‘Israel’s failure to understand peace prompts further Palestinian resistance’

Palestinians have no other choice but to resist, as Israelis do not understand the language of peace, says an activist, amid intensified tensions across the occupied territories as the Israeli regime doubles down on desecrating Islamic sanctities.

Khaled Barakat, also a journalist, told Press TV on Friday that recent retaliatory attacks against Israelis are natural responses to Tuesday and Wednesday attacks against the Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque’s compound.

“The Palestinians have no other choices but to resist occupation and to escalate their resistance. This is the path and language that Israel understands, as Israel doesn’t understand any language of peace,” Barakat said.

Tensions ran high once again since Tuesday night when dozens of heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound before firing tear gas and stun grenades into the Qibli prayer hall, where hundreds of men, women, elderly people, and children were staying overnight to pray. Some eyewitnesses said rubber-coated steel bullets were also fired.

Israeli officers then beat worshipers with batons and riot guns, wounding many, before arresting them.

Within less than 24 hours, the regime’s forces staged a second attack against the Palestinian worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israeli forces attack Palestinian worshippers at al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli forces have raided the al-Aqsa Mosque compound again.

On Thursday, at least 30 rockets were reportedly launched from southern Lebanon into the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation against the Israeli aggression against al-Aqsa.

Resistance fighters based in Gaza also fired several rockets toward the occupied territories. Palestinian sources said the regime’s Iron Dome failed to intercept most of the retaliatory rockets.

Following the rocket attack, Israeli warplanes hit targets inside Gaza and positions of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in Lebanon.

The unrest also gave rise to other retaliatory operations led by resistance fighters. On Friday, at least two Israeli settlers were killed and another was seriously wounded after they came under a shooting attack in the northern part of the West Bank.

Hamas praised as “heroic” the Friday shooting operation, saying it showed resistance forces are ready to quickly react to any act of aggression by the Israeli regime.

On the same day, at least one person was killed and many more were injured in separate shooting and car-ramming operations in Tel Aviv in the occupied territories.

Barakat told Press TV that “Palestinians are not surprised that Israel and Israeli soldiers settlers the paramilitary are again attacking peaceful worshipers.” “This is a systematic Israeli policy.”

He said Israelis are trying to turn the conflict into a “religious” one which serves their interests.

He also slammed the US and other Western powers for their “full support” to Israel.

“The usual colonialist powers want to plunder the resources of the region and use Israel as their military colony in the region,” he added.

However, Barakat said that the illegitimate Israeli regime, which was established some 75 years ago, is a “project doomed to fail” because it does not belong to the region.

Rocket barrages fired from Lebanon as Hezbollah warns Israel over Aqsa Mosque raids

At least 30 rockets have reportedly been launched from southern Lebanon into the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation for raids by Israeli forces.

‘Palestinians will not surrender’

Mkhaimar Abusada, Professor of Political Science at al-Azhar University, also told Press TV that Israel’s aggression and continued attacks will not go unanswered by Palestinians.

He said decades-long occupation, settlement expansion, desecration of sanctities, etc. are totally unacceptable by Palestinians who “have nothing to lose” anymore.

“In the absence of serious negotiations, Palestinians have no other option but to rely on their resistance and support it to fight back. Palestinians are not going to surrender and they have to do whatever it takes to defend themselves,” he said.

All retaliatory attacks’ goals are “to send a crystal clear message to Israel that Israeli attacks and Israeli aggression against al-Aqsa Mosque will not be tolerated by the Palestinians and the resistance camp in the region,” he concluded.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir