19-May-11: Quotes of the day - religious leader foreshadows Hamas plans for the Jews

Theology-driven hatred: Click here for
the MEMRI-TV video clip

You might not recognize the name but Yunis Al-Astal is a highly influential religious figure in Gaza's Islamic life. His sermons are broadcast far and wide via the official Hamas television station Al-Aqsa TV. And he manages to find time to serve as a parliamentarian, representing the Khan Yunis district in the 132-delegate Palestinian Legislative Council on behalf (who else?) of Hamas.

Come, let us listen together to the words of wisdom of this man of the cloth. Courtesy of a MEMRI translation, here is what the children of Hamas-controlled Gaza learned from the theological leadership of their community via a television broadcast eight days ago, on May 11, 2011:

"All the predators, all the birds of prey, all the dangerous reptiles and insects, and all the lethal bacteria are far less dangerous than the Jews... In just a few years, all the Zionists and the settlers will realize that their arrival in Palestine was for the purpose of the great massacre, by means of which Allah wants to relieve humanity of their evil... When Palestine is liberated and its people return to it, and the entire region, with the grace of Allah, will have turned into the United States of Islam, the land of Palestine will become the capital of the Islamic Caliphate, and all these countries will turn into states within the Caliphate. When this happens, any Palestinian will be able to live anywhere, because the land of Islam is the property of all Muslims. Until this happens, we must reject all the resettlement plans, naturalization, or even reparations prior to the return of the refugees." 

A little over two years ago, the same gentle soul was in the news for having expressed similarly transcendental thoughts for the religious edification of his flock (click to see a video with English subtitles, again courtesy of MEMRI).

“Very soon, Allah willing, Rome will be conquered, just like Constantinople was, as was prophesized by our Prophet Muhammad. Today, Rome is the capital of the Catholics, or the Crusader capital, which has declared its hostility to Islam…[and will become] an advanced post for the Islamic conquests, which will spread though Europe in its entirety, and then will turn to the two Americas, even Eastern Europe... Allah has chosen you for Himself and for His religion so that you will serve as the engine pulling this nation to the phase of succession, security and consolidation of power, and even to conquests through da'wa and military conquests of the capitals of the entire world."

Back in 2007, he explained how women can find fulfillment and grace by means of the practical implementation of jihad:

"The most exalted form of jihad is fighting for the sake of Allah, which means sacrificing one's soul by fighting the enemies head-on, even if it leads to martyrdom. Martyrdom means life next to Allah... When jihad becomes an individual duty, it applies to women too, because women do not differ from men when it comes to individual duties... Safiyya, the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad, used a pole to kill a Jew in the Battle of the Trench. Likewise, in the Battle of Hunayn, Umm Sulaym had a dagger, and when asked about it, she said: 'If an enemy of Allah comes near me, I shall stab him with this dagger.' History has recorded, in shining letters, the fact that Al-Khansaa sacrificed her four children at the battle of Al-Qadisiyya. She inflamed their emotions and she herself incited them to fight until they attained their martyrdom, and then she thanked Allah for honoring her with the killing of them all."

This religious fanatic can be accused of many things. But as foaming-at-the-mouth barbarians go, he is nothing if not consistent. The same needs to be said for Hamas with its relentless encouragement (April 2011 example here) of young women to commit suicide as an act of war and hatred and religious devotion.

The world has much to fear from these people and their ideas.