Arab media are reporting on comments by Global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi in which he said that resisting the Israel occupation is “necessary option of moderate people.” According to one report:
Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi urges IUMS to support opposition against Zionist takeover of Palestine Doha, 4 January – Addressing the participants at a symposium of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS), IUMS head Sheikh Yousuf al-Qaradawi stated that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian authority (PA) have managed to annihilate themselves with their own hands through their security cooperation with the Israeli occupation in Palestine. He stressed the need to resist the occupation of Palestine and pointed out that this is a responsibility not of Palestinians alone, but of all Muslim and Arab nations. Resisting the Israeli occupation and mobilizing Muslim and Arab nations against it is a necessary option of moderate people, he insisted, and thus deserves support. As he was speaking at the symposium dealing with the effects of the Israeli Judaization campaign in the West Bank including Jersualem, Israeli occupation forces had already demolished the second Palestinian home in east Jerusalem since the beginning of this year, within a broad-based plan to drive the indigenous population out of the city. In the whole of the West Bank, according to UN records, 52 percent of the territory have already been turned into no-go areas for the indigenous population, while Israeli settlers and military forces enjoy freedom there. [From Arab Monitor – Sito di informazione dal mondo arabo]
Qaradawi, a virulent anti-Semite is often referred to here as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide. Based in Qatar, Sheikh Qaradawi has reportedly amassed substantial wealth through his role as Shari’ah adviser to many important Islamic banks and funds. He is also considered to be the “spiritual guide” for Hamas and his fatwas in support of suicide bombings against Israeli citizens were instrumental in the development of the phenomenon. A recent post has discussed a video compilation of Qaradawi’s extremist statements.
Qaradawi recently reiterated his support for suicide bombing in Israel and expressed his desire to die as a martyr “at the hands of a non-Muslim.”