Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Despite making barely a blip amid the flood international coronavirus crisis headlines, a number of huge developments have rocked the Israeli-Palestine issue, bringing the world nearer an explosion of violence not seen since the second Intifada which ended in 2005.
Earlier this week the Palestinian Authority’s President Mahmoud Abbas announced that all prior agreements with the United States and Israel are now null and void, including any and all prior ‘security agreements’ with the state of Israel, such as the historic Oslo Accords, and most alarmingly all local security arrangements and any ground-level cooperation.
Days following on Thursday Hamas issued its own dramatic warning, vowing to “confront” the “Zionist-American” plot to annex major parts of the occupied West Bank, especially the Jordan Valley, with “armed military resistance”.
In recent years Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been vocal in calling for a new Intifada to challenge Israeli occupation and policies. Image via Reuters
This after Prime Minister Netanyahu in a Sunday speech promised to move on annexing areas of Jewish settlements in the West Bank that were “agreed” to as part of Trump’s much touted ‘Deal of the Century’ first unveiled to the public earlier this year. The PA and Hamas have vehemently rejected from the beginning, saying ultimately the Israeli side had to sacrifice nothing.
Specifically the new Hamas statements the Islamic militant organization’s political chief Ismail Haniya on the occasion of ‘International Day of Jerusalem’ (Quds Day), falling on the last day of Ramadan.
The Hamas leader began by thanking Iran: “We thank Iran for its continuous support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.”
“The Palestinian people and the people of Jerusalem defend their chests and their faith in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Holy City, and we warn the Zionists against committing follies against them,” Haniyeh said according to Sama News Agency.
“On the International Day of Jerusalem, the Holy City lives in the most dangerous stages, and we are following the American-Zionist talk about the implementation of the deal of the century, which was based on the liquidation of the Palestinian issue, the core of which is Jerusalem, as are the refugees and the land,” he continued.
The Hamas chief added: “Jerusalem has lived in a siege since it was occupied in 1948 until now, and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is at the head of the siege by obliterating its identity, incursions and denying Jerusalemites access to it.”
“We are facing a great and comprehensive danger and we need a strategy to confront the danger facing our cause and sanctify it, and in its essence the comprehensive resistance project, on top of which is the armed military resistance,” he said.
The speech was focused also especially on resisting the US declaration (as part of the Trump plan) of formal recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital – something other international countries have been urged by the State Department to do as well.
For months, Hamas has been whipping up popular protests against the American-Israeli peace plan:
Hamas rally in Khan Yunis against the Deal of the Century today. #Gaza pic.twitter.com/EZgG8or6wI
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) February 3, 2020
The fresh Hamas threats followed Abbas’ final ‘cutting off’ of all agreements with Israel, which itself came after Netanyahu’s swearing in of the new Israeli government Sunday wherein he declared “now is the time to annex the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.”
The Trump plan has been previously described as “Bibi’s dream come true” and has long been seen as merely paying lip service to the Palestinians, ultimately without ceding anything of value.
They are in the past.
Palestinians have no choice but to fight for their land.
They will get bullets, not lands.
The problem is they don’t have anyone willing to support them.
Iran supports them, and they fail.
As an Iranian impersonating as an Indian why don’t you fight for them ?
I’m just kidding, the mullahs supporters will never sacrifice their lives for others. They are used to having others die for them.
Iran is on the right side of history and getting some real gravitas in the Arab and Muslim world for its principled stand.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the struggle to liberate Palestine is an obligation and an Islamic goal, adding “everyone must assist the Palestinian nation in
this holy struggle”.
“The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad in the way of God, and it is an obligation and an Islamic goal. Victory in this struggle has been guaranteed,” the Leader said Friday.
His remarks came as millions took part in worldwide events to mark the International Quds Day, on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn
Israeli atrocities.
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The Zionist regime is a deadly, cancerous growth and a detriment to this region” which “will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed”.
“And then, the shame will fall on those who put their facilities at the service of the this policy of the arrogant powers,” the Iranian leader added
The Supreme Dictator and the rest of the crazy mullahs are a disgrace to the proud Iranian people.
“The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad….” – The Iranian people are tired of sacrificing their wealth and well-being for the extremist Islamist purposes of the crazy mullahs regime.
We are very much waiting to deal with that Arab midget and his puppet terrorists, Gaza would be a good example to Hezbollah. Carpet bombs is what they deserve.