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The voice behind the
intifada
By Syed Saleem Shahzad
KARACHI - For many centuries, the politics of
the Muslim world have revolved around the massive
al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, first built in 715 AD. The
mosque complex, which includes the Dome of the Rock, is
regarded as the third most holy shrine in Islam, after
Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
In the modern
era, two Arab-Israeli wars have been fought with the
mosque at the symbolic heart of the struggle, and Osama
bin  Laden uses the fact that
the mosque is under Israeli control to stir Muslims.
But perhaps the most significant event involving
the al-Aqsa mosque in recent times came from its pulpits
in late 1987, when the call for the "intifada against
Zionism" was first launched, irreversibly changing the
dynamics of the Palestinian struggle.
That
landmark call - in which Palestinians were first urged
to throw stones at the Israelis - was made by Dr
Mohammed al-Shiekh Mahmood Sayam, now 67, who spoke
exclusively to Asia Times Online during a visit to
Pakistan earlier this week.
A graduate of Cairo
University with a PhD in Arabic literature from Umul
Qura University, Saudi Arabia, Sayam's record includes
khateeb (speaker) of the al-Aqsa mosque (from
1983-1988) and vice-chancellor of Gaza University
(1983-1988). He used both positions to fan the flames of
the intifada, as a result of which he was expelled in
1988 and then banned from ever setting foot on the
Palestinian soil where he was born, bred and raised.
Since then he has been a refugee, but with a cause. He
has no permanent country, simply traveling the world as
one of the most vocal voices representing hardliners in
the intifada.
Sayam's political vision was
heavily influenced by the Islamic movement, and he
admits to "learning from Syed Qutub [the Muslim
Brotherhood ideologue executed by the Egyptian
government] that Islam should prevail over all the
world. From Imam Banna [Hasanul Banna, founder of the
Muslim Brotherhood] I learned that jihad should be the
way. From Imam Modudi [Syed Abul Ala Modudi, founder of
the Jamaat-i-Islami in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh] I
learned that Koranic teachings should be dominant in the
system of state. From the book of Imam Nadvi [Syed Abul
Hasan Ali Nadvi, the Jamaat-i-Islami India chief who
later became a writer], The Rise and Fall of Muslim
and its Influence on Human History, I learnt of the
role Muslims should play in the world community."
Asia Times Online: How do you analyze the
events of September 11 and their effect on the
Palestinian cause?
Sayam: We saw
a significant change for the Palestinian struggle as
it went into complete isolation. The US exploited
the opportunity to pressurize the Palestinian
leadership. Those Western countries which had had a soft spot for
us accepted US pressure against the Palestinians.
Other nations, including Arab countries, China and Russia
that used to support our struggle backed out due to fear of the
US. The Zionists then became bold, so September 11
played havoc with the Palestinian cause.
ATol: Do you think that the latest
Islamic nature of the intifada has made it unpopular in
the world community? When the Palestinian movement had a
more secular color, and was led by leaders like George
Habash and Yasser Arafat, it was a much more popular
movement.
Sayam: The dynamics of the
movement changed. Leaders like George Habash and Yasser
Arafat ran the movement on nationalist lines. Their
decades-old struggle only resulted in frustration and
retreats from basic Palestinian rights. In fact,
Palestinians do not want to abdicate their rights, and
as a result they joined Islamic organizations. Today's
Palestinian does not want to compromise his position,
and this is true of Muslims around the world. I will
give you an example. In the mid-1990s, Yasser Arafat and
I were together in India. The Indians knew that Arafat
was soft enough to favor the opening of an Israeli
embassy in Delhi, whereas my hardline stance was also
known. People were more willing to meet me and discuss
the intifada and my views on Palestine than Arafat, who
was left with no substance after he compromised on the
Palestinian cause.
ATol: Could you please
define Palestinian rights?
Sayam: The
Zionist state was established on Palestinians' land. Its
boundaries should revert to the pre-1967 war position.
Some holy Muslim sites, including al-Quds [al-Aqsa] are
also situated in parts that are in occupied territory.
These sites should be liberated. Out of a total of 7
million Palestinians, only 3 million are left in
Palestine, while the rest are in exile. They should be
allowed to come back to their homes. Jewish settlements
should be demolished. They have established a ring of
settlements all around al-Quds. This ring should be
demolished. These are a few Palestinian demands without
which there should not be any agreement.
ATol: There is a growing believe in the
West that today's leadership of the intifada comprises
extremists who do not believe in civil society and human
values. They are seen as killers with their suicide
missions and as messengers of hate, and without any
ideology.
Sayam: If in the first place
the Palestinians had been allowed to live in their homes
there would have been no question of an intifada, the
Islamic Jihad or Hamas. The whole episode is a reaction
to the tyrannies imposed on us. In 1967, they occupied
the whole Palestinian territory. Palestinians waited
patiently for the United Nations to act, and the Islamic
world to come forward or the Arab League to play its
role. But when they felt that their cause had been
dumped into cold storage, they got their act together
for their liberation movement. You see, Israel was
established in 1948 and the intifada started in 1987.
This long time taken to initiate our struggle is a
reflection that we believe in political solutions, but
we were forced to take up arms. As far as political
dialogue is concerned, Arafat did his best, but what did
he achieve? The intifada at one stage was stopped for 50
days to give peace a chance. Did it happen? In the
recent Cairo conference, Egypt and other countries
pressured Palestinians to give Israel a chance for
peace. But now we have taken a stand and it is time to
pursue Israel for peace. It is a strange thing to say
that Palestinians do not know the norms of a civil
society. Is it a norm of civil society to demolish
homes, to go after scholars and learned people to arrest
them, to point guns at women and children and to stop
them form entering their neighborhoods and cutting their
olive trees?
ATol: In today's era of
antagonism towards United States policies, especially in
the Muslim world, what do the Palestinians think about
the US?
Sayam: There are two different
thinking patterns. Palestinians who are in the
administration think that the US will pressurize Israel
as Israel cannot do anything without US consent. A
common Palestinian sees US guns and ammunition in the
hands of Israeli soldiers and US-made Apache gunship
helicopters in the air which butcher Palestinians.
Entire Palestinian areas have been turned in to a big
jail with the construction of walls all around the
Palestinian population. The UN Security Council has
condemned it, the US also condemned it - only to fool
Arab leaders as it is the US which finances the
construction of this wall in the shape of huge financial
aid to Israel. We are witnessing hypocrisy on the part
of the US. Sudanese rebels in the south of that country
are freedom fighters for US, East Timor and even Tamils
are, but the real freedom fighters in the Philippines,
Kashmir and Palestine are termed terrorist by the US.
ATol: Saddam Hussain was a key financial
backer of the Palestinian cause, which is one of the
main reasons that he fell prey to US designs. And now,
after the Iraq war, countries like Saudi Arabia have
learned a lesson and also withdrawn their financial
support. How will the intifada survive?
Sayam: Palestinians did not flourish on
the aid given by Saddam, though it is correct that he
supported bereaved families whose members were killed in
struggle or whose houses were demolished. We need the
money and will welcome it, whoever donates it. Anyway,
Saddam had an agenda to promote Ba'athist ideas in
Palestine, and also, his aid went to the Palestinian
administration, and it is the same with Saudi charities
that give money. The intifada flourishes on public jihad
funds raised all over the world, and we continue to
receive these funds.
ATol: The
Palestinian cause has many facets, including religious
and nationalistic elements, but organizations like
Islamic Jihad have started meddling in conflicts in
other areas. For instance, they sent fighters to Iraq.
Do you think this is the right direction for your
struggle?
Sayam: Islamic Jihad is just a
segment of the intifada, not the whole struggle. Can't
you see that other parts of the movement kept apart from
the Iraq conflict? Hamas never sent its members to Iraq.
By sending fighters to Iraq, Islamic Jihad created a
problem for the Palestinian cause, and for Syria and
Iran where it is based.
ATol: Is Islamic
Jihad ideologically the legacy of the Muslim
Brotherhood, like Hamas?
Sayam: No.
Islamic Jihad was inspired by the Iranian revolution [of
1979]. But they are not Shi'ites, as there are no
Shi'ites in Palestine.
ATol: Has Islamic
Jihad forged any ties with al-Qaeda?
Sayam:
Only the Egyptian Islamic Jihad has some influence
there. The Islamic Jihad in Palestine is influenced by
Iran, and there is no possibility that a pro-Iranian
organization is influenced by al-Qaeda.
(Copyright 2003 Asia Times Online Ltd. All
rights reserved. Please contact content@atimes.com for
information on our sales and syndication
policies.)
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