Special to AG-IP-News Agency 

By: Talal Abu-Ghazaleh

For decades, the Palestinian people have been through a long, painful struggle to free their land and exercise their right to self-determination. Despite their plight and the failure of the international community, they remain steadfast and insist on achieving their national objectives and maintaining their rights and security.

The international hypocrisy, especially by the West, which is reflected in embracing Ukraine while criminalizing the Palestinian resistance, raises critical questions about the consistency and fairness of international narrative and why one party is regarded as hero while the other is regarded as terrorist. The right to self-determination is a basic principle of the International Law and a basic human right of every people, as stipulated in numerous United Nations resolutions and international agreements. It is based on the principles of justice, equality, and respect for the dignity and rights of all individuals and communities.

The deep, long suffering of Palestinians has unfortunately been met with long silence from the international community in many cases. This silence helped the occupying entity to evade punishment. Meanwhile, Palestinians have been subject to displacement, occupation, economic hardships, movement restrictions, and violence, but amid all that they remain determined to protect their rights of self-determination, independence, and normal life.

It is unfortunate that the international community is reluctant to hold Israel accountable for its actions and has allowed it to continue to evade punishment. Despite all that, Palestinians have developed their ability to remain steadfast and self-reliant. Historically, they used to rely on the Arab military support to defend their cause, but they managed overtime to depend on themselves in their struggle for self-determination.

Palestinians’ struggle for justice, dignity, and independence has fostered a deep sense of adaptation and resilience in them in the face of the many challenges they have been facing throughout their history. The process of gaining immunity in this context reflects the ability of this resistant people to navigate the complex geopolitical terrain in which they find themselves, to become more efficient in defending their land, rights, and interests in the manner that suits them and by depending on themselves.

There is no doubt that those who monitor the current developments realize the gravity of the current situation. It is impossible for this situation to continue endlessly. The international community has a moral responsibility towards all of this.

The plight of Palestinians is a long lasting tragedy that requires urgent attention and decisive action. A just and lasting peace that is free of occupation must be achieved, based on implementation of the International Law. It is necessary that the international community act with conviction and determination to give life to this vision. This requires enforcing the International Law, dismantling the illegal settlements, and putting an end to the actions and practices that perpetuate human suffering.

Only through these concerted efforts can the international community fulfill its commitment to preserving Palestinian identity and the principles of justice, equality, and self-determination, ensuring that the promise of a just, lasting peace becomes a reality for the Palestinian people, Palestine, and the entire region.