As violent attacks against Israelis continue, though in small numbers compared to a few months ago, the anger among Palestinians continues unabated at the failure of the international community to rein in Israel and pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state. This anger and frustration came out in a survey whose results were published yesterday. Two-thirds of Palestinians support the ongoing wave of stabbings against Israelis, with the same percentage backing a larger armed uprising, the poll has said. Sixty-seven percent back the use of knives, while 66 percent said an armed Intifada or uprising would “serve Palestinian national interests in ways that negotiations could not”, the survey by the respected Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) found. Since October 1 this year, almost daily attacks by Palestinians and clashes with Israeli soldiers have killed 117 on the Palestinian side, 17 Israelis, and an American and an Eritrean. The violence is likely to continue. As Israel uses barbaric force to suppress Palestinians, the world has chosen to look the other way.
Meanwhile, a senior PLO official has warned that Islamic State will assume the moral leadership of the Arab world if Israel does not stop crushing Palestinians’ hopes of statehood.
Speaking at a Rome conference, Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said the radical jihadism of Islamic State could only be defeated in the long-term through a resolution of the Palestinian crisis and the establishment of democracy in Arab countries. “Ever since the beginning of Islam there have been people and organisations seeking to use the religion for their own ends. Daesh is number 803. You are not going to defeat Daesh with bullets, warplanes and so on,” he said. That the statement comes from a senior official like Erekat points to the severity and urgency of the Palestinian issue. The Arab Spring, in addition to the chaos it has brought to the Arab world, has also diminished the focus on the Palestinian issue. Many Arab countries are fighting their own battles, with less time for Palestinians. This has emboldened Israel, which is continuing with its settlement expansion and wanton aggression against Palestinians.
Erekat painted in grim detail the current situation in Palestine. “For 23 years I promised Palestinians we would have our freedom and dignity. What did I bring my people? Instead of 200,000 settlers we now have 600,000 and an Israeli prime minister who prides himself on saying ‘there will be no Palestinian state on my watch,” he said.
Perhaps it’s time for Palestinians to rely less on the international community. What they need is unity between Fatah and Hamas, and the political will to launch a united struggle for freedom.
As violent attacks against Israelis continue, though in small numbers compared to a few months ago, the anger among Palestinians continues unabated at the failure of the international community to rein in Israel and pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state. This anger and frustration came out in a survey whose results were published yesterday. Two-thirds of Palestinians support the ongoing wave of stabbings against Israelis, with the same percentage backing a larger armed uprising, the poll has said. Sixty-seven percent back the use of knives, while 66 percent said an armed Intifada or uprising would “serve Palestinian national interests in ways that negotiations could not”, the survey by the respected Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) found. Since October 1 this year, almost daily attacks by Palestinians and clashes with Israeli soldiers have killed 117 on the Palestinian side, 17 Israelis, and an American and an Eritrean. The violence is likely to continue. As Israel uses barbaric force to suppress Palestinians, the world has chosen to look the other way.
Meanwhile, a senior PLO official has warned that Islamic State will assume the moral leadership of the Arab world if Israel does not stop crushing Palestinians’ hopes of statehood.
Speaking at a Rome conference, Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) said the radical jihadism of Islamic State could only be defeated in the long-term through a resolution of the Palestinian crisis and the establishment of democracy in Arab countries. “Ever since the beginning of Islam there have been people and organisations seeking to use the religion for their own ends. Daesh is number 803. You are not going to defeat Daesh with bullets, warplanes and so on,” he said. That the statement comes from a senior official like Erekat points to the severity and urgency of the Palestinian issue. The Arab Spring, in addition to the chaos it has brought to the Arab world, has also diminished the focus on the Palestinian issue. Many Arab countries are fighting their own battles, with less time for Palestinians. This has emboldened Israel, which is continuing with its settlement expansion and wanton aggression against Palestinians.
Erekat painted in grim detail the current situation in Palestine. “For 23 years I promised Palestinians we would have our freedom and dignity. What did I bring my people? Instead of 200,000 settlers we now have 600,000 and an Israeli prime minister who prides himself on saying ‘there will be no Palestinian state on my watch,” he said.
Perhaps it’s time for Palestinians to rely less on the international community. What they need is unity between Fatah and Hamas, and the political will to launch a united struggle for freedom.
