Arabs against Hamas

March 11, 2024

by: Zoe McHenry, BFP Staff Writer

 

It is commonly believed that anyone who speaks out in support of Israel’s military position is either Jewish or Christian. However, there is a specific demographic of people who support Israel without any religious or ethnic ties to the country. They advocate against terrorism…against Hamas. This conviction often comes at a high cost as they face ostracism, rejection by their own community, accusations of treason and even threats to their lives. Despite these challenges, they continue to uphold their beliefs. This admirable group is known as the Arabs, who stand for peace in the face of terror.

 “Hamas ruined our lives. In Israel, we live as equals. We live in peace. Hamas ruined that.”

—Lila, an Arab woman living in Jerusalem (name changed for security purposes)

“When I saw these events, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The horrors were beyond comprehension. I was in shock, like everyone else. I felt deeply ashamed that it came from my people. I felt the need to apologize. These are people who are supposed to be my partners. It’s a bond that I wanted at that moment to break and cut myself off completely from these human monsters.”

—Yosef Hadad, Israeli Arab and former IDF combat soldier, CEO of the Together—Vouch for Each Other association that works to connect the Arab Israeli community to the broader Israeli society

“Perhaps the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip should look at the Arab citizens of Israel and note how they enjoy equal rights, democracy, freedom of speech and a free media. If Palestinians wish to live well, like the Arab Israelis, this is the time for them to get rid of Hamas and all the terror leaders who, for seven decades, have brought them nothing but one disaster after another.”

—Khaled Abu Toameh, an Arab Israeli journalist, lecturer, documentary filmmaker, producer and consultant for NBC News

“Anti-Hamas = Zionist. Call for coexistence = Zionist. Condemn Hamas = Zionist. Both sides’ lives matter = Zionist. Sympathize with Israeli hostages = Zionist. How many definitions are there for Zionists? I forgot the most important one: Peace supporter = Zionist.” 

—Hamza, a Gazan civilian criticizing Hamas on social media

“Anyone who sees the destruction in Gaza…cannot but pray to Allah and ask him to curse all those who caused this destruction. How can we not curse Hamas and its leaders after they have destroyed every element of dignified existence in the Gaza Strip?! When Hamas carried out its attack on October 7 and invaded the Israeli localities on the Gaza border, did it expect Israel to refrain from retaliating in force?”  

— Majdi Abd Al-Wahhab, a Palestinian writer

“The Israeli victims of Hamas’s October 7 massacre were not given a chance to flee through a safe corridor. No one called on Hamas to accept a ‘humanitarian pause’ as its terrorists were committing atrocities against Israelis that day in cities and towns near the Gaza Strip. The terrorists invaded Israel for one purpose: to murder, rape and behead as many Jews as possible.”

—Bassam Tawil, Arab writer, and journalist based in the Middle East

“For the longest time, I struggled with my identity. A Palestinian kid born inside Israel. Many of my friends refuse to this day to say the word ‘Israel’ and call themselves ‘Palestinian’ only. But since I was 12, that did not make sense to me. So, I decided to mix the two and become a ‘Palestinian–Israeli.’ I thought this term reflected who I was. Palestinian first. Israeli second. But after recent events, I started to think. And think. And think. And then my thoughts turned to anger. I realized that if Israel were to be ‘invaded’ like that again, we would not be safe…And I do not want to live under a Palestinian government. Which means I only have one home, even if I’m not Jewish: Israel.”

— Nuseir Yassin, Arab Israeli blogger known as ‘Nas Daily’ on social media platforms

“I’m an Israeli Arab…I’m embarrassed. And Hamas is to blame…This [Arabs identifying with Israel] demonstrates that the Arab community in Israel aspires to further integrate into society and distance itself from bad faith actors like Hamas…Israeli Arabs and Jews are like salt and pepper: They both belong on the table, and once they’re sprinkled into a dish it’s almost impossible to distinguish between them.” 

— Prof. Mouna Maroun, vice president and dean of research at the University of Haifa and the former head of the Sagol Department of Neurobiology

“I think that we will achieve the mission by eliminating Hamas. Finally. And I think that the world also will see a better Middle East when this terrorist organization is eliminated.”

—Yahya Mahamid, Arab Israeli speaker, educator, activist and IDF veteran

“Hamas did not use the children of Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashaal or Ali Khamenei as human shields. Hamas used the Palestinian people [as human shields].”

—Ahdeya Ahmed Al Sayed, president of the Bahrain Journalists Association

“As the dimensions of these unimaginable sadistic horrors are uncovered, I ask you to believe me when I say that I want it to be clear to you and the whole world, that we stand as your brothers, as human beings, and as citizens of the country by your side…It is our simple and required moral and human duty to express abhorrence, to cry out loudly against unimaginable crimes. Our voice will be sharp, clear, unapologetic, unhesitant, unfaltering, without proportionality, with no ifs, ands, or buts. There are no dilemmas in the face of atrocities!”

—Louis Haj, Arab Israeli, social activist and high-tech executive

“When Hamas, an Islamist movement that had already carried out hundreds of terror attacks against Israeli civilians, took over Gaza and then continuously declared its intention to target Israel through militant actions/activities and to do everything possible to smuggle munitions and turn the Strip into a resistance citadel, of course there were going to be consequences, including wars and a siege/blockade. That would have been true whether it was Israel or any other nation—it is entirely predictable.”

—Ahmed Fouad Al-Khatib, founder and executive director of Project Unified Assistance, Middle East political analyst, humanitarian activist and blogger born in Gaza and currently residing in the US

“All attacks against innocent civilians, women and children, including those of October 7, cannot be accepted by any Muslim. As I have previously stressed, we must make sure the horrors of the past few months since October 7 are never repeated, nor accepted by any human being.”

— Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, King of Jordan

“They said Bin Laden was a peace activist. They said Baghdadi was an austere scholar. Now Hamas are ‘Freedom Fighters.’ You have the right to oppose Israel. But for humanity’s sake, don’t sit on your brain.”

—Mohammad Tawhidi, a Shia Muslim influencer known as the “Imam of Peace”

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