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Abbas on Hamas

December 21st, 2006 · No Comments

Via Brad deLong, this speech by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is pretty amazing:

In the past, they said: “Under no circumstances will we accept a state, unless it includes all of Palestine, because Palestine is a land of Islamic endowment.” Fine. This doesn’t work. I can say: “We demand all of the land,” and you will applaud me. This doesn’t work. This doesn’t work. This doesn’t work. There is a reality — either you acknowledge it, or you will get crushed.

[…]

They began to say that the government operates by Allah’s decree, and that this is divine will. In other words, you are not allowed to oppose it, because nobody opposes the will of God. Does any of you oppose the will of God? Nobody opposes Allah. Don’t tell me your government represents the divine will, and that I cannot oppose it. Don’t we have a democracy? What is democracy? There is a majority and a minority. Some support the government, and others oppose it. If you want to terrorize me, and tell me this is the will of God, this is unacceptable. People who go on strike are traitors, and so are people who oppose or criticize the government, because they criticize the will of God. What is this?! This terrorism is unacceptable, and is not allowed. They should not use the religion. The religion is for Allah. Religion is for Allah in the mosques, the churches, and the synagogues. We all respect it. We are all religious, by the way, and nobody should patronize us. We have been praying and fasting since before many of them were even born.

Tags: War