Every year, millions of Muslims mark International Quds to underscore the plight of Palestinians as a manifestation of the Palestinian cause, heeding a call by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini (RA), who designated the last Friday of every Ramadan as the International Quds Day.
Quds Day is a unique form of a wide-aware campaign against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
International Quds Day is also held in several other countries, mainly in the Arab and Muslim world, with protests against Israel regime’s occupation of East Quds. Rallies are held in various cities by both Muslim and non-Muslim communities around the world.
To shed light on the issue, we reached out to American analyst and columnist Stephen Lendman with the following questions:
Some Arab countries are seeking to normalize ties with the Israeli regime and they have even started producing TV series on the issue to affect public opinion. Why do you think they pursue such normalization?
Since Britain’s 1917 Balfour Declaration during WW I, historic Palestine was targeted for elimination by the West. US-dominated Western policy remains the same, one-sidedly favoring the Israel regime, dismissive of Palestinian rights.
Jack Kennedy was the sole exception. Wanting peace over war, rapprochement with Soviet Russia, nuclear disarmament, respect for Palestinian rights, and the CIA disbanded, along with opposition to Pax Americana, made him a marked man — CIA assassins eliminating him.
Endless conflict, occupation, dispossession, and repression, along with social and cultural fragmentation define conditions for beleaguered Palestinians – over 100 years of suffering, no end of it in prospect, the world community dismissive of their rights.
Most Arab states were co-opted by the US and West during and after WW I, especially post-WW II.
None threatened Israel regime after the October 1973 Yom Kippur war — a near half-century of letting the Jewish state terrorize Palestinians with no threat of Arab community retaliation.
Today most Arab states, notably the Saudis and other Persian Gulf states, have or are seeking normalized ties with Israel regime— treating the Jewish state as a member of the Western community of nations.
As long as the US and Europe want things this way, Arab states will go along to assure normal political and economic relations with the West. As long as the US and Europe want things this way, Arab states will go along to assure normal political and economic relations with the West.
It’s all about serving their interests. Normalized relations with the Israel regime works to their advantage. Defenseless Palestinians have no saying about it so they’re considered expendable.
Without regional aid in helping them achieve liberation from oppressive Israeli occupation, they’re largely on their own to resist, their only viable option.
Do you believe such measures will be fruitful at the end of the day for legitimizing the Israeli occupation?
I believe nations at war with their own people and cross border against others like the US, other NATO states, Israel regime, the Saudis, and other despotic Arab nations are doomed to decline and fall over time.
It was the fate of all empires in history, the same fate for many repressive regimes. Over time, they became their own worst enemies. The US has been in decline for decades, especially post-9/11. Evidence one day may show that COVID-19 outbreaks and economic collapse affecting the world community were made in the USA for greater consolidation of wealth and power, along with other diabolical aims that include mass vaxxing with what’s hazardous to human health and welfare.
All repressive regimes like US, despotic Arab and Israeli are doomed to decline over time
No nation in history caused more harm to more people over a longer duration than the US. Other NATO countries, Israel regime, and complicit Arab states operate as junior partners against peace, equity, justice, and the rule of law.
Interview by Zahra Mirzafarjouyan
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