By: Imam Issam Amirah – Jerusalem

It has become a yearly practice that Hizb-ut-Tahrir (the Party of Liberation) operates more actively as the end of the Month of Rajab approaches. On 28th of Rajab, 1342 AH, 3rd March, 1924, the Ottoman Caliphate State was abolished; Islam ceased to be implemented. This is viewed as a big catastrophe by the Hizb, and should be the case for every Muslim, in view of the heavy losses encountered from the Khilafah’s absence.

As the Hizb is totally involved in re-establishing the Caliphate, being the sole political system for Muslims, it puts all his members and supporters on high alert to commemorate the anniversary.

Over the last couple of years, the Hizb arranged several activities, varying from holding conferences to arranging peaceful marches, in addition to writing essays about Khilafah, giving lectures and sermons on the subject in the different mosques, universities and other gathering places, with the objective of widening the scope of people’s thoughts about the incident, and motivating them to work for the cause.

Last year was different, as the Palestinian Authority (PA) was directed by J. Dayton (the American Security Coordinator in the West Bank) to do its best to prevent the Hizb activities, even if an extensive use of power is necessary, which they did.

This year, and despite the brutal response from the PA during anti-Annapolis activities which resulted in killing, arresting and breaking the bones of participants, the Hizb decided to carry on with its yearly activities, no matter what happens, and declared a number of activities in the West Bank and Gaza.

In Gaza, things went on smoothly, but in the West Bank they were completely different! The PA expressed its complete reluctance to allow any of the Hizb’s activities to go on, and put all its security forces on alert. The following summary can be enough evidences of what has happened to prove that the PA is a worse version of the Arab regimes:

1. On the eve of every event, the PA Security Forces personnel carried out a number of precautionary arrests among the prominent members of Hizb-ut-tahrir. This took place in all big cities, suburbs and villages of the West Bank.

2. On the day of every event, since morning, the PA Security Forces closed all venues which were to house the activities, including the womens activities in Hebron. They established military barriers blocking all main roads, in addition to subsidiary streets leading to the event venues, turning back busses loaded with male and female participants. They had lists of wanted names, and some under-cover police from every city and village to identify Hizb members and arrested them immediately. They transferred detainees to Police Stations for interrogation.

3. As the time of the events approached, police become more and more alert. They scattered in almost every square inch of the land of the activity and its surroundings, with heavily-armed police squads touring the place, and arresting every “suspect”!

4. In spite of all these precautions, the event took place, which drove the police forces out of their minds. They instantly started beating demonstrators very brutally with wooden and electric sticks, tear gas, and other means. In addition to further arrests, in Bethlehem, they arrested a Christian youth. When they discovered the fact, he was released. Before he left the room where he was detained, he told the police: “had I been Muslim, I would have worked with HT!

5. Most of the Hizb members and supporters were set free before midnight, except very few of them who spent approximately two weeks.

6. It was obvious that the decision to act against the Hizb activities had been taken by J. Dayton, the Security Coordinator in the West Bank. As a proof of that, Dayton commended the readiness and sincerity of the PA forces on the ground, thus, ordering some more military equipment, clothes, and perhaps cash money for the Police Personnel.

7. The so-called Minister of Interior, A/Razzaq Al-Yahya told a group of PA Security Police Force that they are being trained not to fight Israel, but to maintain local security!!

Undoubtedly, every one who participated in the Hizb activities has a story to tell, but more important, every one in West Bank and Gaza has heard of HT, and that its objective is to establish Khilafah, which will soon be established inshallah.

Once the Khilafah is established, the streets of Muslims will be safe, and people can walk on them freely.