Yes, but this is the “extremist” view, right? Right? Abbas and the PA are much more moderate, right? Well, no: Abbas said the same thing.
From the Telegraph, with thanks to Sr. Soph:
All week long, as Israeli soldiers and settlers fought running battles in the soon-to-be-dismantled Jewish settlements, their Palestinian neighbours could hardly contain their delight.
In the teeming slums of Gaza, Palestinian officials marked the end of 38 years of Israeli occupation by organising poetry and painting competitions, which summed up the Palestinians’ view of Israel’s unilateral decision to forcibly remove 9,000 settlers from their homes….
In the poetry category, an entry by Ibtisam Mustafa was singled out for particular praise. “O brigades, be prepared, Gaza has been restored. Start preparing to liberate the rest of the land. Drive the Zionists out. O Hamas, let’s liberate Jerusalem with the help of your soldiers and glorious rockets.”
While Ariel Sharon, Israel’s prime minister, tries to argue that the Gaza withdrawal is an important step towards reviving the dormant Middle East peace talks, Palestinian militants apparently have little interest in achieving their goals through peaceful dialogue.
In Palestinian-controlled Gaza last week, virtually everyone The Sunday Telegraph spoke to said that Israel’s indihar, or retreat, had been forced by the scores of young suicide bombers who have killed more than 1,000 Israeli civilians in the five-year-long intifada, or uprising.
“The Israelis are leaving Gaza because they can no longer tolerate the bloodshed we have inflicted on them,” said Mohammed Khatif, a local shop owner.
“We will continue the struggle until we have reclaimed all the land of Palestine.”
Five founding Hamas members made a rare group appearance in a Gaza restaurant to assert their right to continue the armed campaign.
“Our land, including Jerusalem, is still occupied, the refugees are still deported, the wall and the settlements are still eating more of our land,” said one leader, Ismail Haniya.
In Beirut, a Hamas spokesman, Khaled Mashaal, was defiant. “The resistance and the steadfastness of our people forced the Zionists to withdraw,” he declared last week. “The armed struggle is the only strategy that Hamas possesses. As long as Palestinian lands remain under occupation, Hamas won’t lay down its weapons.”