How Turkey made Hamas mainstream

A news story in this newspaper quoted Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu as claiming that Turkey’s relationship with Hamas had helped make the militant Palestinian group “mainstream.”

“Everybody can see how much of a difference there is between Hamas’ previous line and its current stance. The country that has made the biggest contribution to this is Turkey,” Mr. Çavuşoğlu said.  

Indeed, one must either be blind, dumb or a Zionist not to see the difference.

From Hamas’ old charter, back in the militant times of 1987:

- “Hence our permanent state of preparedness and our readiness to sacrifice our souls and dearest [possessions]."

- “Our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and Islamic world."

- “The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them)."

- “The slogan: Allah is the goal, the Prophet the model, the Quran the Constitution, Jihad the path. Death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of wishes."

- “A woman may fight the enemy even without her husband’s authorization, and a slave without his master’s permission."

- “[Peace] initiatives ... to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement ... There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad."

- “We must spread the spirit of Jihad among the [Islamic] Ummah, clash with the enemies and join the ranks of the Jihad fighters..."

- “I swear by the holder of Muhammad’s soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed, and then invade again and be killed..."

- “Jihad means not only carrying arms and denigrating the enemies. Uttering positive words, writing good articles and useful books, support and solidarity and assistance, all that is Jihad too..."

- “Whoever mobilizes a fighter for the sake of Allah is himself a fighter..."

- “Hamas is a humane movement that cares for human rights ... It is only possible for the members of the three religions to coexist in safety under the shadow of Islam ... Safety and security can only prevail under the shadow of Islam...”

Now, the following are from Hamas' charter since it has gone mainstream:

- “Hence our permanent state of preparedness and our readiness to sacrifice our souls and dearest [possessions]."

- “Our struggle against the Jews is extremely wide-ranging and grave, so much so that it will need all the loyal efforts we can wield, to be followed by further steps and reinforced by successive battalions from the multifarious Arab and Islamic world."

- “The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them)."

- “The slogan: Allah is the goal, the Prophet the model, the Quran the Constitution, Jihad the path. Death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of wishes."

- “A woman may fight the enemy even without her husband’s authorization, and a slave without his master’s permission."

- “[Peace] initiatives ... to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement ... There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad."

- “We must spread the spirit of Jihad among the [Islamic] Ummah, clash with the enemies and join the ranks of the Jihad fighters..."

- “I swear by the holder of Muhammad’s soul that I would like to invade and be killed for the sake of Allah, then invade and be killed, and then invade again and be killed..."

- “Jihad means not only carrying arms and denigrating the enemies. Uttering positive words, writing good articles and useful books, support and solidarity and assistance, all that is Jihad too..."

- “Whoever mobilizes a fighter for the sake of Allah is himself a fighter..."

- “Hamas is a humane movement that cares for human rights ... It is only possible for the members of the three religions to coexist in safety under the shadow of Islam ... Safety and security can only prevail under the shadow of Islam...”