During Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense that aimed to destroy Hamas’ terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, Hamas’ TV propaganda included various ideological messages. Palestinian Media Watch documented one such message that promoted the killing of Jews as worship of Allah. Another ideological message promoted the Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood interpretation of Islamic tradition that places love of Martyrdom death for Allah – Shahada – above the desire for life. Addressing Israelis, Hamas’ spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said:

“You [Israelis] think that we will be afraid of your killing policy and of these threats. We say to you: This policy is futile. Hamas leaders seek Martyrdom (i.e., death for Allah). You scare us with what we love (i.e., death).” 
 

The same spokesman presented Martyrdom death fighting Israel as the supreme achievement when he spoke of the head of Hamas’ military wing, Ahmad Al-Ja’abari, who Israel killed at the outset of the conflict, stressing that death was his greatest aspiration:

A video broadcast on Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV during the recent conflict addressed Israelis with the same message:

PMW has documented that both Hamas and the PA in the past have glorified and encouraged Martyrdom death for Allah. 

During the recent conflict, Hamas also encouraged and comforted “every mother who has bid farewell to her beloved Martyrs” – her dead children – with the ideology that it is an honor to die:

Since Hamas hides and launches its rockets against Israel from among the civilian population, innocent Palestinians lose their lives as Hamas uses them as human shields. 

Hamas has publicly acknowledged and prided itself in the past on the tactic of using “women, children, the elderly” as “a human shield.” In 2008, member of Hamas’ Legislative Council, Fathi Hamad, stated:

The Hamas ideology that Martyrdom death is preferable to life is not a message that is acceptable in international discourse. Accordingly, during a press conference in both Arabic and English, Hamas’ Minister of Health Mufid Al-Mukhalalati said in English to the international community: “We are human, we like life. We would like to live like other people living.” [Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), Nov. 18, 2012] However, he did not make this statement in Arabic. 

The following are longer excerpts of Hamas’ broadcasts:

Statement by Hamas’ spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri, after Israel killed head of Hamas’ military wing Ahmed Al-Ja’abari, explaining that achieving death while fighting Israel is what Palestinians “love”:

The following is the text written and read aloud in a short clip about mothers of “Martyrs” on Hamas’ TV:
“To every mother who has bid farewell to her beloved Martyrs: Adorn yourself with a crown of inlaid blood. This is the blood of honor, for honor will not be disgraced.”

via Hamas: Martyrdom death for Allah is ideal – PMW Bulletins.

Categories: islamists, Religion of Peace