Palestinians Protest Against U.S., Not for Osama bin Laden

<strong>Palestinian Islamists: Our protests are not pro-bin Laden, but against killing of civilians in Afghanistan</strong>
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Al-Khalil, Oct. 13, IRNA -- Islamist leaders in Palestine on
Saturday defended anti-American protests all over the West Bank and
the Gaza Strip, arguing that they were not an expression of support
for Osama bin Laden but rather an expression of indignation over
American bombing of civilians in Afghanistan.
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"The vast bulk of Muslims in Palestine and the rest of the world
condemned the 11 September events in America. However, Muslims can't
condone the killing and maiming of thousands of Afghani men, women and
children for the purpose of punishing one man," said Hamas official in
al Khalil, H. Kawasmi.
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Asked why some Palestinian protesters held portraits of bin Laden
during last week's demonstrations in Gaza and Nablus, Kawasmi said
"those people were very few and we ordered them not to do it, besides
holding the portraits was more of an expression of anger at America's
wanton support for Israeli occupation and less an expression of
support for bin Laden."
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Kawasmi complained that the world media, especially the
Jewish-controlled American media, was always "seeking to accentuate
the negative" and "routinely ignored Palestinian condemnation of the
11 September terrorism in the US."
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Meanwhile, another Islamist leader admitted that Hamas and other
Islamic organizations in Palestine can't "publicly and openly demonize
bin Laden."
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"If we say publicly that bin Laden is a terrorist and criminal,
people will consider us as Israeli and CIA agents; on the other hand,
if we glorify bin Laden we will be unfaithful to our Islamic ideals
which forbid the killing of the innocent," said Hussein Ta'amari
of Bethlehem.
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Ta'amari condemned strongly the American bombing of Afghanistan.
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"The wanton killing of so many innocent and helpless civilians in
Afghanistan will just evaporate any sympathy with the American victims
of the 11 September terror. The killing of innocent people in New York
and Washington mustn't justify the ongoing killing of innocent people
in Kabul and Kandahar." <br><br>
On Friday, Muslim speakers throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip
castigated the American onslaught on Afghanistan, calling it "barbaric
and vengeful." <br><br>
Sheikh Nayef Rajoub of the Grand Mosque in Dura, who was speaking
during the Jumaa (Friday) sermon, warned that the "American storms of
death and destruction in Afghanistan will boomerang one day, Muslims
will not forgive their tormentors."