Quotes from the Mufti of Jerusalem, 1921-1973

April 11, 1921

British High Commissioner Samuel supporting the appointment of Haj Amin Husseini as the new Mufti of Jerusalem

“I saw Haj Amin Husseini on Friday and discussed with him at considerable length the political situation and the question of his appointment to the office of grand Mufti. Mr. Storrs was also present, and in the course of conversation, he declared his earnest desire to cooperate with the government and his belief in the good intentions of the British Government towards the Arabs. He gave assurance that the influence of his family and himself would be devoted to maintaining tranquility in Jerusalem and he felt sure that no disturbances need be feared this year. He said that the riots of last year were spontaneous and unpremeditated. If the Government took reasonable precautions, he felt sure they would not be repeated.”

Source- 24 p. 9

March 1933

Grand Mufti Haj Amin Husseini addressed the Non-Cooperation Congress held in Jaffa

“I am no stranger in this nationalist movement… I became immersed in the nationalist movement before the war, and I have been active in it ever since. Were I a clerk, as some think, I would not be among you now. Were I a clerk, I would not have taken upon myself the burden of the nationalist movement from start to finish, nor would I now be judged and sentenced because of the national predicament… Were the country to benefit from my resignation, then the issue of resignation would be a simple matter. And if the day comes when my resignation will be of benefit, I will have no difficulty in submitting it. At such a time I will not only resign from the office, but from life as well… since man’s fate is decreed, whereas principles and the land are eternal.”

Source- 24 p. 32

1950’s

Many criticized Haj Amin for having rejected every solution to the Arab-Jewish question, and thus bringing about the ‘Palestine catastrophe.’ The following is in regards to the White Paper of 1939

“From the beginning the Arab states accepted the White Paper with resentment and reservations, because of the contradiction that it contained. Later, however, they accepted it, as did the vast majority of the Arab Higher Committee and the Arab League. In its meeting in 1945, the League demanded that the British Government carry out [the provisions of the White Paper]. Thus, the Arabs did not adopt a negative position. The Jews, however, rejected the plan, and continued to reject it, and Britain did not implement it. This despite the fact that, at the time of the White Paper’s publication in 1939, Britain undertook on its honour, and on the honour of the Empire, to implement it whether or not the Arabs and Jews agreed.”

Source- 24 p. 53

1959

On Iraq’s Military Day, Qassem delivered a speech. Determined to exploit the Palestinian issue against his rivals in Cairo, he coined the term ‘Palestinian entity’ and called for an establishment of a ‘Palestinian Republic’. In his speech he said-

“No one can at present find a map or an area bearing the name Palestine. I have enquired of the Minister of Education, I have looked at several maps. Is there at present a map which has on it the name of Palestine? Undoubtedly, you will reply that there is not such a map. But a map exists in our hearts, and we will bring it into being.”

Source- 24 p. 134

1967

The grand Mufti, Haj Amin Husseini’s memoirs concerning the White Paper of 1939

“Following the White Paper, the Arab Higher Committee published a statement expressing reservations about the document and the principles contained in it. The Arab governments’ rejection of this policy [reflected by the White Paper] at their conference expressed a similar feeling. The Jewish Agency also issued a statement rejecting the White Paper, claiming that its policy contradicted the human and natural rights of the Jewish people in Palestine- [a country that is] an eternal religious trust [waqf].”

Source- 24 p. 24

October 27, 1941

Haj Amin Husseini met with Mussolini in the Venezia Palace. According to Haj Amin, Mussolini said to him-

“The number of Italian Jews is not more than 45,000 out of an Italian population of 45 million… Each and every one of them is a spy and propagandist against us… therefore, our position in regard to them is the same as theirs to us… If the Jews want it [a Jewish State], they should establish Tel Aviv in America… They are our enemies… and there will be no place for them in Europe.”

Source- 24 p. 65

1968

Haj Amin wrote in his memoirs

“There were other serious occurrences during the war, such as the attempt by world Jewry in 1944 to bring about the immigration of Eastern European Jewry to Palestine… just as today they are trying to prompt countries in the East, such as Russia, the Balkan States and Eastern Europe to allow Jewish immigration to occupied Palestine. I objected to this attempt, and wrote to Ribbentrop, to Himmler and to Hitler… until I succeeded in frustrating the attempt.”

Source- 24 p. 72

1973

A year before his death Haj Amin wrote-

“My letters [to the European countries, requesting them not to allow Jews to leave] had positive and useful results for the Palestinian problem… That is the reason why a complaint was made against me to the UN in 1947, according to which my letters had prevented the immigration of hundreds of thousands of Jews to Palestine, thereby bringing their destruction by the Nazis… The claims of the Jews, and their lies, contradict what actually happened, since during the Nazi regime the Germans settled their account with the Jews well before my arrival in Germany, and they needed no prompting to do it. The Second World War broke out in September 1939, while I arrived in Europe in October 1941; in other words, more than two years later- a period of time that enabled the Germans to settle their accounts with the Jews.”

Source- 24 p. 73

December 14, 1947

Haj Amin wrote about the establishment and objectives of the al-Jihad al-Muqaddas forces

“The Arab Higher Institute…established the Jaysh al-Jihad al-Muqaddas under the command of the fallen Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni and his assistants, who were among the regional commanders known for their bravery and expertise. Some of them previously held military positions in Germany and Iraq… Syrian, Egyptian, and Iraqi officers assisted the al-Jihad al-Muqaddas Command to prepare a precise plan and to select 3,600 targets… against which the Jihad would operate. For every target a map was prepared, and the mode of operation and all that was needed in terms of manpower, weapon and expenses were detailed.

In the Jerusalem area, some of these plans were indeed carried out, for instance the destruction of the Jewish Agency building and Ben-Yehuda and Montefiore streets, [as well as] the blocking of the Bab al-Wad pass… and the siege of Jerusalem’s 115,000 Jews. Their situation worsened… and they asked to surrender in a column of white flags.”

He concludes

“Had a number of Arab groups not been deceived by promises made by their imperialists, and had they not operated on their own initiative and placed obstacles in the way of the Palestinian Arabs’ Jihad… the Jews would not have established their aggressive entity in Palestine.”

Source- 24 p. 87

February 1967

According to Haj Amin, apart from imperialism and Zionism, those taking part in the plot (to help Zionists settle Palestine) included ‘Palestinian elements [Shuqairy], appointed and dictated by Egypt.

“The Enemies’ and agents’ plans are designed to detach the West Bank from Jordan and turn it into a weak and flimsy republic, disarmed, and under international supervision, until the time should come to merge it completely with the occupied Jewish state. These plans are also directed at internationalising the Arab part of Jerusalem in preparation for making the whole city Jewish.”

Source- 24 p. 149

July 1971

After the Jordanian army’s attack on the PLO and killing of thousands of Palestinians Haj Amin wrote-

“It is almost impossible to conceive of the fratricidal struggle and mutual massacre that recently took place in Jordan between residents of the same country, the same people and the same homeland. Neither the nation nor history can possibly forgive even a single one of those responsible for this act.

The present phenomenon of internal fighting in Jordan, and the mutual massacres in Amman, Irbid, al-Zarka, and other towns is worse than the case of the residents of Constantinople, who argued among themselves about the question of whether the angels are male or female, while the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih laid siege to their city…

While the residents of Constantinople argued with words, we fight each other with artillery, missiles, tanks and guns, and massacre one another, while the enemy looks on and laughs at our expense. Moreover, he is preparing himself well for further conquests of our land and country, and for a further expulsion of our people.

The fact that the number of those killed by their brother’s lead bullets is greater than the number of those killed by the lead bullets of their Israeli enemies is a cause for sorrow and tears.

It is almost impossible to believe, yet true. The time has come to bring this dreadful disaster and terrible destruction to an end.”

Source- 24 p. 158