Hamas Representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan: Suicide Operations Help Cancel Palestinian Commitments, Hamas Will Continue to Use These Operations

The following are excerpts from an interview with Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan, which aired on Al-Manar TV on August 23, 2005.

Hamdan: I think that no one can object to martyrdom operations in and of themselves. These martyrdom operations are a form of resistance that the Israelis cannot deal with and are afraid of. It is our strategic weapon, and we will not allow it to be taken away from us. Hence, in principle, there is no dispute about martyrdom operations. As for the targets of martyrdom operations - these are the prerogative of those who commit them.

Host: Why?

Hamdan: These operations are sometimes meant to deter. The enemy attacks Palestinian civilians, and we respond in kind, so that he understands he will have no security unless our people have security. At times, the operations are aimed at strategic Israeli targets of a military nature. So the door should be wide open for this kind of operations to choose targets that suit the political circumstances.

As for the claim that the martyrdom operations took place in the wrong political atmosphere - I think the opposite is true. In many cases, (Palestinian) concessions were due, as a result of the Palestinian political helplessness, and the martyrdom operations came to rescue this political helplessness. True, the negotiations have stopped, but this would have canceled many Palestinian commitments, which in itself was an accomplishment. Some people try to deny this, but an accomplishment it is, whether they like it or not.