'Palestine was never a Jewish homeland'

Egyptian scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi says Muslims would never make any concessions, recognize Israel.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Top Islamic Egyptian scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi Thursday told Hamas leaders in that “Palestine was never a Jewish homeland.”
He said that Muslims would never make any concessions or recognize Israel.
“Palestine,” he claimed, “was and will remain Arab and Islamic. The homeland cannot be sold for money.”
Al-Qaradawi, who arrived in the Gaza Strip late Wednesday at the head of a delegation of 50 Islamic scholars from 14 countries, made his remarks during a meeting with members of the Hamas cabinet in Gaza City.
He said that Muslims were in conflict with Zionism, “which claims to be Jewish, but is far from being so.”
Al-Qaradawi added: “Zionism wants to devour the land under false pretexts. Palestine was never Jewish.”
He said that it was forbidden for Muslims to give up their rights to their lands.
The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, al-Qaradawi said, “represent the Islamic nation which will score victory and restore its rights.”
He also said that Palestinians would return to their former homes inside Israel.
He said that the delegation he led to the Gaza Strip represented all those who “love Palestine, Gaza, steadfastness and jihad.”
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh reiterated during the meeting with the senior Islamic scholar that his movement would not make any concessions on the rights of the Palestinians.
“We won’t give up one inch of the land of Palestine,” Haniyeh declared. “The land is ours. Jerusalem is ours and God is with us.”
Haniyeh honored al-Qaradawi by granting him Palestinian citizenship and a passport.
Hamas has welcomed al-Qaradawi’s visit, calling it an “historic” event, while the Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian groups have condemned the scholar for his controversial fatwas in support of Muslim fundamentalists.