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Memri
3 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
Editor Of Qatari Government Daily: Hamas Must Not Disarm – It Will Defeat Israel With The Strength Of Its Weapons Like The Taliban Defeated Both The U.S. And The West
According to numerous recent reports in Arab media, a demand to disarm has been presented to Hamas, as part of the contacts for a ceasefire in Gaza, and this demand was rejected by Hamas officials.[1] Joining Hamas in its position are journalists in Qatar, who call the weapons of the Palestinian resistance an "existential necessity" that "are not to be bargained over"; they also refer to them as "honor" and that "relinquishing them is humiliation" and as a means that "caused heavy losses to the occupation." Particularly noticeable among these journalists was the position of Jabar Al-Harmi, editor of the Al-Sharq government daily, who called on Hamas not to give up its weapons and not to disavow its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, because "what was taken by force will be restored only by force." He called on Hamas to act like the Taliban in Afghanistan, which despite its sacrifices never gave up its weapons and, "armed from head to toe," forced the U.S. to sit at the negotiating table with it to discuss "not what it [the U.S.] would achieve and what it would gain, but how it would escape [from Afghanistan]." Hamas's holding on to its weapons, he said, would stop Israel from recovering from October 7; he added that in any case, Israel's disappearance was nearer than people think. It should be noted that Al-Harmi also holds antisemitic views and has called for the destruction of Israel. In his articles in the newspaper, and on his X account, he regularly expresses support for Hamas and its October 7, 2023 attack, in which 1,200 were killed and 251 were taken to Gaza as hostages.[2] This mirrors Qatar's absolute support for Hamas.[3] Cartoon in Qatari daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi: Resistance fighter stands fast against attempts to take "the weapons of the resistance" from him. (Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, April 25, 2025) This report will present the positions of writers in Qatar on the subject of the "weapons of the resistance," particularly the position of Al-Sharq editor Jabar Al-Harmi: Al-Sharq Editor Al-Harmi On X, May 24, 2025: Like The Taliban, Hamas Must Not Give Up Its Weapons – And Must Not Disavow Its October 7 Attack Al-Sharq editor Jabar Al-Harmi called on Hamas not to give up its weapons and not to disavow its October 7, 2023 attack. He likened Hamas's situation to that of the Afghan Taliban, who never relinquished their weapons and even, he said, forced the U.S. to negotiate with them by force of their weapons, in addition to "defeating Russia and then the U.S. and the West all together" who today seek "the love of the Afghans – love that comes by force of arms." In a May 24, 2025 post on X, Al-Harmi wrote: "Had the Afghans agreed to solutions of submission during the invasion of their country by two of the strongest countries – the U.S.S.R. in 1979 and the U.S. in 2002 [sic[4]] – and had they said 'We have no strength against these two countries, we are a poor country, and if we are in a position of inferiority, we have no weapons and the world is set against us,' they would not today have a state that is respected by all those who invaded them previously. "The Afghans opposed [the invaders] with their force and might, defeating Russia and then the U.S. and the West all together. Although the invaders used the most criminal weapons, including weapons banned by international conventions, the Afghans did not surrender, despite all the victims. This is what ultimately forced the invaders to sit at the negotiating table with them, by force of arms – not to negotiate over what it [the U.S.] would achieve and what it would gain, but how it would escape [from Afghanistan]. "This did not happen by virtue of the Afghans' consent to disarm – it was by virtue of their strong opposition to the invaders and their defense by means of everything they had, and by means of the weapons of the enemies that they had seized. This is the path to liberation. What was taken by force will be restored only by force, and anything else is an attempt to anesthetize and distract the occupied peoples. Today, Russia and the U.S. seek the love of the Afghans – a love that comes by force of arms. "Consent to disarm the resistance in Gaza and to disavow the October 7 [attack] means that the enemy [Israel] will revive, [and will continue to exist] for the next 100 years. Even if the Palestinian people is wounded, and if the Gazans are dead, do not think that the enemy is relaxed – on the contrary, its fear is greater, and it is now focusing on its entity's future. Will this entity, which is [weaker than] a spiderweb,[5] survive, or will it disappear and not see out its eighth decade? Its disappearance is nearer than you think. 'If you should be suffering – so are they suffering as you are suffering' – but the difference [between the two comes at the end of the verse]: 'You have hope of reward, help, and support from Allah, which they cannot hope for.'[6]"[7] Post by Jaber Al-Harmi ( May 24, 2025) Al-Harmi On X, April 14, 2025: The "Weapons Of The Resistance" In Gaza Are Not For Sale And Are Nonnegotiable In a previous X post, on April 14, 2025, Al-Harmi rejected the demand that Hamas disarm, using the same parallel to the Taliban's refusal to negotiate over disarming. He wrote: "The resistance in Gaza, whether Hamas or another [resistance movement], will not fall into the trap of disarmament, no matter what guarantees [it receives]... "[In the case of the] Taliban in Afghanistan, the U.S. tried to set this [disarmament] as the main condition for negotiations, [but the] Taliban would not negotiate at all about this, and the U.S. was forced to go back to the negotiating table with the Taliban while the latter was armed from head to toe. They told the U.S.: 'It was only the weapons that brought you to sit at the negotiating table with us. Therefore, the resistance must not negotiate over its weapons in any way.' The weapons of the resistance in Gaza are not for sale and are nonnegotiable."[8] Article In Al-Sharq, April 23, 2025: The Weapons Of The Resistance Are An Existential Necessity And An Influential Means Of Action Opposition to disarming Hamas was also seen in many articles in the Qatari government press. For example, Palestinian writer Hadir Rashad explained in his column in Al-Sharq, under the headline "The Weapons Of The Resistance Are Not For Bargaining," that "it is not easy to raise the issue of disarming the resistance without this proposal crashing into the obvious wall of reality, according to which weapons in the hands of peoples under occupation are not a choice but an existential necessity... The weapons of the resistance in Gaza will never be a mere symbol or slogan – they are an influential means of action that caused the occupation heavy losses in lives and in [its] economy... "The call to disarm the resistance in Palestine before the occupation departs is a call for surrender, not peace; for permanent consent to the aggression and not for stopping it; for apparent calm whose hidden meaning is seizing the trump card from the hands of the people that has only force of will and arms."[9] Article In Al-Watan, May 16, 2025: Weapons Are Honor, Relinquishing Them Is Humiliation In his May 16, 2025 column in the Qatari government daily Al-Watan, Palestinian writer Samir Al-Barghouti presented the results of a Palestinian poll that showed widespread Palestinian support for Hamas amid the decline in the prestige of the Palestinian Authority and of Fatah. He stated that "82% of the Palestinian [respondents] said that they oppose handing over the weapons of the resistance." He summarized the survey, stating: "Since the first and second intifadas, and the [Al-Aqsa] Flood [the October 7 attack], Palestinians have believed that they have no other choice but resistance, and that weapons are honor, and relinquishing them is humiliation."[10]
Memri
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Jaber Al-Harmi, Editor Of Qatari Government Daily 'Al-Sharq,' In Antisemitic Post: 'The Hour Of Judgement Will Not Come Until We Fight The Jews And Kill Them'
Jabber Al-Harmi, editor-in-chief of the Qatari government daily Al-Sharq , posted a virulently antisemitic message on his X account, in which he wished for the death of the Jews, writing: "We are certain that the Hour of Judgement will not come until we fight the Jews and kill them. We feel no despair or hopelessness, despite all the pain, wounds and bloodshed." The text evokes a well-known hadith (saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) which states: "The Hour of Judgement will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. The Jews will hide behind a stone or a tree, but the stone or tree will say: 'Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." [1] This hadith is also quoted in Hamas' charter. This post by Al-Harmi reflects his antisemitic views and the antisemitic discourse prevalent in the Qatari media at large. Qatar's government press, including the Al-Sharq daily, of which Al-Harmi is the editor, frequently publishes antisemitic articles that present the Jews as the enemies of Allah, as cunning and treacherous, as murderers of the prophets and as blood-suckers. [2] In addition to his antisemitic discourse Al-Harmi also frequently makes statements against Israel in which he hopes for Israel's demise and for the liberation of all of Palestine. Al-Harmi's views on Israel and the Jews are aligned with the extremist ideology of Hamas and reflect his unreserved support for this movement and for its terror against Israelis – support which is also expressed by the Qatari state. [3] Just one day after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which some 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 251 were abducted to Gaza, Al-Harmi praised the operation, echoing the sentiment of other Qatari media figures. [4] Since then he has frequently reiterated his praise for the attack and for Hamas and its leaders. [5] Jaber Al-Harmi (Image: This report reviews some of the antisemitic statements made by Jaber Al-Harmi, chief editor of the Qatari government daily Al-Sharq . Al-Harmi's Latest Antisemitic Post Is Based On A Hadith That Is Also Quoted In Hamas' Charter: "The Hour Of Judgement Will Not Come Until The Muslims Fight The Jews And Kill Them" As noted, Al-Harmi wrote on X: "We are certain that the Hour of Judgement will not come until we fight the Jews and kill them. We feel no despair or hopelessness, despite all the pain, wounds and bloodshed." [6] The post evokes an antisemitic hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad says: "The Hour of Judgement will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them. The Jews will hide behind a stone or a tree, but the stone or tree will say: 'Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.'" This hadith is also quoted in Article 7 of Hamas' charter, which says: [7] "…The Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] aspires to realize the promise of Allah, no matter how long it takes. The Prophet, Allah's prayer and peace be upon him, says: 'The hour of judgment shall not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them, so that the Jews hide behind trees and stones, and each tree and stone will say: "Oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him" – except for the gharqad tree, for it is the tree of the Jews.' (Recorded in the collections of Bukhari and Muslim)." [8] This is not the first time Al-Harmi has evoked this hadith. In an August 5, 2024 message on X, for example, he quoted it and added: "Gaza, with its trees and stones, will fight the Jews. Palestine, every inch of it, will fight the Jews. There is no place for the Zionists in Palestine, and they will soon be swept away." [9] Al-Harmi In Other Posts: The Jews Are Prophet-Killers Other statements by Al-Harmi contained additional motifs of Arab antisemitism, such as descriptions of the Jews as prophet-killers and covenant-breakers. In a post from April 2, 2025 he wrote: "Everything the Zionist Jews are doing in Palestine, in Gaza and in the West Bank is conceivable, for they are prophet-killers. Moreover, they killed the prophets in the most criminal ways, as in the case of Allah's prophet Zacharia, whom they cut with a saw. So what do you expect of them?!" [10] In a November 6, 2023 post, he wrote: "The Children of Israel killed or lied to every prophet or messenger [Allah] sent to them. If that is how [they behaved] towards Allah, how can it be different with human beings?! They carry out barbaric crimes, they have occupied holy places and usurped land, and they do not honor agreements. Yet the Arabs… do not learn from history." [11] Al-Harmi: "The Zionist Entity Will Cease To Exist And Palestine Will Return" In other posts, Al-Harmi yearned for "the complete liberation of Palestine" and promised that Israel will cease to exist. On July 23, 2024, he shared a video of a baby wearing a keffiyeh and a green headband similar to those worn by Hamas' fighters, and carrying a toy rifle on his back, and commented: "They arrive, generation after generation, until the complete liberation of Palestinian soil." [12] On November 17, 2024 he shared a picture of a Hamas fighter in uniform with his young son, also wearing a uniform, and placed the following words in the father's mouth: "Son, do not despair. Reflected in my eyes you see Palestine abandoned and Gaza destroyed, but reflected in your eyes I see Jerusalem liberated tomorrow." [13] Following U.S. president Joe Biden's announcement of his withdrawal from the presidential race in July 2024, Al-Harmi wrote: "Biden is gone and Gaza endures. [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu will follow [Biden] and Gaza will endure. The Zionist entity will cease to exist and Palestine will return. That is a truth we shall never doubt." He ended his post with a quote from the Quran: "They see it as distant, yet we see it as near" (Quran 70:6). [14] After Netanyahu announced the dissolution of his war cabinet in June 2024, Al-Harmi wrote: "The Al-Qassam Brigades [Hamas' military wing] have dismantled Israel's war cabinet, as a prelude to dismantling the [entire] usurping entity [Israel] and to the collapse of the Zionist enterprise." [15] [2] See e.g., MEMRI reports: Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1730 - Antisemitic And Anti-Israel Content In Qatar's Education System: Jews Are Enemies Of Allah; Palestine Stretches From The River To The Sea – December 11, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 11236 – Columnist In Qatari Daily: Hatred And Hostility Are Ingrained In The Jews; The War In Gaza Is An Exact Copy Of Their Forefathers' Plot Against The Muslims In The Time Of The Prophet, March 28, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11336 - State-Sponsored Qatari Children's Magazine Justifies Terror, Incites Against Jews, Israel And U.S. – May 20, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11468 - Antisemitic Article in Qatari Daily: The Jews Have Been Manipulators And Traitors Since The Days Of The Prophet Muhammad; That Is Why No Hostage Deal Has Been Concluded Between Israel And Hamas – July 26, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11634 - Antisemitic Article In Qatari Daily Outlines A Sequel To Shakespeare's 'The Merchant Of Venice,' In Which The 'Cursed' Uncle Sam Sends The Jewish Shylock To Palestine To Further His Imperialist Objectives – October 28, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11668 - Media Figures In Qatar: 'Bless The Hands' That Carried Out The Amsterdam Attack And Punished The Zionists – November 12, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11684 - Article In Qatari Government Daily: The Jews And Zionists Are Inherently And Universally Wicked and Corrupt, 'Devils Of Hell' Who 'Suck The Blood Of The Nations'; Their End Is Clearly Near – November 19, 2024; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1801 - Mrs. Muslim Brotherhood Wears Prada: The Comprehensive Islamist Activity Of Sheikha Moza, Mother Of The Qatari Emir, And Her Support For Islamic Terrorism, Antisemitism, The Muslim Brotherhood And Hamas – January 16, 2025; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1634 - Antisemitism, Holocaust Denial In Qatari Press – April 28, 2022. [3] See e.g., MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 11611, Since Hamas' October 7 Attack On Israel, Qatar's Unreserved Support For Hamas, Incitement Against Israel, Continues On The Political, Media, Educational And Religious Levels, October 10, 2024; Special Dispatch No. 11793 - Qatari Government Media On Gaza Ceasefire: A 'Crushing Historic Victory' For Hamas And A 'Significant Defeat' For Israel; The Deal Is Like The Treaty Of Hudaybiyyah; The Resistance Will Continue In Additional Rounds Of Fighting – January 23, 2025. [5] For example, on the first anniversary of the October 7 attack, Al-Harmi shared a video on X showing footage of the attack and of Hamas leaders watching coverage of the attack on Al-Jazeera and holding a prayer of thanksgiving. He commented: "October 7, 2023 – the dawn of the people of our nation. The people of our nation will continue to follow this path…" See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10840 - Qatar And Qatari Press Express Unreserved Support For Massive Hamas Terror Attack On Israel, Hold Israel Solely Responsible For It - October 9, 2023. In another X post, he wrote "[Hamas's military wing, the Izz Al-Din] Al-Qassam [Brigades], are the most moral force, [since] the Al-Qassam fighters who held the hostages refused to kill them [during the rescue operation]." See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 11389 - Senior Al-Jazeera Presenter: Moral Hamas Did Not Booby-Trap The Hostages – June 10, 2024. [6] April 10, 2025. [8] These two hadith collections, known as the Sahihayn ('the two authentic ones'), are considered among the most authoritative sources of hadith in Sunni Islam. [9] August 5, 2024. [10] April 2, 2025. [11] Noveober 6, 2023. [12] July 23, 2024. [13] November 17, 2024. [14] July 22, 2024. [15] June 17, 2024.
