April 19, 2004

SECRET REVEALED

The new leader of Hamas is Dr Mahmoud Zahar:

Within hours of the killing of Abdel Aziz Rantissi by the Israelis, the Palestinian militant group Hamas chose a grey-bearded and softly spoken physician to become its third leader in just under four bloody weeks in the Gaza Strip.

The appointment of Dr Mahmoud Zahar, 53, was kept secret as he joined tens of thousands of Palestinians at the funeral of Dr Rantissi.

Palestinian, Israeli and Western sources quickly confirmed that the Egyptian-educated doctor had assumed the leadership — and with it an automatic place at the top of Israel’s hit list.

“There were no real other candidates for the leadership in Gaza,” a Western diplomat said. “Most of them have been killed.”

Posted by Tim Blair at April 19, 2004 04:23 PM
Comments

Dammit. I was hoping that Haniya would be next. Something about him just makes me want to....
I think it must be the 20c sized mole on his nose.

Posted by: Dead Ed at April 19, 2004 at 04:32 PM

Update. A spokesperson for Dr Zahir has lodged an appeal with the Hamas electoral commission claiming that, if counted, some ballots with partially removed chards would deliver victory to the runner up. Dr Zahir is said to be considering legal action to ensure that he does not get the leadership.

Posted by: Greg at April 19, 2004 at 04:40 PM

At the rate the Israelis are going even Centrelink couldn't find a candidate for the job.

Posted by: JakeD at April 19, 2004 at 04:50 PM

Bye Doc. Give my regards to Rantissi.

Posted by: Harry Tuttle at April 19, 2004 at 05:06 PM

I wonder what the good doctor thought when they gave him the keys to a Yugo and mentioned that all Hamas security personnel were undergoing "intensive training of unspecified duration".

Posted by: Rick Ballard at April 19, 2004 at 05:11 PM

Dear Dr Zahar

Perpetual Insurance Co would like to congratulate you on your appointment as the new head of the Hamas terrorist organisation.

Unfortunately, in respect of your recent request, we advise that we are unable to renew your life insurance policy at this time.

Yours sincerely

Alan Anderson
Perpetual Insurance Co

Posted by: ABC Al at April 19, 2004 at 05:13 PM

What is it with some doctors and murdering terrorist scum? There was Mengele of course, and Che Guevara, and the late Dr Rantizzi ( a paediatrician who preferred blowing kids up to treating them). Is this Dr Zahir a real medical doctor or does he have a PhD in literary criticism or something? Have Muslims ever heard of Hippocrates?

Posted by: Craig at April 19, 2004 at 05:21 PM

Somewhere in Israel, someone is painting Dr. Zahar's name on a missile....

Posted by: HTY at April 19, 2004 at 05:25 PM

4-18-04

1 month, one week, 6 days.

Dr Mahmoud Zahar

Posted by: IXLNXS at April 19, 2004 at 05:35 PM

Hamas employment ad

Hmm. I must really be bored.

Posted by: david at April 19, 2004 at 06:13 PM

HA! That's genius.

Posted by: Reckers at April 19, 2004 at 06:42 PM

Hilarious, David. I passed it around the world. Hope you don't mind ;)

Posted by: Jan Haugland at April 19, 2004 at 06:44 PM

I think pretty soon the top Hamas boys will catch on the whole thing as a great way of getting rid of the mates they don't like without dirtying their own hands. Imagine if it worked like that in Australia: "In today's surpise announcement, Kevin Rudd has been elevated by his colleagues to the leadership of the parliamentary Labor Party."

Posted by: AC at April 19, 2004 at 06:46 PM

I think pretty soon the top Hamas boys will catch on the whole thing as a great way of getting rid of the mates they don't like without dirtying their own hands. Imagine if it worked like that in Australia: "In today's surpise move, Kevin Rudd has been elevated by his colleagues to the leadership of the parliamentary Labor Party."

Posted by: AC at April 19, 2004 at 06:46 PM

http://www.likud.nl/extr274.html

As the french say
Plus ca change, Plus c'est la meme chose.

Posted by: davo at April 19, 2004 at 07:00 PM

“There were no real other candidates for the leadership in Gaza,” a Western diplomat said. “Most of them have been killed.”

I wonder what would happen once they run out of leadership candidates?

Posted by: Andjam at April 19, 2004 at 07:17 PM

Comment Porn-Link Spammers from Deutschland. How avante garde.

Piss off Krauts!

Posted by: Mike Jericho at April 19, 2004 at 08:23 PM

Interesting to see some red-headed bloke near rocket-boy's coffin in Gaza on the news tonight.

Posted by: Chas at April 19, 2004 at 08:28 PM

The spam's been deleted. I'll update the Blacklist later today.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at April 19, 2004 at 08:47 PM

I'm with Dead Ed, I was hoping the next Hamas leader would be Witchy Poo (Haniya). That thing on his nose could have doubled as a zero!
Now I know what they mean by poison chalice!

Posted by: Brian at April 19, 2004 at 09:17 PM

“There were no real other candidates for the leadership in Gaza,” a Western diplomat said. “Most of them have been killed.”

Huh? When did Robert Fisk and John Pilger die?

Posted by: Clem Snide at April 19, 2004 at 09:57 PM

News just in... transcript of the last brilliant speech by the recently deceased (and now consorting with 72 hapless virgins)Hamas leader:

"What the f..."

By the way, has any theologian ever worked out what's in it for the virgins?

Posted by: tripebuster at April 19, 2004 at 10:33 PM

Anyone interested on a Calcutta on the latest Hamas Honcho? I'm tipping ten days, then smoking shoes in the streets of Gaza City.

Posted by: Habib at April 19, 2004 at 10:51 PM

"By the way, has any theologian ever worked out what's in it for the virgins?"

The other vital question is, "What's in it for the lady suicide bombers?"

Answer: 72 virginal but infertile stud-muffins aged 18 to 20, guaranteed free of STDs, uncircumcised, big dongers, primed and pumped and rarin' to go.

Posted by: walter plinge at April 19, 2004 at 11:11 PM

How long until they are led by the Jihad equivalent of a Cub Scout?

Posted by: Mike at April 19, 2004 at 11:28 PM

Hamas, the only organization whose leader delivers a farewell address at his inauguration.

Posted by: Joel at April 19, 2004 at 11:56 PM

Seriously, should Israel manage to actually, er, terminate this Dr. Zahar's command, Hamas will be about finished. They must be seen as effective to maintain support. Strong horse, and all that.

Posted by: Sage at April 20, 2004 at 12:01 AM

Gray-bearded and soft-spoken, eh? He sounds like a real prince.

"We will gently kill all the jews and kindly push Israel into the ocean?"

Posted by: Brian Jones at April 20, 2004 at 12:22 AM

I bet 10,000 quatloos on the newcomer.

That is, that he's dead within 4 months.

Posted by: Baltic Blog at April 20, 2004 at 12:46 AM

I know this is off the topic but I just cant believe what I just read in the letters section of The Age

"Accept a truce

The Bush Administration has dismissed bin Laden's offer of an armistice as "absurd". To me it is much more absurd to commit many more billions of dollars and countless thousands of mostly innocent civilian lives on a "war on terror" that is not only unwinnable but is spiralling out of control.

Ask the population of the planet that is hurting badly as a result of this crazy war if they want an armistice. I'm sure the response would be an overwhelming yes.
Kel Dummett, Northcote "

Amazing

Posted by: Dead Ed at April 20, 2004 at 12:47 AM

Smoke Zahar ASAP and watch Hamas crumple.

Posted by: Dog at April 20, 2004 at 12:57 AM

Maybe Zahar is a decoy...but he doesn't know it.

Posted by: Tom at April 20, 2004 at 01:06 AM

"What's in it for the lady suicide bombers?"

Walter, seriously I hear they get to spend the rest of eternity with their husbands when he dies. WTF?? these Musis have absolutely NO CLUE how to give a gal a little fun in this life or the next. Jeez that has got to suck!!

Men get 72 black eyed Houries and all they get is pot bellied, grumpy old Abdullah with his gout and halitosis.

Posted by: Dog at April 20, 2004 at 01:37 AM

"Congratulations, you are the new leader of Hamas!"
"No, _you_ are the new leader of Hamas!"
"No, you — "
"I said you are the new leader of Hamas, dammit! Him! Him! Over there!"

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at April 20, 2004 at 01:45 AM

This is beginning to look like a new and much bloodier version of The Apprentice with Israel playing the role of Donald Trump and the Hamas leadership playing the hapless apprentices being terminated - with extreme prejudice. Ahmin Yassin...you're fired! Abdel Aziz Rantisi...you're fired.

Looks like Zahar is next in line for a laser-guided pink slip.

Posted by: Randal Robinson at April 20, 2004 at 02:06 AM

"Mr. Zahar has learned the first secret of How Not To Be Seen: Don't stand up."

If you're interested in a well-paid job as Zahar's successor, you can find out everything you need to know by skimming a few issues of Hamas Manager magazine (1-yr subscription $25; lifetime subscription $15). For a limited time, each new subscriber receives one FREE management success book-- choose from such best-selling titles as What Color Is Your Coffin?, Leadership Secrets of Guy Fawkes, and Who Moved My Spleen?

Posted by: Paul Zrimsek at April 20, 2004 at 02:10 AM

Upon recipt of this news, my guess is that the Israeli respone will be:

Pull!

Posted by: Brandon at April 20, 2004 at 03:28 AM

I was wondering about a kind of "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" question: Just how doggone many virgins are available in Heaven for these "martyrs?" Is there an inexhaustible supply, or does Allah eventually either run out or just quit making them? I mean, 72 for one is kind of a high ratio. If there is an inexhaustible supply, won't Heaven eventually get a bit crowded?

Posted by: JorgXMcKie at April 20, 2004 at 05:36 AM

time for a new poll tim:

"What is the object that will soon be heading Dr Mahmoud Zahar's way?"

Posted by: Oktober at April 20, 2004 at 06:24 AM

You guys ought to write a stand up comedy routine with this stuff. It's hilarious!!

Hey, Brian Jones (was going to say BJ but reconsidered), "Gray-bearded and soft-spoken" is also what they said about ol' Ahmed Yassin, too. Heh. Well, we know what he said/thought and how he ended up.

To Zahar, Long live the king; the king is dead.

Posted by: Helen at April 20, 2004 at 07:22 AM

Hamas props em' up Mossad knocks em' down. Rather simple concept innit?

I believe the expression is "poisoned chalice" is relevant or would the better expression be "exploding chalice"?

Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge at April 20, 2004 at 09:26 AM

The real question is to be asked is the definition of virgin. Are they brand new ones ie created in heaven by the allah or are they ex-planet earth virgins.

If its the first not such a bad deal; if its the second I dont think there would be a single virgin under the age of 60.

i really must stop pondering

Posted by: dino at April 20, 2004 at 10:52 AM

"The real question is to be asked is the definition of virgin. Are they brand new ones ie created in heaven by the allah or are they ex-planet earth virgins?"

Well, none of them will come from Toorak, South Yarra, or Broadmeadows High School, that's for sure.

I guess they must be all aged between zero and 12, which is a bit disgusting. But then, Mohommad was always one for the younger chicks. Didn't he have a 13 year old bride?

Of course, they have to be hetero virgins - you'd be spewing if you exploded and got lumped with a bunch of hairy lesbie-type crop-haired virgins in boiler suits. Or my Aunt Dolly - she's a virgin and has been for 72 years.

Posted by: walter plinge at April 20, 2004 at 11:20 AM

Haniya will be targeted as soon as IMI finishes R&D on a dedicated Schnoz-Buster® warhead. You don't want to hit something like that and not kill it on the first shot, it's liable to charge...

Posted by: Richard McEnroe at April 20, 2004 at 11:32 AM

"Mr. Zahar has learned the first secret of How Not To Be Seen: Don't stand up."

Well that didn't work for Yassin either, and he had a natural advantage...

Posted by: PW at April 20, 2004 at 11:33 AM

He's Spartacus!
Best bet is for Zahar to ask for his virgins up front,he might get eternity with a bunch of Ted Bundys.

Posted by: Peter at April 20, 2004 at 11:57 AM

This has to be one of the funniest damn threads I've ever seen on Tim's site - I've hosed the damn monitor down with coffee twice now. Keep it up guys.

"...How not to be seen..."

Christ, I nearly broke something....

Posted by: Brendan at April 20, 2004 at 12:07 PM

I have it on good authority that the supply of heavenly virgins ran out some centuries ago, and they were replaced with inflatable dolls - such is the love-making technique of the average martyr that nobody has noticed.

Posted by: Willmott Fribbish at April 20, 2004 at 01:05 PM

Hamas Roulette

"Ummm ... isn't it supposed to 1 bullet and 5 empty chambers and not the other way around?

Posted by: Bruce at April 20, 2004 at 01:30 PM

They're not virgins anymore!
heehheehehehhehehehehe

Posted by: Uday & Qusay at April 20, 2004 at 03:56 PM

Has anyone yet received an e-mail from Rantisi's widow? Apparently he was not in power long enough to get and EU money into Nigeria.

Posted by: Mr. Davis at April 20, 2004 at 04:08 PM

The holy woman martyr does not receive virgins in Paradise. Hers is an even greater honor. She is served by none other than Allah himself.

AKBAR THE GREAT

Posted by: AKBAR THE GREAT at April 20, 2004 at 04:21 PM

What do gay bombers get when they go to Paradise?

Posted by: freddyboy at April 20, 2004 at 04:36 PM

Bye bye love, I think you're gonna die.

Bye bye love
Bye bye happiness, hello loneliness
I think I'mgonna cry
Bye bye love, bye bye sweet caress, hello emptiness
I feel like I could die
Bye bye my love goodbye

-Everly Brothers, of course

Posted by: Timothy Lang at April 20, 2004 at 04:44 PM

Hilarious posts...

Just did a quick calculation. With around 145 suicide attacks in Israel during the Intifada , at 72 virgins a piece, (72^145) I got the following number:
2.0568943372134852e+269 virgins...which would make for the coolest porn movie ever

Posted by: Gehenem at April 20, 2004 at 10:07 PM

Sorry. Was a little off on the math. It's more like 10440 virgins.

Posted by: Gehenem at April 21, 2004 at 12:16 AM

Soon to be known around the world as "the late Dr. Mahmoud Zahar."

Posted by: Alex Bensky at April 21, 2004 at 03:35 AM

Sorry I was mistaken. It's Zahar with the attractive nose. Let's hope that no matter what position he holds or where he hides, he attracts a misslie of two!

Posted by: Brian. at April 21, 2004 at 01:56 PM

I think keith Locke should be the next leader
of hammus.How cool would it be to fire the missles on the chopers and kill those idol god
whorshiping demons.
Still if zahar is not ready for 72 virgins just yet he should come to nz on a bogus passport
and claim assylum.

Then alex davidson can start a website with keith
Locke wondering if his human rights have been violated and that the evidence that hammus has commited mass suicide bombings is flimsey Israeli
court rulings.

Posted by: tim tam at April 21, 2004 at 08:28 PM