In his June 13, 2024 column in the London-based Emirati daily Al-Arab, Yemeni journalist Hani Salem Mashour accused Hamas of using the people of Gaza as human shields and committing crimes against humanity in the guise of "resistance" while making use of Islam to justify its crimes.[1] Hamas, he said, resembles other Islamist terror organizations, such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, which espouse an evil ideology that ascribes no value to human life and perpetrate atrocities that are against the true spirit of Islam in pursuit of their political goals.
Calling on the Arab countries to adopt a harsh policy vis-à-vis the terror organizations and prosecute their leaders, including Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, he also called on them to develop religious curricula that suit the spirit of the times and inculcate values of tolerance, moderation and respect for human rights, in order to ensure the security and stability of the region.
Hani Salem Mashour (Image: Al-Arab, London)
The following are translated excerpts from his column:[2]
"[A review of] the history of violence and extremism clearly reveals the ideological approach of the extremist religious organizations. These people pronounce it licit to shed human blood, and use innocent people as human shields in their conflicts and in the pursuit of their specific goals. Their evil ideologies justify violence and the exploitation of the innocent, ascribe no value to human life and regard the sacrifice of life as a means of attaining their political and ostensibly religious goals.
"The use of religion as justification for violence [is evident in many examples], from Juhayman Al-Otaybi, who desecrated the sanctity of the Mecca mosque and took pilgrims hostage, [3] to Yahya Sinwar, who is [now] using Gazan civilians as human shields. In his attempted takeover of the Mecca mosque in 1979, Juhayman demonstrated how extremist ideologies make use of holy sites and innocent people to achieve their aims. Juhayman Al-Otaybi was not the only one who adopted this strategy. He was followed by [Al-Qaeda leader] Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi, [based in] Iraq's Al-Faluja, who exploited the chaos and the conflict in the country to consolidate the influence of his organization, while using civilians as fuel in his war against the American and Iraqi forces. [He was preceded bv] Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, who planned the attacks of September [11], 2001 while using global terror networks to spread chaos and fear. He too saw people as nothing more than a means to achieve his goals. As for ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, he excelled at using people as human shields when he turned Mosul into a terror stronghold and used its people as shields in his campaigns against the Iraqi forces and the international coalition. These barbaric deeds clearly reflect [his] evil ideology, which ascribes no value to human [life] and justifies sacrificing innocent people in order to realize [the establishment of] the so-called caliphate state.
"In the same context, we [also] have Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, who, as part of his conflict with Israel and under the pretext of resistance, uses the Palestinian civilians as human shields, thus placing them in danger and intensifying their suffering. The use of religion to justify these atrocities reflects the extent to which these extremist ideologies deviate from the values of humanity and morality. These ideologies continue to spread thanks to the dire social, economic and political situation that prevails in some Arab countries: poverty, unemployment, and political division that contribute to the creation of an environment in which extremist thinking can spread.
"It should be noted that many governments and moderate religious institutions make intensive efforts to combat these extremist ideologies with information campaigns and programs to rehabilitate [Islamist prisoners]. In addition to prosecuting [extremists] and holding them to account, it is possible to develop curricula for children and youths that will spread the values of tolerance and moderation, and [also] enhance the role of the media in spreading awareness and presenting the true image of the Islamic religion.
"These organizations, with different names and in different places, share a single ideology that regards people as nothing more than expendable tools. They believe that their supreme objective justifies the cruel and barbaric means they employ. By justifying violence and using innocent people in the guise of religion, these organizations demonstrate their failure to understand the real values of religion and of humanity.
"In light of all this, there is a conspicuous and urgent need to combat these evil ideologies. The moderate Arab governments must adopt a forceful policy vis-à-vis these organizations and their leaders. They must prosecute [the leaders of] Hamas, [including] Yahya Sinwar and anyone else who tries to act at his own discretion at the expense of the Arab peoples and Arab countries. Prosecuting these terrorist leaders will not only be a step towards dispensing justice, but will also convey a powerful message of deterrence to anyone else who is thinking of taking the same path.
"Adopting a policy of prosecution and accountability will strengthen the position of moderate governments in the fight against terrorism and demonstrate to the world that Arab states are capable of acting against terrorism independently, without a need for outside intervention. This will also enhance regional stability and prevent recurrence of such terrorist operations in the future.
"True defense of Arab states and their peoples requires a clear and bold approach in combating extremism. Governments must act to raise awareness among their populations and inculcate humane and religious values that respect life and turn away from violence. Additionally, they must continue to support international efforts against terrorism and enhance cooperation with other countries in this field.
"In the context of combating extremist ideologies, calls for renewing the religious discourse and promoting tolerance while abandoning hatred are commendable and should be intensified. Decisive action against extremist ideologies by the highest echelons of government in the [various] nation states will strengthen the state's power and its ability to protect its people from ideologically- and politically-deviant currents, [both] Sunni and Shi'ite… Governments and religious institutions must collaborate to update and develop religious curricula that align with modern values and respect human rights.
"In conclusion, it can be said that religious extremism and the exploitation of innocent people for political and religious goals are crimes against humanity and against the true values of religion. Holding these terrorist leaders accountable and punishing them severely is the only way to ensure justice and prevent the recurrence of such heinous acts in the future. Moderate Arab governments must stand resolutely against terrorism and continue to act to achieve security and stability for their peoples and for the entire region."
[1] It should be noted that Mashour also published a critical article against Hamas about a week after this organization carried out its October 7, 2023 attack in Southern Israel. See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10919 - Columnist In UAE Daily: Hamas, A Muslim Brotherhood Faction, Seeks To Topple Arab Countries And Revive The Caliphate; It Does Not Represent The Palestinians And Has No Right To Embroil Them In Wars – October 31, 2023.
[2] Al-Arab (June 13, 2024).
[3] Juhayman Al-Otaybi was a former officer in the Saudi National Guard who headed a group of religious extremists in the 1970s. In November 1979 the group took over the Grand Mosque in Mecca and held worshipers hostage, fighting the attempts of the Saudi military to retake the mosque, which resulted in hundreds of casualties. When the military regained control of the mosque, Al-Otaybi and his followers were captured and later sentenced to death. by the Saudi regime.
