ShareKUWAIT: Lieutenant General Jibril Rajoub, Palestinian Minister of Youth and Sports and Head of the Palestinian Scout Association, expressed admiration for the Kuwaiti people, lauding them as an Arab-Islamic model. He expressed hope that Kuwait’s example would spread throughout the Arab and Islamic nations, becoming a source of inspiration. He extended his gratitude to HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, acknowledging his role as a symbol of unity, along with HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and the government and people of Kuwait, extolling Kuwait’s efforts in its delivery of a powerful message, showcasing a profound commitment to the Palestinian cause.
Rajoub said Kuwait’s hospitality during the match of the Palestinian football team extended beyond athletic performance, resonating even in the dedication of players, some hailing from the Gaza Strip. These individuals carry the heavy weight of uncertainty, with the constant anticipation of potential martyrdom of their families. Despite these challenges, their commitment and resilience mirror the broader spirit of Arab solidarity.
Within the political realm, he stated that adhering to the Fatahists’ perspective politics and struggle shape their future. The strength of the Palestinian cause, as emphasized, resides in the strategic human reserve of seven million Palestinians. “Safeguarding this resource is a national responsibility, requiring the provision of all necessary conditions for the steadfastness and survival of these individuals. Their resilience, in turn, becomes the bedrock of strength for the Palestinian cause,” he said.
Internationally, there is a growing consensus on the justness of the Palestinian issue. The proposed solution involves establishing an independent Palestinian state and addressing the refugee dilemma in alignment with United Nations resolutions. Crucially, this consensus underscores the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, emphasizing that they stand as the guardians of their destiny without external imposition. This recognition on the global stage contributes to the legitimacy and strength of the Palestinian cause.
On the other hand, Rajoub expressed his disappointment with the outcomes of the Arab Summit, wondering where the political will, executive mechanisms and financial support for the Palestinian people are. “Our policy must be realistic and consistent with our aspirations and ambitions, which must be based on three national pillars — Palestinian national unity, a regional and accurate understanding of the complexities, agendas, interests and circumstances that the region is experiencing, and the international pillar, which is based on international legitimate decisions and a system of values ??for the people, to determine the fate and rights of women and children, international interests and how to protect them,” he added.
Rajoub indicated that what happened on Oct 7 was a turning point. “It is a defensive war that the Palestinian people have been waging for 75 years. This event must be evaluated in its defensive context, and the one who bears responsibility for this event is the (Zionist) aggression. Their reaction was part of an ongoing, round-the-clock, year-round aggression of unilateral aggressive actions that targeted every land and every Palestinian, whether in the West Bank, Gaza or Jerusalem,” he explained.
After October 7, he said: “The pace of aggression took an unprecedented turn, where the Zionist entity force is a rightwing fascist force that does not recognize the existence of the people of Palestine, and their roots are supremacist racism. They were able to provide an international umbrella led by America to protect this official terrorism, which includes genocide.” He added 45-50 percent of martyrs are children, 30 percent are elderly, while infrastructure destruction exceeds 50 percent. With this method, the Zionist entity has the goal of revenge and sending a message of terror to the people to break their will and force displacement or create living conditions that are not conducive to survival after the war, he pointed out.
Rajoub stressed that the recent events brought about a state of defeat for the army, the Zionist aggression, as well as exposing their lies, and made Zionist citizens unsure about their personal security and the settlement project. There are a quarter of a million Jews present in hotels due to the lack of personal security. “What happened foiled the goal of (the Zionist entity) to integrate into the Middle East region and its goal in isolating it from the Palestinian cause,” he said.
Regarding the four-day truce in Gaza, he said: “We are happy with this truce, but this truce should be a part of the roadmap for peace. There are 5,000 prisoners from 1985 until now, and this is a bleeding wound that will not be closed unless they are all liberated.”
“We have developed a policy based on the establishment of a Palestinian state. The organization is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. International legitimacy is the beacon and reference for resolving the conflict and the unity of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967. These are red and sacred lines linked to a political horizon. Of course, we are positive, but we are also developing mechanisms to end divisions, unite the homeland and seek a resolution. The Palestinian leadership is in agreement with all political forces,” he noted.
Regarding expansion of settlements, Rajoub said there must be a firm and decisive international stance towards this spreading cancer, pointing out this is considered a danger even to the Zionists who want to live in peace, and a danger to world peace and regional stability. There are 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank and more than 2 million in Gaza, and they are a people with a civilization, heritage, values and all components that enable them to have a state and an independent country, and they will not give up on that.
Meanwhile, Rajoub praised the role of Egypt and Jordan. “These two countries share our hope and pain, and what happened recently was a touchstone and a test. The position of Egypt and Jordan is a position consistent with protecting their national security in that the solution is to establish the State of Palestine. We are with them with the same goals,” he said.
“From the first day till the seventh of October, the Zionists sought to expand the war into a regional war, and it was the American administration that refused and is still refusing. If a regional war occurs, nuclear weapons will be used, and the international community will have no interest,” he argued. “The truce was imposed on them by international and US will, and we hope that this will be transformed into policy. The legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people also played a role. But the question is — are the international pressure elements capable of making the truce last and turn into stopping the aggression against the Palestinians in all occupied Palestinian territories?” he asked.
