Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi
Propaganda against Hamas and Conspiracy for the Forced Displacement of Palestinians:
Some self-interested political leaders and hypocritical individuals believe that the Zionist occupation state of Israel is committing massacres and genocide in the Gaza Strip; because of Hamas. This is merely propaganda. These opportunistic leaders demand that the military wing of Hamas, al-Qassam Brigades, lay down their arms, abandon defence, offer no resistance whatsoever. Additionally, its members leave Palestine. But the demands don’t stop there; rather, there is a broader conspiracy underway to forcibly displace all Palestinian citizens. They are repeatedly being told to leave Gaza and settle in other Arab countries, living as refugees. The belief is that if these demands are accepted, peace will be established in Gaza.
On 7th April 2025, the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was on a visit to the United States. After meeting with him, U.S. President Mr. Trump once again proposed his old plan for the occupation of Gaza. He said, “I think it is an incredible piece of important real estate. And I think it is something that we would be involved in, but you know having a peace force like the United States there, controlling and owning the Gaza Strip, would be good thing. And if you take the people, the Palestinians, and move them around to different countries, and you have plenty of countries that will do that.” He added, “We want to turn Gaza into a ‘Freedom Zone.’ If Palestinians are resettled in different countries, then work can begin in Gaza. It can be promoted as a peaceful region.” Netanyahu supported Trump’s plan. But the question arises: If the citizens of Gaza themselves leave the region, then who exactly will this peace be for? It’s like telling a homeowner to vacate his house with his family so that peace and tranquillity can prevail there. Naturally, the homeowner would ask: When neither I nor my family will be living in the house, then who is this peace and tranquillity meant for? And what benefit will this peace bring to me or my family?
Statement by the UAE Ambassador:
So, the matter at hand is the disarmament of Hamas and the idea of Palestinians leaving Gaza to become refugees in other countries. Along with others, some of their own people also share the opinion that Hamas should lay down its arms and that the people of Palestine should relocate to other countries. Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United States, commented on Trump’s plan for the occupation of Gaza and the forced relocation of Palestinians in February 2025. He clearly stated that he considers it a “difficult” plan, but added, “At this time, there seems to be no alternative.” Ambassador Al Otaiba made this statement at a time when globally and regionally people advocating for justice were openly opposing Trump’s plan.
The Establishment of Hamas Was a Reaction:
Even if Hamas lays down its arms, who can guarantee that the people of Palestine will be safe and that the Zionist occupation state of Israel will not attack them or carry out genocide? No individual, country or an organization can provide such a guarantee. It’s important to understand that Palestinians are not being killed because of Hamas; rather, Hamas was established as a reaction to the massacres, genocide and illegal occupation of Palestinian land by the Zionist occupation state, the crimes that had been happening long before Hamas was established. Hamas was established in 1987, but the killing, genocide and occupation of Palestinian land by the Zionist regime had started well before that. Hamas was formed precisely to resist this occupation, to put a stop to the massacres, land occupation and to defend the rights of the Palestinian people, as I think.
Story of the Massacre of Palestinians:
If you are in doubt, then study the history of Palestine and read the accounts of the massacres of Palestinians. You will come to know how the Zionist occupation state has carried out mass killings of Palestinians. Even before the establishment of the Zionist state by the Zionist people and after its establishment by its Zionist army, Palestinians were subjected to brutal massacres. In 1937, massacres were carried out in Haifa and Jerusalem. In 1938, another massacre took place in Haifa. In 1939, mass killings occurred in Balad al-Sheikh, and yet again in Haifa the same year. In 1947, massacres were committed in Al-Abbasiyya, Al-Khisas, Bab al-Amud, Jerusalem and Sheikh Buraik. In 1948, massacres took place in Jaffa and Deir Yassin. In 1956, there was a massacre in Khan Yunis. In 1967, another massacre occurred in Jerusalem. And who can forget the massacre at Sabra and Shatila in 1982? The Zionist occupation state has, on dozens of occasions, carried out mass killings of unarmed Palestinians.
The essence of my argument is this:
The Zionist occupation state is not committing genocide against the Palestinians; because of Hamas. These crimes have been committed by the Zionist state for decades. In fact, the massacres of Palestinians and the illegal occupation of their land by the Zionist regime prompted some brave Palestinians to establish a resistance movement like Hamas. Later, in 1991, its military wing was established. Now today, demands are being made for Hamas to lay down its arms. But it is only natural that when one side (the occupation enemy) commits mass killings, the opposing side will take up arms to defend itself. When some people are humiliated, they will inevitably resist for their dignity. If someone claims that the killings of Palestinians will stop once Hamas disarms, then they are either unaware of the fact or deliberately deceiving the Palestinians, just as they have been betrayed on numerous occasions in the past, under various pretexts.
Incident of the Agreement with Ukraine:
Let me remind you of an agreement that is very easy to understand today. After the claps of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited the world’s third-largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. These weapons included intercontinental missiles and nuclear warheads. Some Western powers and Russia pressured Ukraine to voluntarily relinquish these nuclear weapons and join the global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The countries that were at the forefront of this agreement included the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom. Ukraine agreed to the treaty and relinquished all its nuclear weapons under the agreement. On 5th December 1994, by signing the “Budapest Memorandum,” Ukraine joined the “Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty”. In return, the aforementioned countries provided security guarantees to Ukraine. Under this agreement, these countries also pledged to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, to never use force against it, not to impose any economic pressure or threats on Ukraine, and that if any country aggressed against Ukraine, they would work through the United Nations to ensure its protection.
Twenty years after this agreement, Russia seized Ukraine’s “Crimea” in 2014. This occupation was a blatant violation of the “Budapest Memorandum.” The situation did not stop there; Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in 2022. No one came forward to save Ukraine. The “Budapest Memorandum,” prepared in English, Russian and Ukrainian, remained just a signed document on paper and became a bitter lesson for Ukraine.
Efforts of the US to Access to Ukraine’s Minerals:
The United States and the United Kingdom provided some assistance to Ukraine through weapons and financial aid; however, they refrained from military intervention against Russia. The ground reality is that the aid the United States provided to Ukraine was for its own interests. Now, in return, the Trump administration wants to make a deal with Ukraine. Under this agreement, the United States would gain access to Ukraine’s rare minerals. However, Ukraine’s desire for security guarantees under this agreement remains unfulfilled. Even today, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues.
No One Else Can Protect You:
Today, everyone, both friends and foes, is advising Hamas to lay down its arms; however, no one is guaranteeing the protection of a sovereign and free Palestine and its people. They should understand that in today’s corrupt world, no one can guarantee anyone’s protection, and if someone does provide a guarantee, they will backtrack when the time comes. If Hamas disarms and the massacre of Palestinians continues, as it has been in the past, who will take responsibility for that? The incident of Ukraine that we have presented, it demonstrates that in today’s era, no guarantee truly provides protection.
Meaningless and Worthless Peace:
A peace agreement was reached with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States. After the first phase, the Zionist state unilaterally reneged on the agreement. It did not adhere to the agreements of the second and third phases. On 18th March, it began bombing and airstrikes on Gaza at the break of dawn. Since then, the massacre of Palestinians has been ongoing. No country or organization is stopping the occupation Zionist state. To date, the attacks by the occupation forces have claimed thousands of lives. Despite these bitter experiences, there are demands today for Hamas to lay down its arms. Discussions are being held about the forced displacement of Palestinians. If peace is achieved in Gaza after the forced displacement of Palestinians, what will that mean for them? When the Palestinians are displaced from Palestine, then some powerful countries in the world will chant the slogan of peace in Palestine. That peace will be meaningless and worthless and will serve no purpose.
Conclusion:
I want to conclude that the establishment of Hamas is not a result of aggressive sentiment or a lust for power; rather, it is a response to the atrocities, massacres, land occupation committed by the occupation state and the indifference of the international community regarding the Palestinian issue. When a nation is repeatedly crushed, subjected to genocide and its legitimate rights are forcibly taken away, it is natural for that nation to adopt a path of resistance in defense of its existence and dignity. Hamas embodies that struggle. Advising Hamas to lay down its arms is to turn a blind eye to the truth that the root of the issue lies in the oppression and usurpation by the Zionist state, not in Hamas’s resistance. As long as the Palestinians do not receive their legitimate rights and justice is not served, true peace and a lasting solution will remain impossible. The Palestinian issue is a humanitarian tragedy and its resolution lies not in ending resistance, but in ending oppression and establishing justice.
Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi is an alumnus of Darul Uloom Deoband (the most influential Islamic seminary in South Asia) and teaches at Moon Rays Trust School, Zambia. He can be reached at qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Millat Times.
