PoliGazette » An Islamic State

An Islamic State

Filed under: Hamas — Michael van der Galien on June 24, 2007 @ 8:37 pm CEST

The Spiegel Online has an interview up with Mahmoud Zahar, co-founder of Hamas. Hamas told the Spiegel among other things, that Hamas wants to turn Gaza into an Islamic state:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: After heavy fighting, Hamas won control over the Gaza Strip last Saturday. But it’s not clear what your party now intends to do. The assumption in the Western world is that Hamas wants to establish an Islamic state in Gaza. Is this true?

Zahar: Of course. We want to do that, but with full support of the people. At the moment we can’t establish an Islamic state because we Palestinians have no state. As long as we don’t have a state, we will try to form an Islamic society.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How would a Hamas-led Islamic state look?

Zahar: There would be no difference from how it looks today, because our customs and traditions in Gaza are already Islamic. Marriage, divorce, daily business — everything is Islamic. As soon as we have a state, then everyone will have their freedom. Christians will remain Christians, parties could be secular or even Communist.

Yeah, because the Sharia leaves a lot of room for religious tolerance and the freedom of individuals: as long as they do exactly what the Koran tells them to do that is. If they do not, they should - essentially - be killed. Zahar has a somewhat limited view on freedom: he considers freedom to be the obligation to live an “Islamic Life.”

SPIEGEL ONLINE: In the West there is a fear that the Gaza Strip may become a playground for international terrorism. Is this danger real?

Zahar: Our people can’t distinguish between resistance and terrorism. We’re fighting for the liberation of our land from an occupation. When people in Europe had to fight the Nazis, they were honored, later, as freedom fighters. No one would have called Charles de Gaulle a terrorist.

On the other hand, no sane person would compare Zahar to De Gaulle either.

And good news for those who say that we should ship suitcases filled with money to Gaza:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The militant wings of Fatah and Hamas have been fully armed over the last few months. Are these weapons still in circulation?

Zahar: There are naturally very many weapons around now. Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around €3.50 — now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America!

H/t Jihad Watch where Robert Spencer offers some commentary of his own.

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