen to us? 'One of the two
best things.'
Brothers, Allah willing, only one of the two best things will happen to us -
victory or Martyrdom (Shahada) - and what a good fate this is, what a good
level is this - victory or Martyrdom...
'Say, 'Do you await for us except one of the two best things while we await
for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our
hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting' (Quran, Sura 9:52,
translation Sahih International).
Await, wait a short while, I swear the signs heralding victory are seen on
the horizon. I swear in a God, beside whom there is no other God, that the
end of the tyranny and the tyrants is near. This occupation and its growths
and creations that wish to spread corruption in our land... We tell them
all, the occupation and the occupation's instruments and any who serve the
occupation: 'Await for us except one of the two best things' - we, Allah
willing, [will be] either Martyrs or victors on our land. [...]

Pay attention, it is Allah who says: 'They will not harm you except for
[some] annoyance' (Quran, Sura 3:111, translation Sahih International) - it
is possible that they will harm you. I say to you, it is possible that they
will kill us, it is possible that Allah will sentence us to Martyrdom. It is
possible that we will be wounded, it is possible that terrorism will be laid
on us - 'They will not harm you except for [some] annoyance' - but in the
end, 'and if they fight you, they will show you their backs' and the
conclusion - 'then they will not be aided' (Quran, Sura, 3:111, translation,
Sahih International). We ask for victory more than we ask for life. We ask
for the strengthening of our people in this good and blessed land."

[Official PA TV, Dec. 20, 2013]

Hamas TV reporter: For most of these children, resistance has become a
dream... When you speak to them, you're surprised by the strength and
eloquence of their words.
Boy: We love the resistance. We want to die as Martyrs. Long live the
Martyrs...
Boy: The Israeli occupation understands only resistance. We always love the
resistance, to liberate our nation Palestine. And among us, the Martyrs are
loved. Applause for the Martyrs...
Reporter: The atmosphere in the refugee camp is full of the spirit of
resistance and of those who inscribed its stories of heroism. Most of the
walls show you the images of the Martyrs...
Boy: The resistance, the armed resistance is what brings results in the
Jenin refugee camp... The Jenin refugee camp continues to educate its
children to resist, and passes on the flag to them, from generation to
generation. They yearn for one of the two best outcomes -- the return to
their occupied lands, or Martyrdom.

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas) YouTube channel, May 8, 2014]

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