Palestine in Al-Qaeda's Calculations

by Dr. Abdul-Sattar Kassem

Al-Qaeda in Palestine: Current Preparations and Future Steps

Palestinians have another reason for worry, fear, and apprehension, adding to the bad, wretched reality they already live, whether at home or in the diaspora: the al-Qaeda organization has officially announced its presence in the primary arena of the conflict with Israel — that is, inside Palestine itself — a development that raises many questions and question marks. Was it surprising and strange for al-Qaeda to reach occupied Palestine, or was the matter inevitable, perhaps even somewhat delayed, given the al-Qaeda-friendly atmosphere that has prevailed in Palestine over the past few years? And what is the relationship between the Palestinian national project and al-Qaeda’s arrival in Palestine? Is it true that this arrival necessarily means the weakness and decay of that project, given that al-Qaeda lives and feeds off the shards of unity, and off the collapse or absence of even a minimal consensus around the national project?

The security and economic situation in Palestine is fully primed to receive organizations other than those already present on the Palestinian scene, because the experience of the Palestinian organizations offers little hope to a considerable number of Palestinians. Many Palestinians see the currently existing Palestinian organizations as ineffective, falling short of achieving their declared goals, such as the return of refugees and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and this view is reinforced when the actions of these organizations are compared with other organizations, such as Hezbollah and al-Qaeda.

There is a strong, near-universal impression among Palestinians that Hezbollah represents the true revolutionary model on the Arab scene, and that it differs, in its structure, organization, performance, and methods, from the Palestinian factions. And there are Palestinians who see in al-Qaeda an expression of the correct method that must be followed in confronting the people of the West who, according to most Palestinians, make the nation drink from the cup of humiliation and abasement. Among Palestinians are those who wish to replicate Hezbollah’s experience, or to become a member of an organization Hezbollah establishes, and others who believe the method of confrontation al-Qaeda follows is the ideal one.

Palestine in Al-Qaeda’s Thinking

Al-Qaeda considers Palestine a primary battleground where direct action against the Zionist entity must take place. Al-Qaeda considers Israel an artificial, colonizing, settler entity occupying the land of Muslims, controlling Islamic holy sites, the site of the Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey, peace and blessings be upon him, the first of the two qiblas, and the third holiest site in Islam. Al-Qaeda holds that Israel must be fought with the aim of eliminating it entirely and expelling the Jews from Palestine, and its view on this rests not merely on restoring rights, but primarily on a religious legal basis obligating Muslims to fight in order to repel those who fight Muslims, expel them from their homes, and aid in their expulsion.

Al-Qaeda does not recognize the fragmentation of the Islamic world, and consequently views Palestine as a geographic piece of the province of Greater Syria, not as a political unit that must become an independent state. To it, Palestine is Islamic land, not Palestinian land, and Palestinians do not possess the right to relinquish it, or any part of it. This applies to Arabs as well, who have no right, even by consensus, to relinquish Palestine or any part of it.

Al-Qaeda Against the Agreements

Al-Qaeda says it launches its attacks against those who humiliate the Islamic nation, violate its sanctities, plunder its wealth, and kill its sons, the United States foremost among them. To al-Qaeda, America is the head of the serpent, the one that hires the Arab rulers, the one that provides every kind of support to Israel, and if it weakens, the Arab governments will weaken, and so will Israel. Israel is the ally of the Arab regimes, and both work to subjugate Muslims in service of others’ interests.

Al-Qaeda stands against the Oslo Accord, considering it a relinquishment of the holy sites and a recognition of an illegitimate entity, saying that it, and the agreements that flowed from it, are religiously forbidden, and that no Muslim may accept it or engage with it positively. To al-Qaeda, the Oslo Accord cannot be likened to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, because what a Messenger does under divine revelation cannot possibly be compared to the discretionary acts of ordinary human beings, and Yasser Arafat cannot be likened to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, nor can the Palestinian negotiators be likened to the noble Companions.

Al-Qaeda holds no romantic view of those who negotiated with Israel and signed the agreements with it, seeing them as drowning in treachery up to their ears. It does not extend the benefit of the doubt to the Palestinian negotiators and signatories, seeing them as people with old ties to America, Israel, and Western states, who enjoyed privileged status with the people of the West in the period before the Madrid Conference. It sees a number of the negotiators as holding Western citizenships, and others as having received commercial facilitations, financial privileges, and media support from the West and from Israel — meaning these people were waiting for moments of Palestinian and Muslim weakness generally, in order to implement their programs, which serve Israel’s interest. Al-Qaeda has repeatedly warned, verbally and in writing, through its leaders’ pre-prepared speeches and through its internet sites, of the danger posed by what the Palestinian negotiators are doing, considering them themselves a danger to the Palestinian cause.

Entry into Palestine

For this reason, al-Qaeda has tried to enter Palestine, specifically the West Bank and Gaza, and to establish an organizational extension there. It must be making contact with Palestinians here and there through various means, hoping to find among them those willing to share the burden of organizing and carrying out military operations against Zionist targets. It must also be trying to make contact with people from the land occupied in 1948, to be better able to maneuver, prepare, and execute. My assessment is that it is researching, examining, and assessing, and I believe its focus on Palestinians in Jordan is greater than its focus on those present inside Palestine, because of the ease of contact.

We have heard, through the media, that Israel has discovered cells affiliated with al-Qaeda in Palestine, whether in the territory of ‘48 or ‘67, but we have not heard details. There are claims that some al-Qaeda members have been arrested by the Zionist security services, tried, and sentenced to prison, but there is no clarity on this matter so far, and we have not had the chance to speak with lawyers who have reviewed the detainees’ statements. Even so, al-Qaeda’s attempts will continue, and I believe it will eventually succeed.

Al-Qaeda’s main organizational problem — which is also Hezbollah’s problem — lies in the frayed Palestinian organizational tradition. Palestinian organization has traditionally been open, struggling via television screens and media, a habit that has enabled Israel to learn the secrets of Palestinian organizations, and to arrest, dismantle, and imprison members of many cells. In Palestine, many people organize by telephone, fax machine, or the internet, all of which are subject to Israeli surveillance. For instance, a cell was arrested in Nablus, said to be affiliated with Hezbollah, because its members were conducting their organizational work by telephone. And if al-Qaeda cells have been dismantled and their members arrested, it is because of a lack of security diligence.

Fertile Ground

The ground is fertile in Palestine for al-Qaeda, because there are, among the religious and non-religious alike, those who believe al-Qaeda’s approach is the sole, correct method for eliminating Israel and confronting American dominance. Despite the intense campaigns waged by various parties against al-Qaeda, many people openly declare their support for it, and express their readiness to join its ranks. My assessment is that this stems from two things: first, that the organization satisfies some people’s aspirations and expresses their philosophy of confrontation; and second, that the organization sometimes satisfies some people’s thirst for vengeance, particularly when it strikes Western interests.

My assessment is that al-Qaeda will eventually succeed in forming cells in Palestine, if not directly through direct contact with its leadership, then indirectly, inspired by al-Qaeda’s method of operation in various countries — that is, in a decentralized manner. And if it succeeds in this, it will target Israel wherever possible, and the Palestinian leaderships that maintain relations with it. The symbols of Oslo, the leaders of the security services, and the leaders of the factions aligned with Oslo are expected to be targets. Nor will foreign sites, such as consulates and centers for research and the promotion of Western culture and thought, remain outside the circle of targeting. In any case, al-Qaeda is expanding across various parts of the Arab homeland, and Palestine will not be the final link in its expansion.

The writer is a Palestinian author.

Source: Translated from the original Arabic, “فلسطين في حسابات «القاعدة»” by Dr. Abdul-Sattar Kassem.