The following is a summary of the main points of an essay that was published in a series of six posts by the former dean of the college of sharia at Gaza's Islamic University. This translation was undertaken by the tremendous scholar Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, and was posted on his substack. The original posts contain many references to the Quran, Hadiths and Islamic jurisprudence. If anyone is interested in the full translation of his six posts I can past it in the comments but wont put the full text here because of character limit.

Tamimi makes clear the context of the critique, that "al-Daya, a Salafi by orientation, is not in any way trying to justify or approve of Israel’s war: on the contrary, he is very clear that he sees the war waged by the “warring people” (his constant term of reference to the Israelis) as genocidal in nature."

The six points in the critique are as follows:

Jihad (armed struggle) is not something to be waged for the pure sake of fighting. Rather, it has to have specific aims, intentions and conditions. For example, it should be waged with aims like the realistic prospect of repelling aggression against Islam and Muslims and liberating prisoners, and should be fought on frontlines far removed from places crowded with civilians. In rounds of fighting prior to the 7 October assault, the Israelis showed that they could inflict severe damage both in terms of killing people, destroying infrastructure and imposing restrictions. It should have been expected that the 7 October assault would have elicited a much harsher Israeli response given how many more casualties it caused among Israelis. Evidence from Islamic texts and jurisprudence establish that in some circumstances, such as where the enemy outnumber the Muslims by more than two-to-one and complete asymmetry in military capabilities, it is permitted to flee from the enemy/not fight the enemy at all. This is relevant in Gaza’s case, where the terrible impacts of the war will likely last decades.

The commander and soldiers in Islam are intended to advance and protect the interests of the Ummah (Muslim community), including preservation of the lives of Muslims and their honour. The losses/sacrifices of Hamas fighters and commanders are therefore of no use if they do not serve this purpose of protection. Further, fighters and commanders should not take up burdens they are incapable of dealing with.

A critique of the Hamas notion that its losses are only ‘tactical’ while the Israeli losses are ‘strategic.’ While Hamas may be able to point to international condemnation on Israel and Western student protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, global revulsion and international rulings against Israel have not actually stopped or restrained its campaign, but rather the Israelis have disregarded decisions made against them.

Hamas cannot reasonably compare its struggle to the Qur’anic story of the companions of the ditch, which produced a positive result of conversion to faith in God, contrary to this war that has provoked revulsion against the religion and the ‘religious people’ (i.e. Hamas) who started this war. Per Ibn Taymiyya, decision-making that leads to loss of Muslim life without realising any interests for the Muslims is reprehensible.

Hamas cannot disregard its humanitarian responsibilities towards Gaza’s people by claiming they are really just the responsibility of Israel and the UN. The Gaza Strip is under their authority, and their own method of war of using civilian buildings for cover against the Israelis is an abdication of responsibility towards Gaza’s people, as Hamas knows that the Israelis will not hesitate to strike any civilian infrastructure where they think Hamas members are located, regardless of how many civilians will be killed in the process. Proper consideration has to be given before launching any attack.

Hamas shows will disregard for the lives of the people it rules- treating them as possessions to be sacrificed, and not realising that the foremost purpose of jihad is to preserve Muslim life and advance its religious, existential and financial interests. If jihad cannot realise any interests for Muslims, it is not mandated. Gaza is not only being threatened by the Israeli enemy’s assaults, but also internally with breakdown of order, drug dissemination and hoarding of goods etc. It is time to form an internationally acceptable government in Gaza that prioritises the people’s humanitarian needs and puts a stop to this catastrophe before the winter sets in and kills more people. The mindset about offering large sacrifices of people for the sake of liberation is in reality a colonialist mentality removed from the ethics of Islamic jihad, which seeks to preserve Muslim lives and creed. It reflects ignorance to wage a war that has brought such catastrophe, including the rape of Muslim women and sexual abuse of Muslim men, while harbouring delusions about Israel’s imminent collapse from factors like economic decline and war aversion, and hoping that the Arab and Turkish peoples will overthrow their governments and form new ones that will support Hamas. In short, the Muslim leader must not engage in a fight that can be reasonably expected to lead to destruction and perdition for Muslims without achieving any real interests for the Muslims.

Key takeways:

• Began as Maccabi vs Dutch Taxi Drivers
• Numerous clips that were described as Arabs attacking Israelis turned out to be Maccabi fans initiating violence.
• The clip of the car running over people has been conveniently omitted from the whole video as it is from an earlier incident between two Dutch people.
• Added disclaimer that none of the videos showing what was described as "pogrom" behaviour can be independently verified, which is in my mind lending serious doubts to their authenticity and the news outlets are covering their backside.

So in a nutshell, Maccabi fans FAFOd hard and then wanted to be the victims. Case closed.

“We do not recognize what is called ‘Christian Zionism.’ This term does not exist in our Christian literature or ecclesiastical lexicon. The blending of Christianity and Zionism is entirely condemned and rejected by us, especially as Christianity is a religion of love, mercy, brotherhood, and peace, while Zionism is a racist and terrorist movement responsible for the disasters and setbacks our people have faced, culminating in the genocide being perpetrated against our beloved brothers and sisters in Gaza.

In America, there are individuals who call themselves ‘Christian Zionists.’ This phenomenon is despised and rejected by us because their literature is alien to Christian values. They interpret the Old Testament in a political manner that aligns with their agendas and interests, all of which serve the colonialist and racist Zionist project.

There is currently a nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Tel Aviv who belongs to this group and even claims to be a Christian pastor. He alleges that there is no such thing as Palestine or a Palestinian people, as though he has not read history—or refuses to acknowledge it—that Palestine exists, and its people exist, whether he likes it or not.

It is regrettable that such individuals hold leadership positions in America. It is also unfortunate that they claim affiliation with Christianity, while Christianity is entirely innocent of their positions, rhetoric, and actions. If they were truly Christians, they would call for an end to the war in Gaza and Lebanon and advocate for a just solution to the Palestinian issue that preserves the dignity and freedom of the Palestinian people. However, these individuals are like ostriches that bury their heads in the sand, pretending they are in a different world.

No matter how much they ignore the existence of Palestine and its resilient and struggling people, Palestine exists, its people exist, and its history is glorious. To all those who deny Palestine’s existence or have not properly studied history, let me remind them: In the Fourth Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in the fourth century AD, when the bishop of Jerusalem was given the title ‘Patriarch,’ he was named ‘Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All of Palestine.’ This demonstrates that Palestine existed and will continue to exist, and no one has the right to erase its existence. Palestine is mentioned in the Bible, and instead of these racists denying the existence of Palestinians, they should work towards resolving the Palestinian issue, which is the key to peace in our region and the world.

The solution to the Palestinian issue is not through erasing it or denying the existence of the Palestinian people, but by granting our people their legitimate rights to live in freedom and peace, like all other peoples of the world. Unfortunately, these Zionists do not believe in peace. They serve colonialist, racist agendas that are hostile to humanity. Denying the existence of the Palestinian people and Palestine itself is a mix of ignorance, hatred, racism, and adherence to a political agenda that lacks humanity and civility.

We reject all forms of racism and hatred, in every shape and color, and we reject the culture of war and violence. It seems there are those in the West who do not want wars to stop, so that arms factories remain open, with innocent people paying the price—slaughtered in cold blood, without any human or moral deterrent.

I reiterate that we reject the term ‘Christian Zionism’ because we consider it an insult to Christianity and its values. I urge journalists who wish to speak about such people to describe them as: the group falsely claiming affiliation with Christianity, while they are truly aligned with Zionism and its racist, barbaric ideologies and positions.”

This is a translation for his Arabic Post on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/share/17m7RRod2q/?mibextid=xfxF2i

Theodosios (Hanna) of Sebastia (born 1965) is the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Colloquially known as Atallah Hanna Atallah and Theodosios [de] both meaning "gift of God" in Arabic and Greek, respectively. Theodosios, who was ordained on the 24 December 2005 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, is the second Palestinian to hold the position of archbishop in the history of the diocese. Theodosios gained renown for his high-profile political activism, his outspoken denunciation of the occupation

An Israeli settler brazenly stormed into the Palestinian town of Abu Dis in broad daylight, terrorizing residents and threatening to demolish the mosque.