West Bank, October 26, 2009 (Pal Telegraph)- Ali Mohammed Hamdan, member of Hizb ut-Tahrir-Palestine, was the brave, lone soul that dared to confront Tony Blair when he visited the ancient Mosque in Hebron in the West Bank. Tony Blair was also responsible for leading the campaign to ban HT-Britain in 2005. The attempted ban was defeated through collective action taken by British politicians and other political and quasi-political organizations, with diverse ideological, religious and secular backgrounds. It was later revealed that Blair's drive to ban HT was part of a deal with Pakistan's former president, Musharraf. HT has vociferously challenged the corrupt and un-Islamic behavior of politicians throughout the Muslim world. Hamdan said he was not representing Palestine or Palestinians, but all of the oppressed people from around the world, whom Blair, Bush, Obama and other western leaders killed in their wars of aggression. Wars of aggression against innocent civilians in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

Hamdan said he was quickly removed from the Mosque by the Palestinian Authority Security Services and then detained for over 10 hours, whereupon he suffered from techniques of intimidation and torture. This is not the first time a HT-Palestine member in the West Bank suffered from the methods used by PA Security Services. On October 12, PA Security Services raided the homes of HT members in a village located west of Bethlehem. In this raid, members Mohammed Sabalin and Fathi Hamamra were arrested.

Although HT-Palestine's support among Palestinians in the West Bank has been steadily increasing over the years, it still remains as a small movement. In a recent communiqué issued by HT, the liberation of Palestine is not possible through the so-called "Road Map to Peace" that "divides Palestine at the very basic and ground level;" that attempts to transform it from an Islamic to an Arab issue; and, that "attempts to divide it into two separate parts-Gaza and the West Bank." Moreover, the liberation of Palestine cannot only be achieved by "resorting to protests and sit-ins" only, but also through "the mobilization of armed forces."

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is translated as Party of Liberation, is a non-violent transnational political organization founded in 1953 by Palestinian, Taqiuddin al-Nabhani, in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). HT is now headed by Sheikh Abu Rashta, a Palestinian civil engineer. It has a presence in at least 45 countries across the world, with each chapter having independent decision-making capacity to implement the intellectual movement that HT represents.

The intellectual movement of HT is political and geared toward the reestablishment of Islam in life, state and society through mass popular support. Its focus, however, is on that of the Muslim world and not changing governments in the West. Work with the West, according to HT, is geared toward promoting a positive image of Islam to western society, which is accomplished through dialogue with thinkers, policymakers, and academics. While HT itself does not engage in charitable or social projects, HT chapters and leaders have engaged in charitable activities to help the needy in their respective countries.

HT believes that societies do not change via coercion or violence, but through intellectual advancement, debate and dialogue. Violent insurrection, according to Dr. Abdullah Robin, HT member, "bypasses society in order to place seized power upon a foundation of mere sand." Moreover, Islamic law prohibits the use of violence against existing governing authorities, even if their behavior is un-Islamic. Change comes through the mind first and foremost, as humanity "progresses by thoughts." Quoting Thomas Pain, Robin states, "the rich are in general slaves to fear, and submit to courtly power with the trembling duplicity of a Spaniel."

Rachael M. Rudolph

Note:  Material for this article was obtained from HT sources available to the media.  Understanding therefore is based on the author's and not HT's official opinion.