TEHRAN - A Palestinian lawyer says that some Persian Gulf states are begging American protection and therefore welcome American presence in the region.

“The (Persian) Gulf is still begging American protection, and it has not yet come out of the idea of the possibility of cooperation between the countries of the region to establish the foundations of stability, while Iran always calls for it,” Saleh Abou-Izzah tells the Tehran Times.

“The (Persian) Gulf Arab states still believe that Washington can determine international equations and provide them with protection.” 

Abou-Izzah emphasizes that these Arab states welcome every American remark affirming its support for them.

“In fact, the Americans are concerned with their interests only at the expense of the peoples of this region,” the Palestinian activist adds.

Following is the text of the interview:

Q: How do you evaluate the Bab al-Silsilah operation? What are its repercussions in Palestine?

A: The Jerusalem operation was distinguished by the place of its implementation first. The Israeli occupation has put its greatest security focus to surround Jerusalem and its neighborhoods, exercising terrible security tightening on all Palestinians, once this operation came as a game-changer to question all of the Israeli security systems.

 This process took its echoes in all of occupied Palestine, in addition to the Arab and Islamic interaction with it, where it renewed the conflict between the executioner and the victim.  It showed that the Palestinians are able to resist under pressure and under all complicated circumstances; they adhere to the resistance as a way to liberate Palestine and counter the oppression.
The Jerusalem operation given to its implementation by a man over the age of forty came after a similar operation by a 16-year-old person which indicates that all segments of the Palestinian society support the act of resistance to defeat the occupying side.

Israeli violence is terrorism by virtue of occupation, while Palestinian violence is an act of legitimate resistance against occupation. Q: The Zionist sources consider every operation carried out by the Palestinians as an act of terrorism. What’s your reply?

A: Heavenly books and international laws guarantee the right of peoples to self-determination and to defend their lands in the case of any occupation.

Palestine is occupied land, and Israel has been established on the ruins of Palestinian land after hundreds of massacres the Zionists committed against the indigenous population from 1948 until today. The Palestinians have the right to defend themselves and their land in the face of occupation.

There is Israeli violence before any case of Palestinian violence, but Israeli violence is terrorism by virtue of occupation, while Palestinian violence is an act of legitimate resistance against the Zionist occupation.

Equality between the occupying power and the people under occupation is part of the upturned international scales, which contradict the spirit of international law, which denies the oppressive measures of the current international community led by the United States and the European states.

Q: What is your comment on the British government’s decision to outlaw Hamas as a terrorist organization? How it can affect the course of the resistance and struggle in Palestine?

A: Britain does not have the right to classify peoples, states and parties. It is a continuation of misguided arrogance against oppressed peoples.

Britain is engaged in establishing the Israeli regime in 1948 through the facilities it provided for the Zionists to immigrate to Palestine during the occupation period from 1917 to 1948.

 Instead of apologizing as atonement for its injustice against the Palestinian people, Britain continues its arrogance in the face the right by the Palestinian people to resist occupation.

Britain has classified the Al-Qassam Brigades as a terrorist organization and is now seeking to gain the confidence of the House of Commons to vote on designating the political wing of Hamas as a terrorist organization as well.

 I do not think that this will affect Hamas directly, but this decision will be used in the face of the British people, who came out by hundreds of thousands during the Battle of Sword of Jerusalem, denouncing the crimes committed by Israel and affirming the right of the Palestinians to resist the Zionists.

 There is an actual popular movement among the British public, rejecting Israel and emphasizing rights of the Palestinian people; this is what the Zionist lobbies in London fear in light of the sharp division in the Labor Party over the concepts of anti-Semitism, and in light of the desire of the Conservative party to support the Zionism and compliance with its orders.

Q: Can you update us about the living and health conditions in Gaza in light of the siege and the outbreak of Corona?

A: The Israel continues to practice the harshest siege on the Gaza Strip, and besiege it by land, sea and air; the Strip is suffering difficult conditions due to the Corona pandemic under the siege.

 It often prevents the entry of required amounts of vaccinations and bans many medicines, treatments and medical supplies needed to confront Corona and the difficult medical conditions. Israel is the one who controls all crossings into Gaza, controls all human and commercial crossings, and monitors everything that enters the Gaza Strip.

The resistance is trying to put pressure on Israel through mediators, especially the Egyptian and Qatari sides, but the achievements are still limited in the absence of international pressure on the Israeli regime that obliges it to comply with international norms.

Q: How do you see the efforts made by Persian Gulf Arab states to establish security in the region, which were represented in the Manama Dialogue 2021?

A: I think that the Manama Dialogue is a call for an escalation in the region and not an effort for pacification.

The (Persian) Gulf is still begging American protection, and it has not yet come out of the idea of the possibility of cooperation between the countries of the region to establish the foundations of stability, while Iran always calls for it.

The (Persian) Gulf the Arab states still believe that Washington can determine international equations and provide them with protection. That is why they welcome every American statement emphasizing this matter, neglecting the disastrous American defeat in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

In fact, the Americans are concerned with their interests only at the expense of the people of this region. Normalization of ties with Israel will not bring stability to the region because it is a temporary and fleeting regime.

It is not possible to rely on these dialogues and meetings with the presence of the Americans and the Israelis, who spare no effort to undermine the sovereignty of countries and rob their wealth. Serious and real dialogue is the dialogue between the countries and players of the region, which will help in resolving crises and overcoming obstacles.

The (Persian) Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are playing an unconstructive role in the region. The Yemeni crisis, which led to the worst images of a collapsed state, especially on the humanitarian level, is caused by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

They are still convinced of the military solution in Yemen, which has proven to be a complete failure.