Quds Day very significant for Palestinian cause: Writer

Press TV has conducted an interview with Jafar Ramini, a Palestinian writer and political commentator from London, about the importance of the International Quds Day for the Palestinians.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: How do you feel about the importance of the International Quds Day rallies and keeping of course the Palestinian cause front and center?

Ramini: It’s a very important day and I want to thank the Islamic Republic of Iran for creating this day through the late Ayatollah Khomeini to keep not only Jerusalem but Palestine in focus. What is happening in Jerusalem and what’s been happening in Jerusalem for the last 70 years concerns not only us – the Palestinians – but every decent Muslim and Arab.

The Judaization of Jerusalem is going ahead apace and nobody is trying to do anything to stop it. I want to thank everybody who goes out today and says Palestine and the Palestinians need and must have justice. Again thank you for Iran and thank you for the people of Iran and the people of the Arab and Muslim world who are standing up for what is our basic rights and our human rights.

Press TV: Mr. Ramini, you know the criticisms of course of International Quds Day rallies, those that come from pro-Israel lobbies and those who are pro-Israel experts etc. They say that these are anti-Semitic rallies, how do you respond to that?

Ramini: This is the norm. Israel is a taboo as far as these people are concerned. Nobody is allowed to criticize Israel no matter what Israel does. Anti-Semitism is passé. Nobody believes them anymore. Yesterday in London, the leader of the opposition who was under attack by Zionist Jewish groups said a very simple and conciliatory sentence that “We cannot blame all the Jews for what Israel does and all the Muslims for what Daesh and ISIS does.” And all hell broke loose. They accuse him again of being insensitive and being inflammatory and by comparing Israel to ISIS. I suggest as a Palestinian who knows first hand what goes on in Palestine on a daily basis, Israel is worse than ISIS and Israel is a party to the creation and helping of ISIS and Daesh.

So, these people have no grounds to stand on. They will use this anti-Semitism or self-hating Jew or whatever for and against anybody who there is to criticize Israel. Israel is not above the law. Israel should be brought to heel and pay for its crimes against Palestine, against the Palestinians and against humanity.

Press TV: I want to get your thoughts. In 2016, do you think that Palestinians are closer to achieving their freedom?

Ramini: Far from it, unfortunately the Palestinian leadership is not without blame. We are divided, we are fragmented, we keep pontificating and having meetings in Qatar and Cairo and here and there for unity government and this government doesn’t happen. Unfortunately, whatever happens in the Middle East be it in Palestine, the Arab world or in Turkey, we finish paying the price. We - the Palestinians - have no backing, have no army, have no air force, have no navy, and we don’t have the most evil empire known to man the United States of America protecting us.

On the contrary, when we raise our heads to say this is our land, this is unfair and we must resist, we are tagged as terrorists and we are cornered and pushed every single day of our lives. No, the answer is no. We are nowhere near and I, as far as I’m concerned, a Palestinian of a certain age, I am not for a two-state solution, I am for one democratic state with equal rights and equal obligations to all its citizens under the law. The Israelis who committed crime against Palestine should be held accountable and Israel should obey the international law and pay compensation and repatriation for the Palestinians who were forcibly expelled and they’re now millions in number.

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