15 December 2002

In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful

Hamas statement on the 15^th anniversary of its launch

Resistance our strategic option

The 14^th of December 1987 was a glorious day in history of Palestinian resistance. The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, declared its inception on that glorious day. The declaration was not a coincidence or the result of immediate circumstances but rather the result of colossal efforts that extended for many years, deeply rooted in history. The blessings of such efforts and Islamic extension resulted in the foundation of that Movement on solid, Islamic and national basis and bred a virtuous soil of efficient cadres and elements in addition to a blessed and enlightened march of Jihad. Hence, Hamas registered a new qualitative and distinctive addition to the Palestinian arena.

Hamas has been committed over 15 years to a group of stable principles the most prominent being adopting resistance as a strategic option in confrontation with occupation and as means of realizing the Palestinian people’s goals in ending occupation, liberating lands and restoring rights. Hamas worked on developing resistance and diversifying its methods. Resistance persisted despite all difficult circumstances and conspiracies hatched to abort and halt struggle. The Hamas Movement paid dearly for insisting on resistance where its Mujahideen were assassinated, arrested and besieged but, thanks to Almighty Allah, it retained the banner of resistance hoisted up high. Hamas did not surrender rights and remained stable and steadfast despite all difficult circumstances. Then Almighty Allah ordained the outbreak of the Aqsa intifada that was feasible through efforts of loyalists in the Palestinian arena on 28^th September 2000. Some believed that the intifada was a passing cloud or a mere tactic but it persisted thanks to Almighty Allah then to blood and sacrifices of the Palestinian people with its various factions, layers and forces topped by Hamas Movement. The resistance option thus became our entire people’s option and the masses supported the option as a strategic option to realize national goals.

The 15^th anniversary on the launch of the Hamas Movement has entered this year with the Aqsa intifada concluding two years and entering its third year amidst incessant efforts to stop the intifada with all methods. It is regretful that after the Zionist repressive war machine had been unable to stop the Palestinian people’s intifada and brave resistance, we started to notice “feverish” attempts in the Palestinian arena to halt the intifada. The attempts are spearheaded by Palestinians who doubt the feasibility of the intifada and hold it responsible for the Zionist aggression on the Palestinian people and publicly demand its stoppage and hoisting the white flag!

The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, affirms to our Palestinian masses and to our Arab and Muslim Ummah on its 15^th anniversary that it will go ahead, with the Will of Allah, along its path towards liberation of lands, honor and holy shrines. It also affirms that the resistance option is its strategic option trekked to achieve liberation and victory Insha’allah.

The Movement has repeatedly affirmed its insistence on national unity and sought to protect unity of the Palestinian ranks. The Movement has bypassed its wounds despite pains and succeeded in smashing all suspicious attempts to break the Palestinian people’s unity for the sake of maintaining resistance. Hamas today extends its hand to all living Palestinian forces seeking cooperation and coordination in face of occupation to reach a unified national stand on the basis of continuation of resistance and to achieve our people’s goals benefiting from all potentials.

The Hamas Movement has insisted over the past 15 years on the Arab role and Islamic depth of the Palestine cause. It believed that the Palestinian people were at the forefront of the battle in face of the Zionist project. On this basis, Hamas always opined that there was no contradiction or differences with our Ummah but rather we integrated to achieve our people and our Ummah’s goals. The result was a big Arab and Islamic popular backing and an official position understanding the Movement and its stands. Today the Movement calls on leaders of the Ummah to create an Arab-Islamic political umbrella to protect and support resistance in its capacity as a strategic option to defend the Palestinian people and the Ummah and to provide elements of steadfastness for the Palestinian people in face of the Zionist aggression.

An objective and honest view of the past 15 years of Jihad and resistance and the accomplishments and gains achieved for our people and cause in various spheres clearly points to the bulk of the qualitative leap that was achieved in our struggle against Zionist occupation, a leap that brought us closer to our goal of liberation, freedom and return Insha’allah.

On the 15^th anniversary of the Movement’s launch, we renew the pledge with Allah first and foremost to continue along the march until realizing our people and our Ummah’s goals in victory and liberation.

We vow before our Ummah that we will remain at their high expectations and we will not waver from the path of Jihad, resistance and martyrdom.

We vow before our people that we will remain honest to our resistance option and to continue sacrificing along that road as we have always done.

We affirm our pledge to the martyrs whether leaders or Mujahideen in Hamas, the glorified stars in history of our people and Ummah, that sacrificing along the road, which they drew with their blood, will not stop until our people reach their target.

We renew pledge to Hamas captives and detainees and to all Mujahideen and strugglers of our people’s various forces and factions that they will be never absented despite the prison walls and darkness. We affirm to them that the Movement will not spare any effort in order to restore their freedom and to return them to their natural position in the Jihad trench and among their people and brothers the Mujahideen.

We vow before the Mujahideen and strugglers of all our people’s factions and forces that we, along with them, will remain steadfast side by side in face of occupation’s terrorism and aggression.

And it is a Jihad until either victory or martyrdom

The Islamic Resistance Movement
Hamas – Palestine
Sunday 11^th Shawwal 1423H
15^th December 2002AD