Hamas’s former chief Khaled Mishaal attributed the world’s apathy vis-à-vis the Palestinian cause to a set of intertwined causes most notable among which being the Israel-U.S. pressure.
Speaking at a seminar staged by Al-Jazeera Center for Studies in Doha Mishaal said the crises rocking the Middle East have resulted in declining support for the Palestinian cause.
“The nation’s enemies with Israel being on top of the list have been deliberately fueling sectarian and racial strife to divide the Arabs” said Mishaal.
The Hamas leader also pointed out the ambivalence characterizing the world order saying many superpowers most notably the U.S. Russia China and India are struggling to win the lion’s share.
“Every state has different interests and therefore a different position as regards the Palestinian cause” explained Mishaal.
Commenting on the “Israeli factor” Hamas’s former chief said Israel has been taking advantage of the weakness of the Palestinian leadership internal division and Arabs’ apathy vis-à-vis the cause.
“Israel has managed to establish strong bonds with a number of Arab States with the help of the U.S. President Donald Trump” he stated.
Mishaal also attributed the declining back up for the Palestinian cause to the intra-Palestinian division.
He further warned of the upshots of the so-called “century’s deal” which he said aims to satisfy the U.S. and Israel by keeping pro-Israel regimes in power despite of the flagrant human rights violations perpetrated by such regimes.
“The U.S. has already received the deal. It just seeks to reproduce it cover it up and forward it to the world as an American peace project” added Mishaal.
The Hamas leader also explained that the deal aims to prop up Israel’s sovereignty over Occupied Jerusalem and to eliminate the refugees’ right of return to their motherland instead of pushing for removing illegal settlements and establishing a Palestinian State on the 1967 borders. “A self-rule in the West Bank will thus be the utmost of what the Palestinians can get out of the deal.”
“Unfortunately a number of Arab regimes have turned the Palestinian cause into a bargaining chip just to remain in power” Hamas’s former chief concluded.
