Fatima Benhatta is the representative of Islamic Relief Canada in British Columbia since 2011.
On April 20, 2017 Canada’s prime minister sent a letter to Fatima Benhatta. Here are excerpts from the letter: (archive, archive)
Dear Ms. [Fatima] Benhatta,
On behalf of the Government I would like to thank you for your hard work and contribution to Islamic Relief Canada… Thank you once again for your service. I wish you all the best. Please accept my warmest regards,
Sincerely,
Justin Trudeau
Fatima Benhatta admires Justin Trudeau. On August 1, 2017 Benhatta wrote: (archive)
Assalam aleikum [peace be upon you]. July -31-2017 was a historic memorable day for me ,truly it was a dream come true. To meet our honorable Prime Ministre justin Trudeau,take pictures with him and talk to him in person ,thank him for Uniting Canadians and bringing them back under the umbrella of peace,love and harmony. It’s an Honor. He is such great humble adorable personality …full of love and Humanity just like his Dad ..I spoke to him in french ,I told him that I have met his Dad and chatted with him …and how much I love Trudeau family… He smiled a big smile and his eyes got watery and he bent his head down ,put his hand on his chest ,saying you brought me tears and i am touched deeply ,when you said you have met my Dead [sic] and chatted with him. It was pleasant evening really … Thank you to Brother Bilal cheema and his Liberal office and team for gathering us and for their great efforts ..it was well organized mashallah [Allah has willed it]..
On July 28, 2017 Fatima Benhatta participated in an anti-Israel rally in Vancouver organized by Tarek Ramadan, a senior Imam (Muslim cleric) with the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) alongside other community leaders.
Besides Tarek Ramadan, the list of speakers at the event called “Stand together for al-Aqsa,” included Mohammed Kallas from Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, Sid Shnaid from Independent Jewish Voices, Rabbi David Mivasair, Marianne Harris from the United Church of Canada, Hanna Kawas, chairman of the Canada Palestine Association, Musa Ismail, president of the Pakistan Canada Association, and Karen DeVito from the Canada Flotilla to Gaza-2011.
Fatima Benhatta urged her friends and followers to participate in the rally.
On July 24, 2017 Benhatta wrote (Edited for clarity. For the original text click here):
Salam [Hello] every one. Kindly help spread the Word and invite every one to join our protest. Its heart breaking to see palestiniens suffering like this and the World is watching in silence. We need to make their voice heard and we need to call on our government to act urgently to stop the atrocity ,abuse and persecution palestiniens are facing every day… They are stripped of their right ,deprived even to pray at the Holy Mosque were they feel safe and in peace with their Lord. How crucial is that ?? How provoking is that?? Please share and spread the word. And please join us on Friday 7pm.
On July 27, 2017 Benhatta wrote (Edited for clarity. For the original text click here):
Salamo Alikom [peace be upon you] dear brothers and sisters. We expect everyone to respond when our holliest [sic] site is under siege and attack, please take a few seconds of your time to offer some help for Masjid Alaqsa (the 1st Qibla, the place of Juerney [sic] to heaven by our Prophet (PBUH) and the blessed place of of all prophets. please copy and circulate as much as you can and please announce the event in all our masajids [mosques] as we need a massive stand for Alaqsa [mosque], we also attached a free postage postcard for the Liberal Gov[ernment] of Ottawa to take action towards the Israeli aggregation against our Muslim holy site and our people in Palestine, and we will print hundreds and get our community to send it. Please encourage our people to take action, that is the least we can do for our Masid Alaqsa [Al-Aqsa Mosque]. Jazakom Allahu khiran [May Allah reward you with goodness].
On July 28, 2017 Benhatta wrote (Edited for clarity. For the original text click here):
Jumaa mubareka [Blessed Friday] to you all. Hope to see you all at the art gallery today at 6:30 to stand in solidarity with Al Aqssa [Mosque]. Lets not forgot Palestinians they need our support …that the least we can do we can show them that our heart ,souls and prayers goes for them …bless every one.
Fatima Benhatta thanked “Tareq [Ramadan] and all other people who supported and attended” the rally. She shared Tarek Ramadan’s speech at the rally and described it as a “great speech.” (archive, archive)
Here is an excerpt from Ramadan’s speech (archive):
You [Israel] are with the guns, the wars on the border, you are the ones shooting people. You came to this land and look at it now after you took over. Why do you call the people who defend their land terrorists when you are occupying the territories, and the United Nations says this is a Palestinian territories? So it’s like you coming to my home, you invade my house, and you say I have historical rights to be here. You come with a gun, but when I pull out a knife to defend my family, you call me a terrorist. It doesn’t make any sense. And when you look at the map, where is Palestine on this map? You can hardly see [it]. Five million Jews to 15 or 16 million Christians, I’m sorry, Palestinians, Muslims, and Christians live on less than 15 percent of the land. So, I have a test for you, I said. Yasser Arafat, in the Oslo Agreement in 1992, he signed on 15 percent of the land in Oslo Agreement with President Bill Clinton and Yitzhak Rabin, he signed on 15 percent, he signed on enough bloodshed. We want to live and let live. The Palestinians did not shoot Yasser Arafat for signing on 15 percent [of the land], but you guys shot Yitzhak Rabin for signing on 85 percent of the land. So, who is really causing terrorism? It is not the Palestinians. Quit talk like this.
So how do you solve this problem? You solve this problem by explaining, by educating, by raising awareness that there is no such a thing that is called the State of Israel. It is a fake state. It is an illegal state. And that al-Aqsa [Mosque], Jerusalem, the holy city, should be in the custody of the land of the Palestinians, especially the Muslims. And I’m not saying this because of any reason except that Islam teaches us to respect all humanity, to respect people of all backgrounds. When it was a Muslim land, when it was under the custody of the Muslims you never heard about genocide against Christians.
I challenge you. You never heard about genocide against Jews who were living there or anybody. It was peaceful. When the Crusaders went there, it was a bloodshed for 90 years, and when the Jews took over, see for yourselves what is happening. So, the real problem have to be solved by restoring custody to the Palestinian Arabs and the Muslims to take over the holy land and to be under their custody, because they respect the prophet Moses and Jesus and everybody. That’s it. We are not going to be wishy-washy about it. We are not going to waste time on this. That is the real solution to the problem.
At the end of the rally, Tarek Ramadan delivered a prayer service. Below is a translation from Arabic of part of the prayer: (archive)
Oh Allah, help al-Aqsa and the Muslims.
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, help al-Aqsa and the Muslims.
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, grant victory [assistance] to the Muslims in Palestine
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, assist al-Aqsa in Palestine against the hated [evil] Jews and against the criminal Zionists.
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, destroy the enemies of religion [Islam].
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, destroy the enemies of humanity.
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, grant victory [assistance] to your soldiers, the fighters of Jihad…
[Congregation]: Amen
Oh Allah, destroy the enemies of Islam.
[Congregation]: Amen
Before and after his speech, Tarek Ramadan led the crowd of participants in chants of “Long live Palestine. Long live the intifada. Long live the resistance. Long live the resistance… With soul and blood we will redeem you, Al Aqsa! (بروح بالدم نفديك يا اقصى), From the river to the sea Palestine will be free.”
In a selfie video Fatima Benhatta is seen chanting:
Free, free Gaza
Free, free Jerusalem
Long live the Intifada
Long live the Resistance
Viva, Viva Palestina
Free, free Palestine
With [Our] soul and blood we will redeem you, Al-Aqsa [Mosque]
From the Nile to the sea Palestine will be free
From the Nile to the our land will be free
Background on the Palestinian “Intifada”
The First Intifada (aka the Stone Intifada) started in December 1987 and included violent confrontations with Israeli forces, roadblocks, ambushes, throwing stones/ rocks/ metal rods/ Molotov cocktails at Israeli military and civilian vehicles, stabbing attacks, sabotage operations, setting fires to forests, agricultural and industrial facilities, shooting attacks.
The Second Intifada (aka al-Aqsa Intifada) which started in September 2000) included among other violent activities many hundreds of suicide bombing attacks, thousands of shooting attacks, launching rockets and mortar shells at Israeli communities, firing RPG rockets, planting explosives charges and mines.
The Third Intifada (aka the al-Quds Intifada or the Knife Intifada) started in autumn 2015. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides the following data on the the ongoing wave of violence (13 September 2015 – 07 May 2017):
The recent series of attacks against Israelis is the direct result of incitement by radical Islamist and terrorist elements, calling on Palestinian youth to murder Jews. Twenty months of terror – to the present. In 2016, 12 vehicular ramming attacks and 100 stabbing attacks were thwarted by security forces. Since 13 September 2015, 49 people have been killed in terrorist attacks and 731 people (including 4 Palestinians) injured. There have been 177 stabbing attacks and 117 attempted stabbings; 144 shootings; 58 vehicular (ramming) attacks; and one vehicular (bus) bombing.
Palestinian sources provide the following statistical data on the Intifada:
|
Third Intifada (October – December 2015) |
||||||
|
Shooting attacks |
Stabbing attacks |
Vehicular ramming attacks |
Explosive charges/ Molotiv cocktails |
Throwing stones/ rocks/ objects |
Launching rockets from Gaza |
Launching rockets from Lebanon |
|
73 |
74 attacks and 44 attempts |
19 |
848 |
2840 |
22 |
9 |
|
Third Intifada (January – December 2016) |
||||||
|
119 |
50 attacks and 117 attempts |
10 |
871 |
2212 |
44 |
24 |
|
Third Intifada (January – May 7, 2017) |
||||||
|
25 |
21 |
8 |
200 |
45 |
||