Palestinian Authority political leaders
advocated
kidnapping-for-hostage policy
By Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook
Foreign Minister, Mahmud
Al-Zahar:
Hamas will not hesitate to kidnap Israeli soldiers "to
exchange for [Palestinian] prisoners, should the opportunity arise."
[Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, March
7,
2006]
Interior Minister Saed
Siam:
"It is inevitable to kidnap soldiers to exchange for them...
There
is nothing the resistance cannot do. And when there is a goal and a
good
plan, the goal can be achieved... [In the past] Hamas succeeded in
kidnapping and hiding bodies, but unfortunately, two bodies were
handed
over for nothing."
[Undated
video clip from Abu Dhabi TV - before Hamas came into power]
Introduction:
The
Palestinian Authority political leadership has been attempting to
distance
itself from the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Yesterday, PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas instructed PA Prime Minister Haniyeh and
Interior
Minister Saed Siam to "guarantee the release of the abducted
soldier."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 27,
2006]
However, one must question the
sincerity
of such public displays, especially by the Hamas leadership. A
review of
policy articulated by Hamas political leaders, including Interior
Minister
Siam himself and the PA Foreign Minister, shows that it was the
avowed
policy of the Hamas political leadership to kidnap Israeli soldiers
as
hostages to exchange for terrorists.
There´s another clear show of
support for
the kidnapping from the political leadership. The Hamas website,
Palestine-info.net, has celebrated the killings and kidnapping in
graphic
posters of
smoldering and destroyed Israeli positions, with the
words:
"Smashed Illusion Operation", and "Crushing
Blow
on Zionist Enemy". [See opposite and below]
Another
poster in
English on their web site has the names of the three groups
accepting
responsibility, which includes the Al Qassam Brigades of Hamas,
followed
by the words:
"In the first movie - Mission 1 - Be
Back!" [See below]
[Quality Operation -
Smashed
Illusion Operation]
The following are policy
statements of both Hamas political leaders and Islamic
Jihad:
Mahmud Al-Zahar, Hamas, Foreign
Minister
"The Head of Hamas party in the Palestinian
Legislative Council, [and current Foreign Minister-ed] Dr. Mahmud
Al-Zahar, said that his movement would not hesitate to kidnap
soldiers
of the occupation in order to exchange them for [Palestinian]
prisoners,
should the opportunity arise."
[Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, March 7,
2006]
Saed Siam, PA Interior
Minister (now charged with locating the hostage)
"In
the
past Hamas succeeded in kidnapping many Zionist soldiers.
There
are
thousands of prisoners of our forces, they have to think how to free
these prisoners. And I believe that it is inevitable to kidnap
soldiers
to exchange for them.
In the past Hamas kidnapped 10
soldiers.
There is nothing the resistance cannot do. And when
there
is a goal and a good plan, the goal can be achieved, especially
about
the prisoner issue, [which] is top priority.
During the PA
administration, Hamas succeeded in kidnapping and hiding bodies, but
unfortunately, two bodies were handed over for nothing. When there
is a
kidnapping, and it is secured, each case in its own time, has its
own
negotiations."
[Undated
video
clip from Abu Dhabi TV - before Hamas came into power]
Click here
to view Minister Siam explaining policy of Kidnapping
Fathi Hamad, Member
Palestinian Legislative Council, Hamas
"The Islamic
resistance movement "Hamas" yesterday threatened to carry out
kidnapping
operations of soldiers in the Israeli army, in order to release
Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The threat was
announced by
Hamas Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Fathi Hamad."
[Al-Ayyam, March 16,
2006]
Sheik Halid Al-Batash,
Islamic Jihad
"[Palestinian Authority] Prime
Minister
Ismail Haniyah emphasized the importance of forming a mechanism for
the
release of our heroic prisoners who are held in the jails of the
occupation, without making concessions...
Prominent Islamic
Jihad
movement leader, Sheik Halid Al-Batash... called for seeking
different
mechanisms for the release of our heroic prisoners. He emphasized
that
among the mechanisms is the kidnapping of Zionists to exchange for
the
release of the [Palestinian] prisoners."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, April, 17
2006]
Sheik Halid Al-Batash,
Islamic Jihad
"The Islamic Jihad [Movement] says:
kidnapping of Israeli soldiers - the fastest way for the release of
the
prisoners. Islamic Jihad movement senior official [Halid Al-Batash]
called on the factions of the resistance to kidnap Israeli soldiers
in
order to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners, who Israel holds
and
refuses to release."
[Al-Ayyam,
May
9, 2006]
[Quality Operation -
Smashed
Illusion Operation]
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