Panel debate on current Intifada

Experts from Palestine and Iran discussed the current Palestinian intifada in a panel debate that was held in Tehran on Tuesday and was co-organized by the Society in Defense of the Palestinian Nation (SDPN) and the Quds News Agency (Qudsna).

A brief report on their remarks follows.

Iranian analyst: Current protests, golden op for Palestinian issue

A senior Iranian analyst says the current Palestinian protests may provide a golden opportunity for re-tabling the Palestinian issue as the number one priority of the Muslim community.

Secretary General of the Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, Hossein Sheikholeslam slammed certain Arab authorities for bothering any issues in the Muslim community other than the Palestinian issue, adding at the current conditions Muslims have been pitted against one another.

Touching on the Palestinian nation’s movement against the occupation, the Iranian analyst said the nation has enjoyed a strong ideology and popular presence but suffered lack of strong leaders.

He said Iran welcomes any government or group that considers the Palestinian issue as the foremost issue of the Muslim community.

Islamic Jihad envoy: Young Palestinians lead current uprising

Representative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in Tehran, Naser Abu Sharif says the current developments in the Palestinian territories amount to a real Intifada (massive popular uprising).

The Palestinian figure touched on the spread of the protests from the occupied al-Quds to other Palestinian areas including the besieged Gaza, adding the entire Palestinian nation has risen against the Israeli occupation.

Abu Sharif noted that the protesters are aged 13 to 23, adding that generation has grown up under the Oslo Agreement and witnessed the failure of the Palestinian nation.

“Palestinian nation has realized that prolonged talks with the Zionist regime have no fruits for the nation rather than more violence by the Zionist settlers,” he said.

The Palestinian diplomat touched on the growing population of settlers and their daily acts of terror against the Palestinians, adding the Palestinian nation has arrived at the conclusion that it could not stop the Israeli aggression but through combat and resistance.

As for the Palestinian Authority’s stance, Abu Sharif said the PA authorities seek to distance itself from the uprising, adding however that the time was ripe for all Palestinian groups and factions to depart differences and join hands.

Hamas envoy: Palestinian campaign, full-blown intifada

Hamas representative in Tehran Khaled Qoddoumi says the current Palestinian protests are a full-blown Intifada (popular uprising), adding Palestinians will decide the fate of the current anti-Aqsa campaign that was initiated by Israel 30 days ago.

The Hamas representative said the Palestinian nation has witnessed that the PA’s weak stance on the Palestinian policy, adding the PA failure partly motivated the Palestinians to rise against Israel.

Qoddoumi also considered the Israeli settlers’ aggressions in recent months as another motivation for the Palestinian nation to take to the streets.

The Hamas diplomat said the current protests are distinct from previous once in that they are joined by ordinary Palestinians, including their elites.

Qoddoumi acknowledged however that the current Palestinian campaign suffers lack of a media support in the Arab world as well as a savvy leadership, adding the two problems may cause the campaign to eventually fail.

The Hamas diplomat urged however that the time was ripe for the Palestinian leaders from across the political spectrum to come together and reach a unified position on how to lead the current campaign.

Qoddoumi noted that the situation was an opportunity for the Palestinians that should not be squandered, adding both Israel and the US are suffering a weak position and could not impose their will on the Palestinians.

Qoddoumi regretted however that the PA head Mahmoud Abbas has followed Israel in asserting that the campaign should be contained.

SDPN member: Palestinian refugees would rather join current protests

A senior Iranian expert in Middle East affairs says the Israeli regime is pursuing a premeditated plan in the occupied al-Quds, seeking to forcedly evacuate the areas from Palestinians before annexing the total West Bank to the already usurped Palestine.

Head of the political committee in the Iranian NGO, the Society in Defense of the Palestinian Nation (SDPN), Hossein Rouyvaran said currently Palestinians make 12 percent of the occupied lands while Israelis make the rest.

Rouyvaran said Zionists seek to carry out their malicious plans once and for all using the current upheavals in the Muslim community as a smokescreen.

The expert added however that the Israeli plan has bumped into the robust wall of Palestinian defense, adding the West Bank population, the Palestinians residing in the 1948-occupied Palestine and the Gaza residents have all joined hands in the defense.

The expert regretted however that the Palestinian refugees are absent from the scene of protests, adding the Arab world and the Muslim world are also absent from the scene.