Member Of Qatar-based, Funded International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) Touhami Medjouri Calls On All Muslims To Join Hamas' War Against Israel, Target Interest Of U.S., U.K., France, And Germany Everywhere

While the U.S. is placing the Gaza port under Qatar's control – namely under Hamas control – an the Internation Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS), which is funded by Qatar and is based in Doha, has published on its website an article by one of its members, the Algerian Islamist writer Touhami Medjouri, that calls on all Muslims to expand the scope of the war between Israel and Hamas by joining the fray and "targeting American, British, French and German interests everywhere, using all possible and legitimate means." Titled "Go Forth, Light Armed and Heavy Armed” (Quran 9:41), which was also the title of a statement delivered recently by Abu Obeida, the spokesman of Hamas' military wing, the article argues that the two-state solution is not feasible, and that the only way to resolve the Palestinian issue is to establish "an independent Palestinian state in all the Palestinian territories, with no presence of Jews, except under [the rule of] this state."

It should be mentioned that the members of the IUMS, which is supported by Qatar and Turkey, often promote terrorism and jihad. The organization was founded in 2004 in Dublin, Ireland by Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, who also headed it until November 2018.[1] Regarded as the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, and supported and sheltered for years by the Qatari regime, Qaradawi was known for his extremist views, including his condonement of jihad and of suicide attacks in Israel. Today the IUMS is headed by Ali Al-Qaradaghi, who espouses similar views, including support for terrorism and demonization of the West. [2]

IUMS members have often expressed support for Hamas' October 7 terror attack, in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 241 were taken hostage. On the day of the attack itself, the organization issued a statement praising it and justifying it as "legitimate resistance."[3] On October 31 it issued a fatwa calling for military intervention by Arab and Muslim countries against Israel in light of its war against Hamas in Gaza.[4] The head of Hamas' political bureau, Islam'il Haniya, himself a member of the IUMS, attended an event it hosted in Doha on January 9, 2024, at which he boasted about the October 7 attack and solicited donations for the Palestinians in Gaza.[5] The IUMS website has published many article praising Hamas' attack and calling for further jihad and violence.[6]

Touhami Medjouri |(Image: Sabqpress.dz)

The following are translated excerpts from Touhami Medjouri's article: [7]

"'Go Forth, Light Armed and Heavy Armed' [Quran 9:41]

"As you all know, this is part of a [Quranic] verse, which was chosen by the resistance [i.e., by Hamas] as the title of one of the statements made by Abu Obeida, the spokesperson of [Hamas' military wing], the Al-Qassam Brigades, a few days ago, specifically on March 8, 2024. The full verse is 'Go forth, light armed and heavy armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew' [Quran 9:41]."

"General Mobilization Means Joining The Battlefields And Supporting Them By Every Means, And There Is No Excuse For Anyone To Abstain"

"General mobilization means joining the battlefields and supporting them by every means, and there is no excuse for anyone to abstain. Although Abu Obeida's call to mobilize and unite was directed primarily at the Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the thrust of [his] discourse was general and inclusive, and was aimed everyone, all over the world, who believes in the resistance and in its legitimacy.

"The justifications for this call have been present since the beginning of [Operation] Al-Aqsa Flood [i.e., Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel], because this operation – its level, its boldness and its impact – heralded a future that is different from what people have grown used to in resisting the Zionist occupation. The whole world sensed from the beginning, from the very first statements made by [both] friends and foes, that this battle was unlike any of the previous battles. Nevertheless, the resistance made no indication of calling [for a general mobilization]… in the last few months.  

"So why didn't the resistance make this call explicitly from the beginning?... In my estimation, the resistance has not been oblivious to the call for general mobilization since the beginning [of the war]. However, it is keenly committed to legitimacy and adheres to the ethics of war in all its actions. It is a liberation movement, committed to its right to fight an occupying enemy. According to the logic of war, the enemy is the army. Therefore, the resistance did not resort to fighting non-military targets, even though all members of the Zionist society in Palestine are considered combatants… Furthermore, [the resistance] is also keen to highlight its jihadist values, which are derived from its Islamic values, and these values were clearly demonstrated in the prisoner exchange deal, because the [Israeli] prisoners looked just as they look in the family photos shown to the world, and bid farewell to the resistance fighters cheerfully and happily."

"It Is In The Interest Of The Resistance To Expand The Scope Of The War"

"Now that the war on Gaza has continued for over five months, and with the possibility of its expansion to South Lebanon, the Red Sea and other areas, more parties have joined the fray, including Hizbullah, Ansar Allah (the Houthis) and the Islamic Movement in Iraq. In light of the American arrogance and international silence in the face of the crimes committed by the Zionist occupation forces, it is in the interest of the resistance to expand the scope of the war, in order to compel the world to fulfill its responsibilities. The way to achieve this is by calling for general mobilization!

"The call for general mobilization in the Afghan jihad [arena] met with a significant Islamic response, despite the malicious American interference, due to the noble goal of liberating the Afghan people from the Russian occupation. The Afghans achieved their goal and the believers rejoiced in the victory of Allah.

"And today, in the case of Palestine... there is no final solution to the Palestinian issue except through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in all the Palestinian territories, with no presence of Jews, except under [the rule of] this state, as they were before [the establishment of Israel].

"There are many justifications for this, and we mention some examples, [including but] not limited to the following:

"First, the Zionist presence, as it stands, is discordant in the region, in both its positive and negative [aspects]. It is considered an alien entity in the region, not homogeneous with its people, culture and historical components.

"Second, all the peace negotiation efforts have failed, whether in the Palestinian context, such as the Oslo [Accords] and similar agreements, or in the rush for normalization with the Zionist entity in all its forms and by various parties."

"The Resistance Does Not Believe In The Two-State Solution"

"Third, the two-state solution is impossible for many reasons, especially since the Zionists have worked to bury it over the decades, although it has resurfaced these days thanks to the painful blows delivered by the resistance… Besides, the resistance movement does not believe in [the two-state solution] because Palestine is an occupied country, and the solution to occupation is liberation, as evident from various historical examples worldwide. The Zionists [too] find it impossible to accept the establishment of a fully-sovereign Palestinian state within their [present] borders, because such a state would be completely on a par [with their own], and if that happens, the Zionists would not [feel] secure, especially after the Al-Aqsa Flood operations [i.e., the October 7 attack], which imposed a new reality on Zionist ideology. The Zionists argue: If mere groups and gangs caused all that havoc [on October 7], what will happen if they have a fully-sovereign state?

"Fourth, the Zionist presence in Palestine is an extension of colonialism, which theoretically ended after the mid-twentieth century, i.e., after World War II. However, the West, which ostensibly recognized the end of colonialism after World War II, still had interests in its former colonies. The main colonies were in the Middle East, and this necessitated a new form of colonialism, in a different guise. Thus, [the West's] support for the Zionist movement was the perfect way to preserve its interests. This evil seed was planted in the Arab and Islamic world, and it's no coincidence that the Sykes-Picot agreement was made by France and Britian and was later supported by the Americans and swiftly recognized by the Soviets.

"The initial positions of the Western powers on the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation were very negative and supportive of the Zionists. However, the folly of the Zionists forced some of them to hesitate and reconsider, due to the crimes against humanity committed daily by the enemy forces in Gaza, crimes that exceed the imagination. The quarrelsome nature of the West, which it chose for itself, causes it to believe only in power, [and] the best form of power in our case is general mobilization."

"The Duty At The Current Stage Is To… Target American, British, French And German Interests Everywhere, Using All Possible And Legitimate Means"

"Therefore, the duty at the current stage is to call for general mobilization [and for fighting] by the following means:

"Targeting American, British, French and German interests everywhere, using all possible and legitimate means. These countries are the most supportive of the Zionist occupation because they only believe in power that affects their interests.

"Investing in peoples that support the Palestinian cause, especially those that believe in the legitimacy of resistance, urging them to remain in opposition to their oppressive regimes that support the Zionists against the Palestinian people, and exhorting them to continue protesting -- especially since these peoples have [already] taken to the streets to express their natural stance against the atrocities in Gaza.

"A reason for optimism in this regard is that the new generation in the West, especially in  America, views the Palestinian issue much more objectively. However, they need to constantly engage with the issue and to be vigilantly guided. Generally speaking, the Western peoples are not apathetic, and they tend to be invested in what they understand and comprehend. This is evident in the massive protests organized every Saturday and Sunday. Some figures in the U.S.  have even declared that they will not allow their taxes to go to killing women and children, and a group of French lawyers have organized a legal team to file a lawsuit against the Zionist entity with the International Court of Justice.

"Western peoples are ready to do more, providing there is the necessary guidance that presents the issue with its correct background and noble goals. This calls for a focus on legal and media aspects, and for investing in [exposing] the crimes against the Palestinian people and in disseminating news, and security and intelligence information, while analyzing and adapting them to effective formats that serve the cause, including by exposing the Zionist enemy's involvement in crimes and holding its supporters accountable.

"[It is also important to] Mobilize the Arab and Islamic peoples to generally boycott Western goods, in favor of domestic products, with focus on the countries whose interests can be affected by refraining from buying Western products:  America, Britain, France and Germany. [The boycott will also] promote national production, in the service of the peoples, not the existing regimes. This [also] involves actively supporting logistic efforts and other means of humanitarian aid, because, under the oppressive regimes that currently prevail in the Arab and Islamic world, the peoples have no other recourse."