TEHRAN— In a televised speech on International Quds Day, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, stated that the issue of Palestine is the top priority of the Islamic world, and the fight against Israel is a public duty.

"Is there a weaker, more unfounded logic than that used for establishing the Zionist regime? As they claim, Europeans oppressed Jews during the Second World War. So they say that should revenge oppression by displacing a nation in West Asia and committing horrible massacres there," the Leader said.

Stating that the East and West both helped Israel, the Leader remembered the history of the usurping regime. "The two camps of capitalism and communism colluded with Zionist Qaroons (Korahs). Britain masterminded and pursued the plot. The U.S.S.R. was the first government to recognize the establishment of that illegitimate state officially, and they sent a large number of Jews there."

Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Israel isn't a country; it's a terrorist camp against Palestinians and other Muslim nations. Fighting this despotic regime is fighting against oppression and terrorism. And this is everyone's responsibility."

He noted that since day one, Zionists have turned occupied Palestine into a base for terrorism. 

The Leader stated that the balance of power has shifted to the benefit of the world of Islam and Muslims' cooperation on Quds is a nightmare for Zionists. 

"The failed 'Deal of the Century' and efforts to normalize relations between a few weak Arab states and the Zionist regime were desperate attempts to flee that nightmare," Ayatollah Khamenei said. 

He stressed that these attempts wouldn't get anywhere.

"I tell you with confidence, the downward spiral leading to the decline of the hostile Zionist regime has started and will not stop," the Leader said. 

Discussing paths to solve the Palestine issue, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that two factors determine the future, persistent resistance in Palestine and global support for Palestinian fighters. 

He also praised the martyrs of Resistance, the martyrs Sheikh Ahmed Yasin, Abbas Musawi, Fathi Shaqaqi, Imad Mughniyeh, Abdul-Aziz Rantisi, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and finally, the prominent figure among Resistance martyrs, Qasem Soleimani. "Their lives and martyrdoms influenced Resistance."

The Leader referred to the origin of Palestine in the Quran, saying, "Palestine is described in the Quran as 'the Holy Land.' For years, this pure land has been occupied by the evilest people, racists who for more than 70 years have been harassing the land's owners by slaying, looting, imprisoning and torturing them. But they have failed to break their willpower."

Noting the responsibility of all Muslim nations and states on the issue of Palestine, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Palestinians themselves are the "axis of Jihad." 

"Their population today reaches to about 14 million people inside and outside their land. The unity and unanimous willpower of these people will work wonders," the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said. 

Introducing the "strategy of coalescence," the Leader stated that all Palestinians, including those in Gaza, in Quds, in the West Bank, in the lands of 1948 and even those in refugee camps, form a single unit, and they should adopt the strategy mentioned above. 

Referring to the humiliating defeats of the Israeli army, the Leader said, "Today, the balance of power has radically shifted. Now and after experiencing the 33-day war in Lebanon and the 22-day and 8-day wars in Gaza, the Zionist enemy that described itself as 'the army that will never be defeated' has turned into 'an army that will never taste victory.'"

Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the internal conflicts of the usurping regime, exemplifying the increasing desire of Jews to emigrate from Israel. 

"As for the political situation, the Zionist regime has been forced to hold four elections in two years. In terms of security, it keeps failing. Moreover, the increasing desire of Jews to emigrate from that land has become a source of embarrassment for that pretentious regime," he said.

Referring to Abraham Accords and normalization of relations between Israel and UAE, Sudan and Bahrain, the Leader said, "Tens of years ago, the Zionist regime established relations with Egypt, but it has become much more vulnerable since then. Therefore, will the normalization of relations with a few weak, pitiful countries be able to help that regime?"

He reminded Muslim and Christian scholars of their most important duty, stating that they must declare normalization to be religiously forbidden, calling it "a stab in the back to Palestine." 

"Intellectuals and free individuals should explain for everyone the results of this treachery," he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei said that a referendum would determine the political system. 

He offered a solution to the issue of Palestine, saying, "Original residents of all ethnicities and religions will vote in it (the referendum). That political system, which has been chosen by referendum, will bring back to their own country all of those who have been displaced, and it will decide about the foreign settlers."

He then urged the Palestinian fighters to continue their "legitimate, morally correct" fight against the usurping regime "until it is forced to submit to a referendum being conducted."

At the end of his speech, he referred to a verse from Surah Al-Hajj, verse 40, which says, "God will certainly aid those who aid His cause," and urged the Palestinians to move forward in the name of God.

'Let the cry for the liberation of Palestine be accompanied by the cry for the trial of the Zionists'

Mohsen Baharvand, Legal and International Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote an article on the anniversary of International Quds Day.

In his article, he wrote, "The impunity of international criminals in the absence of a supranational mechanism is one of the most significant shortcomings of the global system.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where justice is so low.

The Zionist regime regularly and daily commits a collection of international crimes in occupied Palestine. But why should the world impunity international criminals in the occupied territories and not take effective action to prosecute the criminals and prevent these crimes that affect the human conscience?

Under Trump, the United States was so rude that it threatened to sanction the International Criminal Court, an international body, and impose sanctions on its prosecutor, stating that the International Criminal Court would be sanctioned if it investigated the crimes of the U.S. military or its allies. With such a statement, the United States declared that this government and its partners committed the crime, but the world must turn a blind eye to these crimes to cast a shadow of impunity on the criminals.

At the same time, it can be said that on this side of the issue, Islamic countries and other members of the international system should make an effective effort to answer and implement criminal justice for the criminals who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories. Unfortunately, they have not done so yet.

The liberation of Palestine from the occupation of Zionism is not an ideal but a legal obligation and commitment, and no civilized country have agreed to aggression and occupation and the destruction of a nation. The world must take practical and tangible action against the occupation of the Palestinian territories and put pressure on Israel to stop this criminal act.

Silence on the issue of Palestine is a crime against all of humanity."

The International Quds Day falls on the last Friday of Ramadan, which collides with May 7 this year.

SA/AJ