From BBC world news; december 14, 2009
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have turned out in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the founding of the Islamist group Hamas.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said the organisation would not recognise Israel and would not stop fighting.
Supporters filled the streets, waving banners and portraits of assassinated Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
The event comes almost year after a deadly three-week conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We will never give up on a Palestine from the river to the sea,” Mr Haniya said, referring to pre-1948 boundaries of the British Mandate in Palestine, before the state of Israel was established.
“It is not enough for Hamas to liberate Gaza… Hamas strives to liberate all of Palestine,” he told thousands of cheering supporters.
The Islamist group has controlled Gaza since routing the rival Palestinian Fatah faction from there in June 2007.
The Gaza Strip has been under a heightened Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized control, with only humanitarian supplies allowed in.
“In the 22 years since its founding, Hamas has been able to realise a large part of its goals and to overcome every obstacle it has faced, from prison, exile, assassinations and elections,” senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said.
Hamas, an Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, was created in 1987 after the beginning of the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising, against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza….
You can read the full report here: Hamas celebrates 22nd anniversary since founding.
From Al Bawaba News; december 14, 2009:
Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters on Monday marked the 22nd anniversary of its founding. Hamas’ Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in a long speech, vowed Hamas would never lay down its arms, nor recognize Israel.
“This movement, with the help of the armed factions liberated the Gaza Strip, and we say, brothers and sisters, we will not be satisfied with Gaza,” he said. “Hamas looks toward the whole of Palestine, the liberation of the strip is just a step to liberating all of Palestine.”
Another senior leader, Mahmud Zahar, hailed Hamas’ achievements. “In the 22 years since its founding, Hamas has been able to realise a large part of its goals and to overcome every obstacle it has faced, from prison, exile, assassinations and elections,” he said, according to AFP. “Our understanding of the resistance is total, and is not limited to armed conflict,” he added.
On his part, Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ military wing the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, praised the group’s military evolution. “We have been able to build an army for resistance and to haunt the Zionist enemy,” he said. “(The Qassam Brigades) has manufactured its weapons with its bare hands… including the Qassam rocket, which terrifies the Zionist enemy,” Abu Obeida added.
You can read this article here: Hamas marks 22nd anniversary with pledge to liberate whole of Palestine.
From Haaretz.com; december 14, 2009:
Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters thronged downtown Gaza City Monday to mark the 22nd anniversary of the group’s founding, in a massive display that showed the Islamic militants still enjoy broad support despite years of rule that have led to war, poverty and isolation.
Hamas is celebrating its anniversary with a large public rally and smaller parades. Sunday, as preparations for the festivities were under way in the Gaza Strip, the leaders of the movement spared no effort in trying to persuade Gazans to show up en masse.
Hamas is expected to try to demonstrate unity and show it has massive public support, to make up for its defeat during Operation Cast Lead nearly a year ago. It is mobilizing supporters from across the Strip. School has been canceled.
Meanwhile, Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshal met in Tehran with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday. The Iranian president stressed his support for Hamas, saying, “The Iranian government and the Iranian people will always stand by the Palestinians and the Palestinian resistance.”
“Today Palestine is a symbol of the world-wide front of those who seek liberty from the militants,” he said. Ahmadinejad said Iran doesn’t recognize Israel’s right to exist, and supports Hamas and Hezbollah.
You can read the full report here: Tens of thousands rally in Gaza.
Read a full report from The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.
Mazzeltov,
Crethi Plethi
RT @CrethiPlethi: Hamas pledges to liberate whole of Palestine 'from the River to the Sea' http://bit.ly/7EsoT4 #hamas #israel
RT @CrethiPlethi: Hamas pledges to liberate whole of Palestine 'from the River to the Sea' http://bit.ly/7EsoT4 #hamas #israel
The existence of the Zionist entity in the heart of the Arab-Muslim is in itself a strange
Because the Zionist entity is not shared with the Arab world, anything that characteristics such as religion, customs
Traditions and language. The existence of Israel within the Arab world is a big mistake, and constant tension
In the Middle East also note since 1948. Such as the entry of foreign objects inside the human body begins
Body fever, tension and fatigue and to ensure even go out foreign objects.
To all Arab and Islamic countries to form the Ministry of Defence and one common to all States and the expulsion of the Jews
From the Middle East. This is the best choice for Arabs and Jews in that one because he Bjrdasiraiil within the Arab world
Will feel the Arab world would not be true of the world would not be true of the Jewish people will never feel the stability and comfort, but if
Came out of Palestine, all Palestine greetings to all
There is no democracy in Israel as a state is illegitimate and illegal and not recognized
Evidence of this if anyone wanted to write a comment in the Israeli websites
Does not allow him or be there are many obstacles to prevent him from writing a comment The reasons for Arab-Israeli conflict is the occupation of Palestine in 1948.
Palestine Arab Islamic state like the rest of the Arab and Islamic states surrounding
Them. Means that there are Jews and Zionists in Palestine a big mistake, because this entity
Zionist is not consistent with the surrounding area (such as language, customs, traditions and religion)
The only solution to end the Arab-Israeli conflict is the expulsion of Jews from Palestine
All of Palestine. The Jewish people will not rest and will not feel comfortable and stability
But if it gets out of Palestine and the Middle East completely. If people continue to
Jews in Palestine and the Middle East, the death and destruction will continue.
Palestine Arab Islamic state and will remain
@Arab
According to you Israel is not desirable in the Middle East, because it does not fit among the other (surrounding) nations because of language, culture, customs, traditions and religion. Well, maybe you can explain where in the world a Jewish nation would fit with its language, culture, Judaism, Jewish traditions and customs. Among the Indians of South America maybe? Between the Christian culture of Europe, where 6 million unwanted Jews were murdered? Among the Buddhists of Thailand maybe, or the Hindu of India? Or within the language area of Japan? Or maybe somewhere in Africa?
Before Islam was founded, the Jews already lived in Palestine. Islam was founded on the Arabian Peninsula by Muhammad the Prophet. It was only because of his Islamic expansionism, that Islam was enforced upon Egypt, Palestine, the Persians, the assyrians, etc. Hebrew is a Semitic language. In the same language group are languages like Arabic and Aramaic. Jerusalem was the capital of a Jewish state as early as 1000 BC, and was never the capital of an (Islamic) Arab state. Judaism has only one holy city, Jerusalem, where the Jewish Temple stood before Islam was founded.
Abraham was the father of both Jews and the Arabs. Why should Israel not belong in the Middle East? History proves that Jews belong in their homeland.
I believe your comment is based on your Islamic background and not on historical facts. It is clear that this background obscures your view of reality.
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You already made the same comment on another post. If it’s your only purpose to defame Israel without making thoughtful and senseful comments relevant to the article and adding to the discussion about that article, please do it somewhere else.
Thank you.