Palestinian Issue, Victim of Disunity in World of Islam

What is your analysis of the Middle East peace process? The US has, since many years ago, been involved in this matter to solve this issue but a deadlock still exists in these negotiations. What are the reasons behind the non-establishment of two independent countries alongside each other?

During the past few decades, the US has proposed peace plans several times but none of them has been successful. Obama has also proposed a plan in this regard but this proposal also seems to be hopeless.

Now the question is, what is the reason behind their failure? The first problem is the issue of the land. Where should this government be established? Right now the land of Palestine is comprised of the Gaza Strip which is surrounded from both sides and the West Bank of the Jordan River where the Palestinians intend to form their government. The West Bank has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The Jewish settlements have been extended to the point where there is now no place left which is unsettled. A major part of this region is covered with these settlements and they do not accept to withdraw. Therefore, the Palestinian state, which everyone talks about, has neither a land nor an army and not even the right to have independent relations with foreign countries. That is why the Palestinians do not accept it.

The existing knots in the peace process are being repeated; the issue of dividing Jerusalem, political geography, return of the displaced, formation of a Jewish state called Israel. It is said that John Kerry’s plan attempts to resolve these differences. Does this plan have any chance of succeeding?

John Kerry has never revealed the details of this plan, but the reports and the statements made by the Israeli and American officials clarify parts of it. It is said that the Palestinians are supposed to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. This is the biggest issue which is reiterated by both Israel and the US. If the Palestinians accept Israel as a Jewish state, then the non-Jews cannot live there. Also, if 4 to 5 million displaced Palestinians who live abroad are to return to their homeland, based on Security Council Resolution 194, then there will be no land. Right now about one and a half million Palestinians live in Israel whose fate is undetermined. Israel certainly intends to expel them. The question is, where should they go? Should they go to the western shore which is occupied by the settlers and Israel still continues its settlement or to the Gaza Strip which is faced with a huge population and little area where living is impossible? Thus, the acceptance of a Jewish state by the Palestinians would be a disaster.

What will the consequences of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state be for the Palestinians?

Israel claims that it is the most democratic regime in the region. This is while democracy should not be based on religion and ethnicity. When Israel talks about the Jewish state, it would mean that only the Jews can be the citizens of this state and this contradicts the principles of democracy. Then two things will happen: one, the non-Jews must leave this territory and two, the Palestinians, whether Muslim or Christian, will not have the right to return. This is while the UN has given them the right to return.

A representative of the Palestinian Authority has stated that in case of failure of these negotiations and the expansion of the settlements, there is the possibility of using the option of resistance including armed resistance against the occupation. How possible is this option considering the internal differences between Fatah and Hamas and of course the issue of Palestine at the international level?

The situation of the Palestinians is very difficult. When the Hamas movement participated in the election in 2006 and became involved in the Palestinian Authority, it stopped its armed resistance. During these years, the resistance has gone underground. Many of them have been arrested and their arms were confiscated. The resistance is surrounded from air, sea and land in the Gaza Strip. The only passage was the Rafah passage which can no longer be used after the mistake that Hamas made and the developments that happened in Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood members were arrested.

What is the ideal formula, in your opinion, for Jerusalem in the negotiations which could, at least, facilitate the trend of the peace process?

I personally believe that the issue of Palestine is not an issue which could be solved by the Palestinian Authority or several Palestinian organizations. This issue is the issue of the Arab world and the world of Islam. Jerusalem is the first Qibla of all Muslims and the place of ascendance for the Prophet. Therefore, so long as the world of Islam is not ready to fight against Israel, there would be no solution to this matter.

Look at the situation in the region. All countries are faced with chaos and instability. Those countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Iraq and Syria which should support the Palestinian ideals, are all confronted with domestic problems. Mr. Kerry takes advantage of this situation. So long as this situation continues in this region, there is no possibility that Jerusalem would be liberated, unless the region awakens and the Arab countries change their policies to end these crises.