Naeem Ashraf Mushtaha

Studying the history of Palestine in general and al-Quds in particular shows us how controlling them has been the ambition of the west for ages, mainly because of their holy status in the Divine Books, and their strategic locations geographically and militarily. Therefore, if we trace back their history to the times of the Persians and Romans, we would see how they fought Muslims and others to control them. In addition, the crusaders waged their crusades in order to control al-Quds as well. 

Al-Quds continued to be the ambition of the west until the Ottoman Empire became fragile at the same time of the emergence of the Zionist Movement’s idea of establishing a ‘national home’ for the Jews in Palestine. Theodor Herzl, Head of the Zionism Movement, proposed a great amount of money in his attempt to tempt Sultan Abdul Hamid Al-Thani. Although the Sultan needed the money to save his country from a huge amount of debt, he completely refused such proposition. Therefore, Herzl had no other choice but turn to the great western countries to achieve his dream. He went to Germany and Britain.

The Zionist Movement followed a very smart policy, away from murder and bloodshed. It started offering Jewish money to contribute to the expenses of the First World War. In addition, the Jews would fight side by side with the British during the occupation of Palestine, and with the Allies during the First World War.

Under such circumstances, the British Foreign Office Minister issued the infamous Declaration on November 2, 1917 before Britain’s control over Palestine and the Ottoman’s army retreat from al-Quds. Then, the Zionists began their series of killing, slaughter and bloodshed. They started a new policy that is still practiced until this day; the Judaization of al-Quds for the establishment of their alleged Haykal as they continue to do excavation work under Almasjid Alaqsa. 

Such Declaration reflects Britain’s over-pride and injustice as it gave a land it did not own to unworthy individuals. It has been a decade since the Declaration, and recently the USA declared al-Quds as the capital of the Israeli occupation.

The American President chose a very sensitive date to declare al-Quds as the capital of the Israeli occupation. On 6/12/2017, which is the day on which the First Palestinian Intifada broke in 1987, Trump declared al-Quds as the Capital of the occupation; this reflects the west’s strong desire to keep this spreading tumor, the occupation, in the nation and to disregard all Palestinian rights. 

As the distress the Palestinians go through continues, the Palestinians decided not to live in exile forever. The Palestinian youth is stronger now than they were during the occupation of their country. They are now bolder, braver and more determined to liberate their lands. A living proof is the Israeli reports which were recently issued about the fact that the resistance in Palestine now has drones that can fly up to 12,000 feet.

The occupation was wrong to think that if the elderlies die, the youngsters forget. The Great March of Return, that mostly encompasses the youth, indicates how the Palestinian people insists on having their rights back no matter what practices or aggression the Israeli occupation carries out.