The Religious Authority Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fudlullah issued a communiqué condemning the assassination of Dr Abdilaziz Al-Rantissi, Hamas leader in Gaza. It says:

This horrible crime is a result of the American free hand that was given to Sharon to eradicate the Palestinian people and end its cause, by killing its leaders and promoting political projects that would virtually cancel all its political rights including those that were articulated by the UN General Assembly. All these resolutions are meant to be sacrificed on the altar of the coming presidential elections…

Those who killed Dr. Rantissi are: Firstly, President Bush and his administration. Secondly, Arab and Islamic complicity or silence. Thirdly, Sharon and his government, having been given in his last visit to the US a green line and a readiness to provide a cover for any crime they might commit no matter how big it could be.

The American Administration rushed to declare that it supports this criminal act in defiance of the Arab and Islamic World as well as the international public opinion and the stances taken by the European Union. It is suggesting to all of them that Sharon has the right to carry on in committing his crimes and massacres in Palestine in the same way American crimes are committed in Iraq, all in the name of “fighting terrorism” and “self-defense”.

We say to the Palestinians that the American decision to commit massacres against them until the coming elections is final, and that the American Israeli war against them is an open one. The only option they have is to endure, strengthen their unity and continue to hurt the enemy in a way that will make him cry first.

To the Arabs and Muslims we say: Isn’t that humiliation enough. Stop this fear that is about to kill what is the left of the nation’s dignity. One of the original peoples of the nation is being eradicated while you are discussing when you will hold the summit which we believe that it will not be in the near future so that you will not have to issue a communiqué condemning the murder just as is the case of killing Sheik Yassin… Meanwhile, Sharon would commit additional crimes with the joy of the arrogant and the boosting of the haughty.

Based on our religious capacity, we urge the Arab and Muslim peoples to take to the streets to voice their opinion, and erase some of the disgrace, before the darkness spread and injustice dominates.