Hatem Bazian - Personal Story

O’REILLY: “Personal story” segment tonight, Dr. Hatem Bazian teaches Near Eastern and Ethic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. The professor has called for an intifada against the United States. And he also said this in May, 1999. “The Day of Judgment will not happen until the trees and stones will say, ‘O Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him.” That quote according to “The Detroit News.”

Joining us now from Oakland is Professor Bazian.

All right, what’s the Jew hiding quote about?

HATEM BAZIAN, UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY: I think that’s a complete insidious quote that is attributed to me. I never said that. And I am pursuing—Emerson‘s including it in his book. It’s a complete fabrication.

O’REILLY: All right, so the Detroit News made it up?

BAZIAN: It’s a fabrication. I would never use that statement. It’s a statement that comes from Islamic histiography. It’s a part of the Hadith collections, references to the end of time. And I in general don’t use that in any type of speech or discussions. And I’m pursuing legal matters for Emerson‘s including it in his book.

O’REILLY: All right. And as one who had been misquoted, I can sympathize with you. If you say you didn’t say it, I’ll take you on your word.

BAZIAN: Sure.

O’REILLY: Now intifada against the U.S.A.? You did say that. We have that.

BAZIAN: I—yes. And I—once again, that has to be put into context. I was calling for a political intifada similar to the statements of calling for regime change, political activism. And if people have listened to all the speech, which I think—agreed I—the people who took the quote out, did a masterful job of editing my talk to indicate as if I’m calling for violence in the United States, which is far from what I had been engaged in.

O’REILLY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as far as we know. And it’s been associated with Palestinian cause, where they were violent.

BAZIAN: It’s shaking off—Ii think if you looked at it, even some neoconservatives in this country use the term intifada at one point. So it’s maybe within the context of the audience that was there. It was a reference point. And I was calling for a grassroot political change at this time to make changes in the country considering what has been taken place.

O’REILLY: But no violence. You don’t want anybody to use violence?

BAZIAN: No. I’ve been activist for the past 20 years or so. And I have never engaged in any violence. And non violence is the method that I choose for political change.

O’REILLY: OK. Therefore, I assume then you condemn Hamas and Hezbollah?

BAZIAN: Well, I condemn the targeting of civilians in any situation. I think relations to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you have the Hatfields and McCoys getting at each other. And I think it will behoove us here in the United States not to aid or encourage either side to engage in violence.

O’REILLY: OK. But we did a very exhaustive search on you, professor. And we’ve never seen you say that you condemn the violent methods of Hamas and Hezbollah ever.

BAZIAN: Well, yes, if you want me to speak about the violence that has taken place, I just spoke to you, telling you that violence is unacceptable.

O’REILLY: OK, but you yourself have not come out and condemned it. I think if every responsible Muslim person in this country—and you’re certainly in a position of leadership at U.C.-Berkeley—did condemned Hamas and Hezbollah, it would be a lot more difficult for those people to operate, wouldn’t you agree?

BAZIAN: Well, I think it’s—in here, once again, it’s very contextual in the sense that every time a Palestinian appears or a Muslim appears, it seems that there is an electronic attempt to try to silence them by you know putting this—that they have to condemn this and this. And I think it’s far more contextual to try to address the fundamental issue between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

O’REILLY: Well the fundamental issue is absolutely—has to be addressed. And we want to hear that, but I think that are you’re wrong in saying—we want people to condemn terrorism and that, Hamas...

BAZIAN: I condemn terrorism throughout. But at the same time, I would like people here in the U.S. to begin condemning the Israeli assassinations.

O’REILLY: All right. Well, they’re going to condemn them based upon what they feel is right or wrong. Now if you condemn terrorism, sir, then you would have to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah, because they are terrorist groups designated so by the United Nations.

BAZIAN: Once again, I’m telling you, I condemn all acts of violence that were targeted at civilians, regardless of who does it. Once again, always to try to put the Palestinians as the testing ground is completely rejected. And I accept it.

O’REILLY: Well, that’s where a lot of terrorism is taking place today. Al Qaeda—certainly, you don’t support al Qaeda, right?

BAZIAN: Absolutely, I don’t. But once again, I encourage you to focus and look at what has taken place between the Palestinians and Israelis.

O’REILLY: I have been there and I’ve focused on it. But professor, Al Qaeda.

BAZIAN: Sure.

O’REILLY: Did you condemn them after 9-11?

BAZIAN: I condemned them and I actually translated much of the material for the use of the press and so on. My focus in the speech that took place on April 10 is to focus on the lies, the deception that took place. And it seems that people are always trying to use patriotism in one sense or the other. Why don’t we call Halliburton and ask them to be patriotic over charging the U.S. military at a time when the U.S. military...

O’REILLY: You’re wandering here, because we didn’t see anything on the record where you condemned al Qaeda. But maybe you could send it to us.

BAZIAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

O’REILLY: I got to say this.

BAZIAN: Sure.

O’REILLY: You’re a stand-up guy.

BAZIAN: Go ahead.

O’REILLY: Most guys in your position wouldn’t come on the program.

BAZIAN: Thank you, Bill.

O’REILLY: And we’ll have you back. And we appreciate you coming on.