ID :
203222
Wed, 08/24/2011 - 12:39
Auther :

Protests vital in Palestinian struggle, says Iraqi academic

London, Aug 24, IRNA – Public rallies, including annual Quds Day marches around the world, remain vital in supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people to obtain justice, says Iraqi academic Talib al-Saraf.

“Protests and demonstrations are an extremely important way of uniting people and standing in solidarity with the Palestinians,” Saraf told IRNA.

“Although their struggle has been going on for over 63 years, the injustices and aggression they have been subject to must not be forgotten,” he said.

The last Friday of Ramadan was designated as Quds Day by the late Islamic revolution leader Imam Khomeini in 1980 for people around the world to express their solidarity with the Palestinians and others suffering oppression.

“Protest is a form of resistance and a dignified human expression which must continue in Palestine and throughout the world,” the Iraqi academic said.

“Non-violent protests in Palestine have led to many small achievements including re-routing the apartheid wall in some villages,” he said,

Saraf said that civil society can come together in a number of grassroots way to support the Palestinians, including the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign, which is gaining momentum worldwide.

Quds Day marches have been taking place for the last 31 years and the Iraqi academic said that the Palestinians remain “affected every day by Israeli apartheid policies.”

“The situation is worse than 31 years ago with the introduction of the wall, increasing numbers of extremist settlements throughout the West Bank, the bombardment of Gaza, restrictions on movement and employment and a corrupt Palestinian Authority which does not represent the people,” he said.

Saraf suggested that a so-called ;'normalisation' process has resulted in a “facade where Palestinians living conditions seem to have improved but on the ground they are subject to daily humiliation at checkpoints, unemployment, poverty, restricted movement, restricted access to healthcare.”

“They are subjected to a humiliating Israeli occupation which targets people indiscriminate of age and gender. Palestinians continue to be killed, arrested and attacked. The situation of the Gazans of course is horrific.”

The academic said that peace prospects have not improved as most Palestinians believe there is “no peace without justice and at present there is still no justice.”

In his interview with IRNA, he referred to Israel still attacking the Palestinians “as and when they please” as the illegal occupation of the West Bank continues and Gaza has become the world's largest prison.

“The Palestinian bid for statehood may go ahead but the conditions of statehood are hugely contested such as what will happen to the settlements in the West Bank,” Saraf said.

“Becoming a member of the UN General Assembly may be a symbolic achievement but unlikely to change the situation on the ground in Palestine,” he suggested.

In the wake of pro-democracy protests sweeping the Middle East and North Africe, he also said that there were a number of reasons why the Arab uprising has not yet led to a third intifada in Palestine.

“Maybe Israel would push for a pseudo-peace process if the surrounding countries such as Egypt and Jordan change their governments and then their agreements with Israel but this is unlikely,” Saraf believed./end

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