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Hamas rejects key elements of truce offer, demands release of jihad mass murderer Barghouti

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2024/02/hamas-rejects-key-elements-of-truce-offer-demands-release-of-jihad-mass-murderer-barghouti#; republished below in full, unedited, for informational, educational, & research purposes:

Islamic law stipulates that “if Muslims are weak, a truce may be made for ten years if necessary, for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) made a truce with the Quraysh for that long, as is related by Abu Dawud” (‘Umdat as-Salik, o9.16).

Note that this can only be done if “Muslims are weak.” The same legal manual also quotes this verse of the Qur’an: “So do not be fainthearted and call for peace, when it is you who are the uppermost” (47:35). So Hamas would not want a truce at all if it believed that it was in a position of strength. “Interests that justify making a truce are such things as Muslim weakness because of lack of numbers or materiel, or the hope of an enemy becoming Muslim…” (‘Umdat as-Salik, o9.16).

The bottom line: Hamas is feeling the heat and wants a truce in order to regroup and emerge in a stronger position. But Western analysts do not know or care about what Islamic law says, and so Hamas feels free to issue demands even from its position of weakness, aware of how much pressure Israel is under from the Biden regime and others who desperately want it to allow Hamas to live and kill Israeli civilians on another day.

“Hamas seems to rule out key points of truce offer, wants release of Marwan Barghouti,” Times of Israel, February 2, 2024:

Hamas officials said Friday that the group is studying a proposed ceasefire deal that would include prolonged pauses in fighting in Gaza and swaps of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but at the same time appeared to rule out some of its key components.

Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh held a phone call with Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh to discuss the deal, the Gaza-ruling terror group announced. According to a statement from Haniyeh’s office, the two agreed any deal with Israel for the release of hostages must be accompanied by a complete halt to the fighting, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, ending the blockade, reconstruction of the Strip and the freeing of Palestinian security prisoners.

Such steep demands would seem to be non-starters for Israel.

Meanwhile Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official in Beirut, also said the group remains committed to its initial demands for a permanent ceasefire that would end the war. Hamdan also said the group seeks the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners being held for acts related to the conflict with Israel, including those serving life sentences.

He mentioned two by name, including Marwan Barghouti, a popular Palestinian leader seen as a unifying figure. Barghouti was arrested by Israel in 2002 and is serving five life terms for planning three terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada….

China applauds Australia’s rejection of US-led maritime naval mission against Iran-aligned Houthis

REPUBLISHED, SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2023/12/china-applauds-australias-rejection-of-us-led-maritime-naval-mission-against-iran-aligned-houthis

In case anyone has been wondering where China stands on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, here is some illuminating information according to The Guardian:

Beijing has been a supporter of the Palestinians since the Mao era and long called for a two-state solution, but it is increasingly close to Israel, and is presenting itself as a neutral party that holds steadfast to a noninterference principle.

Beijing is also trying to build on its minimal but growing influence in the Middle East, where it has major economic interests, and also presenting itself as a leader of the global south, and furthering its anti-US agenda.

A week on from the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel, in which 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed, China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, called for a global peace conference and accused Israel of going “beyond the scope of self defence” in its bombing of Gaza. On 16 October, Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire

China is acting in accord with expectations regarding the Red-Green axis. Let’s not forget the China-brokered Saudi-Iran rapprochement. And now China is applauding Australia for its rejection of a US call for the “broadest possible” maritime coalition to protect ships in the the Red Sea from attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthis. China’s reaction is a declaration of hostility to America and Israel.

While Australia has been condemned as “weak” and for “spitting in the face” of allies, the country did state that it will be “almost tripling” its “contribution to the Combined Maritime Force”:

Up to six extra Australian Defence Force officers will be deployed to the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain in early 2024 and another five personnel will be embedded in the CMF headquarters for Operation Manitou, which supports international maritime security efforts in the Middle East and East Africa.

The only Muslim country to join the coalition is Bahrain.

“China Applauds Australia’s Retreat from Red Sea International Naval Mission,” by Simon Kent, Breitbart, December 20, 2023:

The Chinese government was quick to cheer Australia’s rejection of a United States’ call to send a warship to help police vital Red Sea trade routes, gushing Wednesday that Canberra was finally stepping out of America’s “shadow.”

In an opinion piece published by China’s tame state-run media – the Global Times newspaper – author Jerry Grey celebrated the left-wing Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reported refusal to send a warship to the Middle East, and Australia’s recent U.N. vote for a ceasefire in contrast to that of the U.S..

“(Australia) has finally stepped out of the US’ shadow to call for a ceasefire and could potentially act as a mediator in the conflict if needed. That opportunity will be lost if it has a military presence in the region. It is sensible for Australia to continue distancing itself from the US,” the paper said…