Al-Quds Interview
Q: What are the achievements and gains of the Resistance
Movements in Palestine in the past year in the face of the Israeli
occupation?
Palestinians continue to live in their open-air
prisons in Gaza and the West Bank, but the struggle goes on in creative
ways. On the illegal Apartheid wall that cuts into much of the West
Bank "Existence is Resistance" is lettered across many areas. This
simple act underlying their peaceful resistance to blatant injustice is
an ultimate form of resistance.
The Palestinian National Basketball team has been even more successful despite the restrictions. They played in the FIBA Asia Championships and beat the Philippines in a shock first game (Philippines went on to come second in the competition and Palestine ranked 10th).
The UN provided a new nod of recognition. The village of Battir was recognized as a UNESCO heritage site, giving it a responsibility towards Battir.
The most famous artist from Gaza is
the Arab Idol sensation, Mohammad Assaf, who faced many obstacles to be
awarded the title. He is now also the United Nations Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Youth Ambassador.
More
recently, Ramallah-based artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme won
the Abraaj Group Art Prize, sponsored by Dubai. Their work "depicts and
engages with their Palestinian environment, tackling themes of
colonialism, occupation and militarism."
Q: Regarding the
worsening of Israel's situation in the international community and
growing waves of protests against Israel during the past year, how do
you see the current situation of Israel in terms of economy, diplomacy
and security?
Israeli leaders are conflicted about the situation
in both Palestine and Palestine's main support, Iran. For many years,
Israel has had a free ride on both counts.
One after another, the
Arab nations opposing Israel have been brought to heel. Egypt, Libya,
Iraq have all seen their anti-imperialist leaders defeated, and
pro-imperialist governments installed. The only non-Muslim nation to
support the Palestinian cause, the Soviet Union, was also brought down,
giving a huge boost to Israel, with a million Russian Jews immigrating to
Israel.
Only Iran has managed to stem the tide at a great cost,
as intrigues against Iran have never ceased. But times change. The US
leader, less biased than early ones, began to see that the US was losing
credibility to the non-imperialist nations, who were not interested in
US plans to destroy Iran. Finally, the Cold War has given way to a
detente. Iran is moving forward politically, working to improve the
economy and relations with the West.
Zionist leaders in Israel
are not happy with the nuclear deal ending sanctions on Iran.
Netanyahu's new Mossad chief Yossi Cohen declared that the risks
inherent in a post-nuclear agreement with Iran are even greater than
before. As far as Netanyahu is concerned, Israel is the last watchdog
defending the free world from Iran's nuclear ambitions. They are
following the Goebbels strategy: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep
repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."
However,
the Israeli military is left holding the bag, and is not so cynical,
though still anti-Iranian. One official told Al-Monitor, "International
pressure, sanctions and the clandestine campaign have induced Iran to
sign the nuclear agreement, and it is our assessment that they will
implement it meticulously. The agreement creates a 10- to 15-year
window, which provides us with an enormous opportunity. Now it has all
been blocked, rolled back and frozen at a reasonable distance from that
goal. This is real news."
The implication of "an enormous
opportunity" is that Israel can mobilize western pressure on Iranian
President Rouhani to lessen Iran's resolute support of the Palestinian
struggle, to stop it from supporting Hezbollah and Hamas. This would
give Israel "an enormous opportunity" to finish off its unfinished
business -- the final solution of destroying the remnants of Palestine,
either by completing its settlement occupation or even expelling the
remaining Palestinians from the West Bank and Israel proper. Close to
half of Israelis approve of this.
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