Hamas Political Bureau member and former interior minister Fathi Hammad called the U.S. State Department's decision to place him on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list a "preposterous" and "deplorable" decision, which has made us "more determined and resolute to continue the Jihad." In an Al-Jazeera interview on September 17, Hammad addressed the American people, saying: "You will change. Islamic justice will come, and we shall implement it upon you." He further said: "There has to be a revolution by the American people against its government and against the Congress, which has legislated all these acts of injustice." America, he said, was "in the twilight of its era" and would "continue to wither." "Is it conceivable that a handful of Jews control your policies, your military, your money, and everything, and turn you into a laughing stock?" Hammad asked. He warned that the decision "could lead to global instability."
Following are excerpts
Interviewer: "America has placed you on its list of terrorists. How did you receive this decision?"
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Fathi Hammad: "This came as a big surprise to me, especially since America and we are oceans apart, separated by a great distance, and it has no business interfering in our internal affairs, especially with regard to our society and the Palestinian people. Palestine is a land occupied by the Zionist enemy, and we are conducting resistance against this occupier. We are investing all our power in the liberation of our land. Therefore, when America appoints itself master of the world, as if it were its job to place people on this 'terror' list... Anyone opposing America or the Zionist entity is placed on the terrorist list. This constitutes blatant interference in the affairs of nations, which have nothing to do with it."
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Fathi Hammad: "My response to America is that it cannot affect us. This decision is preposterous. By the grace of Allah, we are steadfast on our land, and are determined to continue our Jihad and resistance. This decision has only made us more determined and resolute to continue the Jihad, and to continue our work to liberate every grain of sand of our land."
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Fathi Hammad: "To tell you the truth, this is America's way of doing things. It employs double standards, and embodies America's injustice and terrorism, which has affected all the nations of the world."
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Fathi Hammad: "I'd like to take this opportunity to send a message to the American people: The truth is, oh American people, that there is a handful of Jews, who suck your money. Your deluded and stupid government, with all its political, military, and security branches, takes your daily bread and gives it to the Zionist enemy, in order to intensify the injustice, all the while purporting to be a democracy. Therefore, there has to be a revolution by the American people against its government, and against the Congress, which has legislated all these acts of injustice."
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Fathi Hammad: "Allah be praised, I have no funds and no dealings with banks. By the grace of Allah, I am one of the poor people. By the grace of Allah, I have no funds. Therefore, financially speaking, I am not worried at all. On the political level and with regard to the resistance - we are steadfast. We live on this land, and our resistance is for the sake of Allah. I say to America and to the people who made this decision: You will change. Islamic justice will come, and we shall implement it upon you. Therefore, you are in the twilight of your age. It is well known. This is no secret. Let me address America and say that it no longer has the capabilities it used to have. America is in a state of security, political and military decline. Allah willing, it will continue to whither, and will be confined, once again, to the borders of Washington D.C. and the United States, and, Allah willing, it will diminish even further. Therefore, enough with your corruption, enough with your tyranny, and enough with your bias toward all the world's corruption, which is led by the Zionist enemy. Incidentally, I address the American people: Is it conceivable that a handful of Jews control your policies, your military, your money, and everything, and turn you into a laughingstock? We have five million of the Zionist enemy here, and they control the world. Perhaps there are ten million more of them in America. These ten million control over 280 million Americans. This is no justice. It is stooping to a level... I feel that America and the American people are occupied by the Zionists, who control the money, the diamond industry, and all those things. We in Palestine know all these details. We know that you are in decline and that you will wither, Allah willing. This measure will do you no good, Allah willing."
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Fathi Hammad: "This [decision] is deplorable, and it could lead to global instability. Let this be interpreted whatever way they like. The reason for this is that we are a very important part of... Here in Palestine, we are at the heart of the whole world, and therefore, anything that harms us will have an impact on world peace."
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