The Need for Violence

Its funny how international politics works - almost 200 nations sit around a table stressing the need for global peace and stability, for an end to war and famine, for the nations of the world to resolve their disputes in peaceful, democratic way and that violence is not only the morally reprehensible way forward but that it is something that one cannot negotiate with. Consequently, the international community refuses to negotiate what it regards as "terrorists" on the premise that to do so is to reward violence.

Yet practically on the ground we learn that it is only violence which brings about results. It was the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan by the USA which brough about an end to the Second World War. It was the violent resistance which removed the colonial powers of Britain and France from America and Algeria respectively. It was violence which pushed Britain out of Ireland, and Russia out of Chechnya; it was violence which caused Spain to withdraw her troops from Iraq and it was a violent uprising between 1987 and 1993 which forced the Zionist entity to even consider returning a fraction of the land it had stolen from the Palestinians.

It has been a couple of months now since Hamas was elected into government in Palestine in what were universally acclaimed as fair and free elections. Until last week, Hamas had not committed a single attack against Israel for well over one year, despite repeated Israeli massacres against the Palestinians. For all their peaceful endeavours and willingness to adopt democracy, Hamas and the Palestinian people have been punished with an international boycott, deadly economic sanctions and a non-stop blizzard of Israeli missiles which have slaughtered scores of civilians, mainly children, including three yesterday and 2 today. For this violence, Israel has been rewarded by the international community with recognition, tea at Downing Street, and the respect and fear of the world. Whats more,if this report from the Guardian is true, Hamas may be about to commit a U-turn and recognise Israel as part of a two-state solution.

Violence works - the international community does little for people who cannot stand up for themselves. Those who lie down and wait for their enemies to stampede over them are treated with contempt. Those who show strength and fight for their beliefs earn the respect and fear of the world.

For Muslims, the choice is simple. We renounce violence and we renounce our right to live with dignity on this earth or we stand up and fight back against our oppressors and for our beliefs and the world is forced to respect us. As Sheykh Abdullah Azzam (may Allah have mercy on his soul) said

"Jihad and the rifle alone. NO negotiations, NO conferences and NO dialogue."