Ramallah (Palestinian Territories), Jul 15 : A senior member of Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas has encouraged Palestinians across the globe to kill Jews, drawing outrage from both Israeli and Palestinian officials as well as a UN envoy.
In video from a speech to participants of weekly protests on Friday, Fathi Hamad, a member of the movement’s top political body, can be seen calling on Palestinians across the globe to carry out attacks.
“If this siege is not undone, we will explode in the face of our enemies, with God’s permission. The explosion is not only going to be in Gaza but also in the West Bank and abroad, God willing,” Hamad said.
“But our brothers outside are preparing, trying to prepare, warming up.”
He continued: “Seven million Palestinians outside, enough warming up, you have Jews with you in every place. You should attack every Jew possible in all the world and kill them.”
Since March 2018 Palestinians have been taking part in Hamas-backed protests and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border in part against the Jewish state’s crippling blockade of Gaza.
At least 295 Palestinians and seven Israelis have been killed in Gaza-related violence since.
The Israeli toll recently rose to seven after an 89-year-old woman who fell while running for a bomb shelter during a severe flare-up of violence in May died from her wounds, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union and others.
Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the comments showed “what Hamas is about.”
“Hamas is behind the riots on the Gaza border.
Hamas built factories for explosive vests to be used by Gazan boys & girls. Hamas wants to murder Jews worldwide,” Gendelman said on Twitter.
“Now you know why we protect the border with Gaza from Hamas.”
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the West Bank-based Palestine Liberation Organisation, which unlike Hamas has recognised Israel, condemned Hamad’s comments.
“The just values of the Palestinian cause include love for freedom, justice and equality. The repugnant statement of Hamas leader Mr. Fathi Hamad about Jews doesn’t represent any of them,” he tweeted.
United Nations envoy Nickolay Mladenov also condemned the comments, labelling them a “dangerous, repugnant and inciteful statement! It must to be clearly condemned by ALL.”
Hamas seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in a 2007 near civil war.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in Gaza since 2008.
Israel says the blockade is necessary to isolate Hamas and keep it from obtaining weapons or material to make them.
Critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s two million residents and creates poverty that can feed extremism.
