In an article he published on July 23, 2014 in the independent Palestinian news website Maan, Hamas official in the West Bank Ahmad Yousuf stressed that the Palestinians are on a path of jihad and resistance that will inevitably bring them to victory, and that they will continue to tirelessly dig tunnels under the border until they achieve this victory.
Yousuf added that, since the 1987 Intifada, the Palestinians have taken the reins of the struggle with Israel into their own hands and stopped relying on the Arab states, which were defeated in all their wars with Israel and only distanced the Palestinians from the goal of liberating Palestine. The courageous jihad organizations, he said, have restored the Palestinians' honor and are now writing a new record of Palestinian bravery that will go down in history just like the story of the Algerian jihad fighters who fought against the French, the Afghan fighters who drove out the Soviets, and the Vietcong, which fought the U.S.
Yousuf also mentioned that Ramadan is the month of conquest and victory, and that Gaza played a role in all the decisive battles in Islamic history, such as the Battles of 'Ain Jalut and of Hattin. Hence, its struggle with Israel is also bound to end in triumph and shatter "the foundations of the cursed imperialistic Zionist entity."
The following are excerpts:[1]
Ahmad Yousuf (image: Shms.ps, June 16, 2014)
Ramadan Is The Month Of Conquest And Clear Victory; The 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades Will Shatter "The Foundations Of The Cursed Imperialistic Zionist Entity"
"Throughout Muslim history, Ramadan has been the month of conquest and clear victory, and Gaza has been the road to Muslim victory in all our decisive battles, such as the Battle of 'Ain Jalut [in 1260] and the Battle of Hattin [in 1187]. Just as the Crusaders and Tartars who invaded Palestine were defeated... Gaza the strong now stands steadfast, like a solid structure.[2] The [current] war [in Gaza] is destined to write the annals of a clear and mighty victory, and the foundations of the cursed imperialistic Zionist entity will collapse in the face of the courage of the ['Izz Al-Din] Al-Qassam fighters, the Al-Quds Brigades, the Mujahideen Brigades and the Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades, and the banners of our [Muslim] nation will fly again...
"The people of Palestine were always emblems of sacrifice and devotion in all their wars against the oppressing occupier, and that is why the historical facts amazed us. [However], the defeats that fill the annals of our wars with this oppressive entity in 1948, 1956 and 1967 were nothing but results of the shallowness of the Arab positions and of their preparations, and of the waning of efforts over the years and the subordination [of these efforts] to the official political agendas of the Arab regimes.
"The Palestinians' journey on the path of power and jihad began with their blessed intifada in 1987, [and continued with] the Al-Aqsa Intifada [in 2000] and the subsequent victories of the Al-Furqan War [Operation Cast Lead] in December 2008 and the Hijarat al-Sajil [War, i.e., Operation Pillar of Defense] in November 2012.
"To every member of the recruited media who has become a Zionist and attempts to defile the purity of the resistance and the nobility of its goals, who means to rejoice at the suffering and pain of Gaza, abandon its brave people, and despicably support Netanyahu and his aggressive army, we say today: 'perish in your rage,' for Gaza, which is the strong despite its suffering and pain, will bring [us] victory and restore the Palestinian prestige and honor. Then, all those who conspired against the nation and betrayed it, turning their backs on their national duty in favor of supporting Netanyahu and his soldiers, will regret it; their faces will be blackened, and 'their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs,' [as it says in Koran 54:45].
Now That We Have Seized The Reins Of Initiative, We Are Smelling Victory
"This war, which has restored to our Palestinian people and to the brave resistance much of their sense of honor, faith and trust in Allah's victory, this duel [with Israel], is a decisive step in [the confrontation with] these Zionists, [a step] in the direction of the imminent realization of the promise of the Day of Resurrection, for Allah 'declared that he would certainly send against them [i.e. the Jews] those who would afflict them with a humiliating torment' [Koran 7:167].
"When the Palestinians decided to seize the reins of initiative, the era of defeat and division ended. The moment of our brave mujahedeen's' true victory over these Zionists draws near, with Allah's help. The Arabs' former defeats in their confrontations with Israel distanced us from our dreams of liberation and return, but today we smell [victory], thanks to our steadfastness, the courage and sacrifice of our young mujahideen on the battlefield, the endurance of our people... and the high morale they have maintained... the frequent displays of mutual responsibility among them and the help they extend to one another...
"The Palestinians are currently writing a new legend in the realm of [effort] investment, sacrifice and giving. They are recording a heroic and glorious campaign in our historic and national annals… [in contrast] to the concessions and degrading positions taken by a few political leaders in our Palestinian arena.
"Currently, thanks to our unity in support of the battle [being waged in Gaza], we are taking back the reins of initiative and of directing the conflict, so its movements take us, unbowed and completely determined, towards the goals of liberating Al-Aqsa and restoring the homeland's plundered honor…
We Will Continue Digging Tunnels, Until We Either Find An Exist To Light And Salvation Or Die As Heroes
"Our political reality following the battle [currently being waged in Gaza] will in no way resemble what it was before, namely a state of submission, degradation and wretchedness. We will give a taste of bitter punishment to the Zionists, whose arrogance, extremism and continued aggression against our land and our holy places have exhausted us, and they will return humiliated to their dens and their army will retreat leaving shameful failure, defeat and disgrace in its wake.
"Therefore, the Palestinians alone valiantly and nobly lead the clashes with the Israeli occupation army, while the official Arab [regimes] and their political elites can say, 'We have missed out on [the role] of mujahideen, and now we are mere spectators.' This victory will be a unique military 'badge of quality' for the Palestinians alone – just as it was recorded in the annals of history that the Algerian Liberation Front forced France to [give] Algeria its independence at a price of over one million martyrs and restored the honor of the Algerians with its sacrifice, and just as the mujahideen in Afghanistan disgraced the Red Army and forced the Soviet superpower to leave Afghanistan, defeated and mortified, and [just as] prior to that, during the 1970s, the Vietcong defeated the Americans in Vietnam. Therefore, the picture that emerges from the annals of war is as follows: no right that has a claimant is lost; the possessor of the right is always victorious, and the magnitude of sacrifice and the blood spilled [determine how] the characteristics and manifestations of power are perceived by the nations and states.
"Today... we are recording, by the heroic acts of the Al-Qassam [Brigades] and the Al-Quds Brigades, the heroic and honorable traits of the Palestinians and of the Islamic nation – for our message to the international community as well as the Arabs and Muslims is [this]: "In Gaza the strong we will continue digging in the ground and [under the] fence, with one out of two [possible outcomes]: either we find an exit to the light and to salvation from occupation by [our] power and capability, or we die as heroes and nobles on the borderline facing the fence. No despair shall grip our shovels, and we do not fear defeat – for victory comes tomorrow, victory comes tomorrow."
