by Chaim Lax
In the past few days, the world media has been awash with reports on terrorism against Israel. It can be difficult to grasp what differentiates one terrorist group from the other. Who are the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades? What does Hezbollah believe? What separates Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad?
1. Hamas
Founded: 1987 Ideology: Sunni Islamic fundamentalism
The Islamic Resistance Movement, also known as Hamas, was founded at the beginning of the First Intifada (1987-1993) by members of the Muslim Brotherhood and religious members of the PLO, who sought to replace Israel with an Islamic Palestinian state. In response to the Oslo peace process of the 1990s, Hamas launched a wave of attacks against both Israeli soldiers and civilians, including suicide bombings. n 2006, Iran-backed Hamas contested the Palestinian legislative elections and gained the majority of seats. Following the election, Hamas engaged in violent confrontations with Fatah, ultimately gaining full control over the Gaza Strip. Since then, Hamas has launched thousands of rockets at Israeli civilian centers and engaged in four large-scale terror campaign against the Jewish state – in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021.
2. Hezbollah
Founded: 1982 Ideology: Shia Islamic fundamentalism
Hezbollah (the “Party of God”) was founded at the behest of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hezbollah’s stated goals were the creation of an Islamic republic in Lebanon, the removal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and the ultimate destruction of the only Jewish state. Hezbollah conducted a campaign of continuous attacks against Israeli forces, as well as rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. To this day, Hezbollah still poses a threat to the Jewish state, having amassed a large arsenal of sophisticated weapons. According to Israeli intelligence, Hezbollah has approximately 130,000 rockets and missiles threatening Israel’s civilian centers. These weapons are stored in civilian buildings like homes, mosques, schools, and hospitals.
3. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
Founded: 1981 Ideology: Sunni Islamic fundamentalism
PIJ does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, is opposed to the peace process, seeks to destroy Israel through Jihad, and is determined to establish an Islamic Palestinian state. After the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, PIJ largely focused on indiscriminately firing rockets at Israeli civilian centers. There are also smaller PIJ cells in Yehuda & Shomron – Judea & Samaria (aka the West Bank), largely concentrated in Jenin and Nablus.
4. The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades
Founded: 2000 Ideology: Secular Palestinian nationalism
The Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades was founded at the beginning of the Second Intifada (2000-2005), as a loose network of armed units that were connected to Yasser Arafat’s Fatah party. Although some members of the Brigades joined the Palestinian Authority security services in exchange for amnesty in 2007, the organization continues to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel to this day.
5. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
Founded: 1967 Ideology: Marxism-Leninism, secular nationalism
It is the second largest party in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PFLP has been engaged in a wide array of terrorist activities, including hijackings, suicide bombings, and shootings, with the goal of replacing Israel with a secular Arab state. (Disclaimer: This is not the comprehensive list of the enemies of Israel and Jewish people.)
Food for Thought. by Steven Shamrak
Fake Palestinians – Islamists, Secular or Marxists – Enemies of Jews! The enemies are united by a common goal – Destruction of Israel. They would have killed each other a long time ago if Israel did not exist.
Bibi has no Tolerance for Political Challengers
Following his defeat in Likud party primaries, former Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein is considering his future in the party, after he was dropped from 1st to 17th place in the party primaries. The Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold personal phone calls with all the members of the party list who placed in realistic spots (testing their loyalty to him). Binyamin Netanyahu has remained unchallenged as party leader since 2005, and 70 Likud candidates jockey for the top 30+ slots. (After years of the ‘cult of Bibi’ there isn’t much political leadership material left in the Likud party. Bibi has pushed most of them out!)
Hezbollah Barking War over Gas Field
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned that his terror group would “sever” Israel’s hand if it dared to try to access offshore gas reserves. Hezbollah threatened war over Israel’s decision to develop the Karish gas field and has attacked the rig twice in recent months. (Israel has discovered the gas field in its territorial waters, and immediately the area became ‘disputed’. Enemies use any excuse to make war threats against the Jewish state.)
Who is Lying about Release of Terrorists?
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that “no promise was made to release terrorists, but there will be a dialogue.” However, Gantz did not rule out the potential release of the two PIJ prisoners. As part of the ceasefire, PIJ has demanded the release of two of its members and claimed that Israel agreed to release them.
Why Fake Palestinians Burn the Land They ‘Love’?
In Judea Arabs set 3 fires in one day. Firefighters in the Gush Etzion region of Judea extinguished the third arson fire within 24 hours, all of which were started deliberately by local Arabs. The Gush Etzion Regional Council stated: “The arson attacks are terror attacks through and through.” (Because they hate even Jewish land they occupy.)
Remove Enemies from Jewish Land
After a legal battle lasting over 20 years, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in early May that the army could evict over 1,300 Palestinians living inside a military training zone that covers miles of rolling hilltops. If carried out, it would be the largest single eviction in Judea & Samaria (the West Bank) since Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Six Day War. In 1979, the army expropriated some 30 square kilometers (11.5 square miles) of land and declared it Firing Zone 918. (Why does it take so long? They are still not removed. The IDF and Israel’s legal system work much faster when Jewish ‘hilltops’ are set for removal. Remember Gush Katif?)
The UN in La-La Land and Saudi Idiotic Proposal
United Nations officials dealing with the Palestine question – Tor Wennesland – addressed the Security Council on the current situation without telling that august body of a significant new proposal that could finally end this 100-year old unresolved Jewish-Arab conflict. That proposal – emanating from Saudi Arabia – calls for the merger of Jordan, Gaza and part of the ‘West Bank’ into one single territorial entity to be called The Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine. (Gaza and the ‘West Bank’ are part of Eretz-Israel, Jewish land. And neither Jordan nor Egypt wants to take responsibility for those fake Palestinians!)
One day after a ceasefire took place, Islamic Jihad calls for ‘national uprising’ following the elimination of Shechem terrorist, and Hamas blames the Palestinian Authority for cooperating with Israel. (Hamas was cooperating with Israel by not joining the Islamic Jihad against Israel during operation “Breakdawn”.)
Quote of the Week:
“If the great religious war is caused by Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, it will be worse than ever imagined, and it will end with the expulsion of the Jews from Palestine – from all of Palestine, from the (Jordan) River to the (Mediterranean) Sea, and the number of Muslims killed will be greater than the number of Muslims who were killed in the last 1,500 years, since this is Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Muslims will protect the holy Quran and their faith, with their lives.” – Sheikh Ryad Badir, head of the Institute for Legal Rulings and Islamic Research of the Islamic Movement, to which the United Arab List is subject – Any excuse will do to kill Jews and remove them from their ancestral land! Israeli Arabs are having the same genocidal dream as their brothers ‘Palestinians’ brothers in Gaza and Ramallah. There is no condemnation by the ‘Ugly Nazi’ of the clearly stated intention of ethnic cleansing of Jews from Israel. All ‘human right’ organizations are silent and as usual complicit to Jew-hating incitement!
Conflict Terminology – Jewish Dictionary
by Steven Shamrak.
Quite often Israel-bashers throw accusations and use terminology without any interest for the facts. It is done deliberately, in order to create a perception of impropriety committed by the Jewish state.
At the same time, they knowingly ignore: obvious human rights violations, abuse of women, slavery etc., committed by the Palestinian Authority and by many other Muslim countries. These issues are not questioned or scrutinised by the international press and Jew-haters.
Here are some examples of obscure terminology these hypocrites have been using to muddle the issues of the Arab-Israel conflict. I hope that ‘Jewish dictionary’ clarifications will bring a better understanding of the obscure terminology:
Confiscation of Arab land – This is Jewish land. The Government of Israel is in its right to appropriate the land in the interest of national security or to accommodate the need for development.
House demolition – Arabs have been building thousands of illegal houses in Israel and territories. They must not be exempted from construction and property laws. Many countries used demolition as a common practice of deterrent or punishment too. The international Jew-haters protest when Israel takes down illegal Arab constructions, but quite happy when Jewish homes are demolished.
Targeted killings – Arab terrorists want to be rewarded by 72 virgins and to sit next to Mohamed at the table in heaven facing Allah. The Israeli army just facilitates their desire. It is better to target and kill terrorists than let innocent people die!
Building Jewish settlements – It is the right of Jewish people to live on the Jewish land of their ancestors! For the moment, at least on paper, Israel is still an independent state.
Administrative detention – It would be preferable to transfer the Arab terrorists and their extended families to Arab states as an anti-terror deterrent. But ‘the world’ made too much noise when Israel did it!
Torture – If it is done, it would be for the sake of saving lives, when the time factor is imperative. Israeli security prevents 9 out of 10 terrorist attacks, including random drive-by shootings, kidnappings, and suicide bombings! But Arab terrorists behead and kill people for pleasure!
Relative calm – It is used as a sinister attempt to cover up frequent barrages of shells and rockets from Gaza, the ‘West Bank’, and Lebanon; as well as sniper attacks, drive-by shootings, and suicide bombings in Israel! There is not a “Peace Process” in Israel. There is a preparation for another war!
Please, for a better understanding of the Arab-Israeli conflict change your vocabulary and use the Jewish dictionary!
Read previous Editorials here.