Sheikh Taissir Tamimi

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Sheikh Taissir Tamimi (Arabic: شيخ تيسير تميمي‎) is the head of the Islamic Court of the West Bank and Gaza Strip[1] and staunch Palestinian nationalist. He has been known to be very critical of Israel and Judaism.

Tamimi has been a supporter of the Palestinian Authority, and an opponent of Hamas. He recently issued a Fatwah which declared that a Hamas ban on public prayer was issued “by those who are not authorized to do so”[2]

In January of 2005, Israel Insider, "Israel's daily news magazine", reported that Tamimi had stated the following in 1994:

"The Jews are destined to be persecuted, humiliated and tortured forever,and it is a Muslim duty to see to it that they reap their due. No petty arguments must be allowed to divide us. Where Hitler failed, we must succeed."[3]

Tamimi held a vigil at Yasser Arafat's deathbed and witnessed his death, describing the scene as

a very painful scene. There was blood everywhere on his face. The blood was coming from every possible place. My first reaction when I saw the scene was that I didn't understand what was going on. I closed my eyes, and I started reading from the Quran…

Tamimi refused to allow doctors to remove Arafat from life support as it conflicted with Muslim law.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Burial site prepared as Arafat clings on
  2. ^ Sheikh Tamimi: “Public prayers are allowed by Islamic law and Sonna”
  3. ^ Actor Richard Gere, "speaking for the entire world," urges Palestinians to vote
  4. ^ Yasser Arafat (1929-2004). PASSIA (2004-12-11).