Former Hamas Minister Ismail Radwan: The U.S., Israel Would Have to Drop a Nuclear Bomb on Gaza in Order to Disarm the Palestinian Resistance as the Deal of the Century Proposes

Former Hamas minister Ismail Radwan said in a February 10, 2020 interview on the Arabic-language Al-Alam TV (Iran) that he salutes Iran on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, especially in light of the death of Qasem Soleimani and of the recently-released Deal of the Century, which he referred to as the "Deal of Shame." He expressed appreciation for Iran's support of the Palestinian cause and its resistance, and he said that that Hamas is "in the same trench" with Iran, Hizbullah, and all the resistance forces in the region. In addition, Radwan said that the resistance forces are working to thwart the Deal of the Century and that the assassinations of Islamic Jihad official Muhammad Al-Ata, PMU Deputy Chairman Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, and Qasem Soleimani "open the door" for the resistance to settle the score with Israel and the Trump administration. He said that the American administration would have to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza and annihilate the Palestinian people in order to disarm the resistance, and he warned that the U.S. and Israel would bear full responsibility for any "stupid act" that targets the weapons of the resistance or that "imposes realities on the ground" in the framework of the Deal of the Century.

Ismail Radwan: "I salute the Islamic Iranian Revolution on its anniversary, especially as it comes on the painful day of the announcement of the so-called 'Trump Deal,' or 'Deal of the Century,' or 'Deal of Shame,' which is meant to do away with the Palestinian cause. There is no doubt that this anniversary comes at a time when we have lost a great leader, one of the leaders of the Islamic revolution. We lost the great leader Soleimani, who supported the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian resistance. May Allah have mercy on his soul. We appreciate this support from the Islamic Iranian Revolution and brotherly Iran for the Palestinian resistance and for Palestine, and we appreciate that they still adhere to their pledge [to support Palestine]. We are in the same trench with Iran, Hizbullah, the Palestinian resistance, and all the forces of resistance in the region in order to thwart the 'Deal of Shame,' the 'Trump Deal,' the 'Deal of the Century.' It will not pass, Allah willing.

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"I believe that we have not yet settled the score with the occupation and with the American administration, because it placed itself in the camp that is against our people and against our Arab and Islamic nation. Thus, we have an account to settle with the occupation, by means of the forces of resistance in the region, because this occupation and the U.S. administration that supports it have clearly started a series of assassinations. They started here, in Palestine, with the martyrdom of a great leader in the Islamic Jihad, Abu Al-Ata, may Allah have mercy on his soul. They continued with the killing of Abu Mahdi, the great leader in the PMU in Iraq, and then with the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the General of the resistance, whose support for the resistance knew no bounds. All [our] capabilities and their development, and our success in fighting the occupation are, first of all, due to the support of Allah, and then due to the support of Qasem Soleimani and the Islamic Republic of Iran. These assassinations and the continued siege and conspiracy against the Palestinian cause and the resistance open the door for the resistance to settle the score with the occupation and with the American administration. Therefore, we have an ongoing cooperation with the forces of resistance in the region. We are raising the level of this cooperation in order to confront all the dangers facing our cause and the resistance.

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"I ask the occupation and the American administration: What makes you think that you could disarm the resistance? The weapons of the resistance are safeguarded by the people. [These weapons] are rooted in the hearts of our people, in our land and in our blood. What makes you think that you can take away the weapons of this people, which has embraced the resistance? If you want to take away the weapons of the resistance, then you have to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza. You must annihilate Palestine and all its people if you want to so much as think about disarming the resistance. What makes you think that you can do that? You will never succeed Allah willing."

Interviewer: "Will the resistance have a role to play in confronting the Deal, in case its implementation continues, or if there are practical steps to implement it?"

Ismail Radwan: "We warn the American administration and the Zionist occupation. They will bear full responsibility for the consequences of any stupid act targeting the weapons of the resistance or imposing facts on the ground in the framework of the so-called 'Deal of the Century.'"