Devastation was only achievement of Arabs normalizing ties with Israel

“The usurping Israeli entity has offered Arabs nothing other than destruction in the aftermath of normalization of diplomatic relations with a number of Arab countries. Rising tensions across the occupied territories are likely to reach a dangerous level due to the regime’s escalatory measures,” Khaled Meshaal, head of the Palestinian group's office in the diaspora, said on Saturday night.

He described normalization of ties between some Arab countries and Israel as harmful for both present and future generations of the Arab and Muslim worlds, and regional security.

“The main objective of normalization is destruction of Arab countries. It is a stab in the back of the Palestinian nation,” the senior Hamas official said.
The Israeli regime, under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, normalized diplomatic relations with United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco in 2020.

Palestinian leaders, activists and ordinary people have repeatedly rejected Arab-Israeli normalization deals as “a stab in the back” of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Meshaal stated that the far-right Israeli administration led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set escalation of tensions in al-Quds, the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the West Bank high on its agenda, emphasizing that “Peace cannot be achieved without resistance, and it will not be sustainable otherwise.”

He noted that situation on the ground will inflame during the holy fasting month of Ramadan as a result of the Israeli regime’s persistent aggression and recurrent crimes.

“We are facing a difficult situation. Palestinian people know that the liberation of their homeland will only take place through all-out resistance.

“Palestinians must unite on the battlefield. We must unite against the cabinet of thugs, as the resistance front united in Nablus, Jenin, the Gaza strip and elsewhere,” the Hamas leader pointed out.

Meshaal went to lambast the recent meeting of senior officials from Israel, the Palestinian Authority (PA), the United States, Jordan, and Egypt in the Jordanian resort city of Aqaba, saying, “Zionist criminals do not commit themselves to any agreement. This is what we saw after the so-called Aqaba security meeting — once bitten, twice shy.”

Tensions have been rising across the occupied West Bank as Israeli forces launch raids on a daily basis under the pretext of detaining what the regime calls “wanted” Palestinians. The raids usually lead to deadly attacks against residents.

Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.

A Palestinian aid worker was killed, hundreds of others wounded, and dozens of homes and cars were torched during the last week’s rampage by Jewish extremists in the town of Huwwara.

On February 22, widespread confrontations broke out in Nablus. The Israeli forces blocked off all entrances to the occupied northern West Bank city before surrounding a home with two high-profile Palestinian resistance fighters, identified as Hossam Isleem and Mohammad Abdulghani.

Following the raid, at least 11 Palestinians, including the two resistance fighters, were killed. Another 102 people were also injured – 82 hit by live ammunition, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Moreover, on January 26, Israeli forces raided the city of Jenin and its neighboring refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank, killing ten Palestinians in another deadly raid in years.

The United Nations marked 2022 as the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank in 16 years.

Israeli forces killed at least 171 Palestinians in the West Bank and occupied East al-Quds last year, including more than 30 children. At least 9,000 others were also injured.