Hamas head Khaled Meshaal in a televised interview on CNN compared his terror group’s fight with Israel to the colonists’ struggle with the British.
CNN’s Nic Robertson first asked if Hamas was prepared to stop firing rockets into Israel.
“I will answer you. I will answer you,” said Mr. Meshaal, Breitbart reported. “Why are there demands only on the Palestinian people to get rid of their modest and simple weapons but no similar demands on Israel, the occupying state? We are ready to discuss the removal of weapons.”
Mr. Robertson then brought up the Israeli side — that Hamas was firing “indiscriminately” against its civilians.
“Israel is the one who started the aggression, and it is Israel who is killing civilians,” Mr. Meshaal said, Breitbart reported. “I explained to you in details what Israel is doing in Gaza in killing civilians. … Unfortunately, the United States and the West and the western media have adopted the Israeli narrative.”
Mr. Robertson then asked: “Are you winning this war?”
“Our steadfastness is itself a victory,” the Hamas leader responded. “For us to kill their soldiers while they kill our civilians is also a victory for the Palestinian cause and for Hamas.”
Mr. Robertson replied: “How are you having a victory for your resistance for the cause when so many Palestinians are dying? How is that a victory? Your rockets aren’t striking the Israeli cities. You’ve killed a handful of Israeli soldiers. How are you winning? How is this a strategic victory?”
Mr. Meshaal then said: “Our people are convinced today that the only way to get rid of the occupation and establish their state is through resistance like all of the people of the world have done — just like what the American people did when they got rid of the British occupation. And as the French did when they got rid of the Nazi occupation.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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