On the neocons: You know the theory of the clash of civilizations? The neoconservatives adapted it; they work according to that theory, and it's become like a self-fulfilling prophecy. … It changed the way they perceived the Muslims; the Muslims became potential terrorists even if they are innocent.
On Al Jazeera in English: I think it's gonna change the perception of the Western people towards Islam and Muslim societies, because in the past they never saw the diversity, just a general judgment about all Muslims and all Muslim societies. Right now you have regular people who can access information which was not available 10 or 20 years ago; they can see live, they can watch it. They can see that these people are as any other human beings. They have their problems, they have their achievements, they have their own aspirations, they want to be something in the world, and they are not terrorists. … And you can go in Ramallah and ask people, "How many people support bin Laden?" You may not find anyone, because people know that killing other innocent people is not the way to do things.
On Palestinian Islamic Jihad [U.S. federal authorities accused Hammoudeh of supporting the PIJ, which was declared a terrorism group in 1995 by President Clinton]: I think it's like any other Palestinian organization. They think that they are defending their country, they are defending their people. I do agree with the idea of resistance. … but I do not agree with the methods that they use for resistance. … [Y]ou cannot kill innocent people, people in the streets, people in the buses; it's not something that you can justify or you can defend.
On the future of Israel: [T]he idea of a Jewish state is not working. … because you are having a state that is the enemy of all of their surroundings … Such a state cannot live forever. You can have better military equipment for 100 years, and after that, can you control the whole Arab area? No. You have to establish a good neighborhood between you and your neighbors, not to try and always equip yourself with weapons, threatening them, letting them feel that you are unwanted. … Look at the experience of Hezbollah — they started a very small group, and right now they can hit Israeli cities. I mean the Israelis wouldn't have imagined that. But what gave them the opportunity to succeed is the hateful environment which the Israelis have created.
This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2006.