“The finest moment in our destiny is when we meet God as shaheeds (martyrs) in al-Aqsa mosque…The streets of Jerusalem will be purified by the blood of the innocents whose souls were taken by the Israeli Occupation soldiers… Sheikh Raed Salah
Long known for outrageous, anti-Israel and anti-West statements, and comments outside of the law, examples of NBIM incitement over the years are too great to list.
The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official statement on the outlawing of the Northern Branch of Islamic Movement, led by Sheikh Raed Salah.
However, here are the official top ten points:
1. The Security Cabinet has decided to declare the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement organization in Israel to be an unlawful organization.
2. Headed by Sheikh Raed Salah, the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement denies Israel’s right to exist, calls for replacing the State of Israel with an Islamic caliphate and does not recognize governmental institutions.
3. The decision to declare the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel an unlawful organization is based on the threat that the organization poses to public order and its continuous incitement to violence and racism, resulting in a severe threat to life and limb.
4. A significant body of evidence demonstrates that the Northern Faction is closely related to the Hamas terrorist organization and clandestine cooperation between the two groups is ongoing. Like Hamas, the Islamic Movement organization in Israel is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Representatives of both Hamas and the Islamic Movement hold senior positions in the Muslim Brotherhood leadership and share a radical ideology and a common extremist goal: the destruction of the State of Israel, along with other moderate states in the region.
5. Under the banner “Al-Aqsa is in Danger,” the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement organization is leading a campaign of lies and incitement based on the false accusation that Israel intends to harm Haram al-Sharif (the Temple Mount) and to violate the status quo on this site, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims. The vast majority of the recent Palestinian terrorist attacks were inspired by this propaganda and incitement to violence.
6. As part of its campaign – and in collusion with Hamas – the Northern Faction set up two groups of activists: the Murabitun (for men) and the Murabtiat (for women). These activists are paid to create provocations and to harass Jews and other non-Muslims peacefully visiting the Temple Mount. The violent activities carried out by members of these groups have led to an increase in tensions on the Temple Mount.
7. In September, with the beginning of the Jewish High Holidays, the Islamic Movement’s incitement campaign greatly intensified. Inflammatory speeches, social media postings and other forms of hate-speech resulted in rioting on the Temple Mount and in the current wave of terrorism against Israelis in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the rest of Israel, in which 14 Israelis have been murdered. The movement’s leaders praise these attacks and grant them legitimacy.
8. To counter the incitement to violence by the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement organization, a number of legal measures have been implemented by Israel in recent years. These include outlawing some of the Movement’s institutions; a ban on the Murabitun/Murabitat issued by the Defense Minister in September 2015; and indictments against members of the movement, including Raed Salah, for serious security offenses including incitement to violence and racism. Salah has been convicted and sentenced to prison a number of times in the past and will shortly be starting a prison sentence of 11 months.
9. Under Israeli law, any group or person belonging to an unlawful organization – or any person colluding with the organization – is committing a criminal act and can be subject to imprisonment and/or confiscation of funds and property.
10. This measure is not directed in any way at Islam or at the general Arab-Israeli population, which overwhelmingly abides by the law and rejects incitement to violence and terrorist activities. It also will not affect the Southern Faction of the Islamic Movement organization in Israel.
It’s about time!
Six short bios on NBIM leaders, names to watch out for:
| !. Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement:
Salah is the leader of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement and thedominant and most charismatic figure in the entire Islamic Movement organization. He is the prime mover behind the “Al-Aqsa is in Danger” campaign and is branded as the “Shield of Al-Aqsa” in the Muslim world. In his position as leader of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement, he maintains contact with figures from the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas abroad in order to coordinate activities and receive funding. He also works with senior Hamas leaders in Jerusalem to coordinate actions in Jerusalem, particularly on the Temple Mount. He was arrested in 1981, 2003 and 2010. Born in 1958, he is a resident of Umm al-Fahm in lower Galilee. 2. Sheikh Kamal Khatib, deputy head of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement: Khatib is the deputy head of the Northern Faction and acting head in Salah’s absence. He is a senior member of the Islamic Movement’s national directorate and a close confidant of Salah and other movement leaders. Lately, he has been a key figure in fomenting unrest connected to the Temple Mount. Born in 1962, he is a resident of Kafr Kana in the lower Galilee. 3. Husam Abu Leil, second deputy head of the Islamic Movement: Abu Leil is the head of the Islamic Movement in Ein Mahal, near Nazareth. He is also a member of the political bureau of the movement. In 2014, he participated in violent confrontations on the Temple Mount and was banned from the site for three months. Born in 1966, he is a resident of Ein Mahal. 4. Yousef Awawdeh: Awawdeh is a senior Islamic Movement official and chair of the NGO Imarat al-Aqsa (which was closed down in September 2014). He was recently appointed to an additional position, chair of the movement’s external affairs office. Recently, he was served with an order forbidding him from leaving the country. Born in 1975, he is a resident of Kafr Kana in the lower Galilee. 5. Ziyad Zir’ini: Zir’ini is secretary of the Islamic Movement and head of the movement’s branch in Tur’an. Born in 1961, he is a resident of Tur’an near Nazareth. 6. Dr. Suleiman Aghbaria: A senior official of the Islamic movement, Aghbaria is responsible for the movement’s activities in Jerusalem and maintains contacts with many Hamas activists in the capital. Born in 1975, he is a resident of Umm al-Fahm in lower Galilee. |
Who could possibly look up to Islamic Movement leaders as good guys, and not outlaws?
Oh, yeah…
