On March 7, 2006, the Saudi English dailies Arab News and Saudi Gazette reported the March 1, 2006 launch, by Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Abd Al-Aziz, of the new 24-hour Arabic-language Islamic channel Al-Resalah [1] (alluding to the Islamic message).

Prince Al-Waleed told a press conference that his new channel, which according to The Saudi Gazette was a family channel, would "counteract the misconceptions about Islam in other societies," as well as project Islam as a religion of moderation and tolerance and provide a platform for dialogue on religious, social, and economic issues. [2] Arab News quoted Prince Al-Waleed as stating that the channel was to be the forerunner of an English-language Islamic channel aimed at a Western audience.

According to The Saudi Gazette, the channel's advisory committee includes Sheikh Abdullah Bin Sulaiman Al-Manai, member of the Senior Ulema Commission, Saudi Arabia; Dr. Abdullah Naseef, president of the Muslim World Congress (MWC); Dr. Hamed Al-Refaie, secretary-general of the MWC and president of the International Islamic Forum for Dialogue; Dr. Abdullah Al-Meslih of the Commission of Scientific Signs of Quran and Sunnah; Sheikh Ali Al-Nashwan, executive manager of the prince's Kingdom Holding Company's Humanitarian Division, and religious advisor to the prince; Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Askar, former head of the media department at Al-Imam Saud bin Muhammad University; and Dr. Walid Arab Hashem, Shoura Council member.

Shoura Council member Walid Hashem told Arab News that the channel would feature cartoons and animated films with a moral content, and that its main objective was to unify the ranks of the Islamic community, counter negative perceptions if Islam, and wean youth away from the path of extremism. [3]

The MEMRI TV Project, which monitors all major Arab and Iranian TV channels, has translated excerpts from an interview with Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Kubeisi that aired on the new Al-Resalah channel on March 15, 2006.

TO VIEW THIS CLIP, VISIT: http://memritv.org/clip/en/1075.htm.

The following is the transcript:

"Those who Plundered, Colonized, Occupied, Killed, Executed, and Dropped Nuclear Bombs and Depleted Uranium [Shells] are Considered Men Of Peace, Who Spread Democracy"

Host: "How do you view the jihad in Palestine?"

Al-Kubeisi: "I cannot talk about the jihad when the world considers a plundering occupier to be a man of peace, and the owner of the occupied land to be a terrorist. The world demands today from anyone whose land has been occupied - but only from among the Muslims - that they shut up. If any of them complains, or picks up a gun to kill those who killed his family, and destroyed his land with missiles - he is considered a terrorist. On the other hand, those who plundered, colonized, occupied, killed, executed, and dropped nuclear bombs and depleted uranium [shells] are considered men of peace, who spread democracy.

"How can you talk to me about jihad under these conditions? Sir, jihad in this case is an individual duty. Someone whose land was lost, whose honor was violated, and whose country was occupied, yet he does not raise his hand violently against the occupier, is not a human being, or even an animal. Even animals wash their hands of him. That's why the pig is reprehensible - because it's the only one who accepts it when someone occupies its land."

"The West's Conflict With Islam and the Muslims is Eternal - A Preordained Destiny That Cannot Be Avoided Until Judgment Day"

Host: "If there was a political option based on democratic principles, conditional upon renouncing violence, does renouncing the violence of the resistance mean renouncing jihad? Which option is preferable, in your opinion?"

Al-Kubeisi: "The Palestinian revolution renounced violence for the sake of what you say. They went to Oslo, and said: 'Let's negotiate.' What has happened since then? If Gandhi had been Muslim, he would not have succeeded in anything. But he was not Muslim, so he succeeded. It is Islam that is being targeted. Four times they said publicly that this was the third [world] Crusader war. [...] When there is no hope for peace, there is no alternative but to resort to the gun. Therefore, you have to know how to use it in a civilized manner, and not aim it at your sons and your family, like some lunatics are doing today."

Host: "But what if democracy is offered."

Al-Kubeisi: "Take it from me, it will never be offered to the Muslims."

[...]

Host: "Dr. Ahmad, do you think that international treaties can resolve the West's conflict with our Islamic nation?"

Al-Kubeisi: "The West's conflict with Islam and the Muslims is eternal, a preordained destiny that cannot be avoided until Judgment Day - not before the sun and the moon are transformed. This is preordained, but there could be some kind of ostensible agreement that hides unimaginable negative feelings.

[...]

"The Means Used by America... to Spread Democracy... Are the Same Used By Islam When it Spread Monotheism"

"In Islam, jihad is conducted in order to spread its principles, justice, and views. This is exactly what America is doing today, when it spreads democracy.

"The means used by America - to which the world submits - in order to spread democracy - all the international organizations, all those peoples and nations, are the same means used by Islam when it spread monotheism, at the time when idols and people were worshipped. It is one and the same. What was said there is being said here. If that was correct, then this is correct. If that was a mistake, then this is a mistake.

"Hence, we have reached the following conclusion: The term 'violence' or 'jihad' - or you could call it 'aggression' or 'colonialism' - means that you take control of the resources of others, out of economic or political greed. On the other hand, Islam does this to bring people to worship Allah, and to instate justice among all people."