Al-Aqsa Intifada ... 7 years of Steadfastness and Sacrifice

29 September 2007

On September 28th 2000, Ariel Sharon violated Al-Aqsa Mosque in a visit aiming to undermine the Islamic nature of the Mosque. Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated against this aggressive visit.

Most observers estimated that the demonstrations would continue for a few days or weeks. Ariel Sharon confirmed that he will finish this Intifada within 40 days However, seven years have passed; and Palestinians still persist in the resistance against the occupation with the grace of Allah. The people have shown extraordinary steadfastness, determination, and sacrifice in the face of the most brutal occupation machine and the crime perpetrated against innocents.

The Palestinian people have disappointed the capitulatory elements that kept on championing realism slogans, declaring that our people’s struggle was over and that we had nothing else left to accept except what the Zionists offer at the begging tables which they falsely call “negotiations”!

Our people have displayed and still are displaying astonishing steadfastness and unprecedented determination to regain their right to their national soil and rejection of undermining that right under any pretext. The Zionist terrorist campaigns employed all means to enforce surrender on our people and factions including live bullets, internationally-banned explosive bullets, artillery and tank shells and American-made planes such the Apaches and the F-16s and others. Consequently all conspiracies to abort the Intifada were foiled due to that people’s solid determination and their dependence on Allah first and foremost then on backing of the Arab and Islamic masses.

Huda Ghalia cries beside the body of her father, who was killed in an explosion on a Gaza beach on June 9. (Photograph: AFP/Getty Images)

Zionist occupation forces persist in these crimes with total impunity from the international community. The screams of Huda Ghalia and other children whose families were brutally murdered have gone unanswered. Over the past year hundred of Palestinian casualties fell at the hands of occupation forces, and thousands were kidnapped and imprisoned.

Arab and Islamic countries should shoulder their duty in backing the Palestinian people’s steadfastness to stick to their excellent stand in rejecting attempts to label Palestinian resistance as terrorism. Our people’s resistance should never be put alongside terrorism. For resistance is our legitimate right to get rid of the illegitimate Zionist occupation to our beloved land.