In statements to ‘Sputnik’, it was said that the launch of the Fatah movement focused efforts on the Palestinian cause. The movement has continued on this path and will persist due to its strong connection to the cause and its essence, solely based on nationalism free from various ideologies and dependencies.
It was added that this legacy, created by Yasser Arafat and his comrades through continuous struggle by the people on all fronts, whether in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, or abroad, formed a backbone for the cause. It was noted that the internal struggle arena, which started with military action and then extended to popular spread, continued by forming Fatah committees and women’s committees for social work.
This spread, along with other Palestinian organizations under the umbrella of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) with its various arms, caused a significant shift in the struggle. It was emphasized that the first Intifada was one of the most important milestones, leaving a substantial impact on the course of the Palestinian cause, as the stone became a weapon that reached all corners of the globe, creating international pressure towards solving the cause.
Harb believes this pressure led to the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s, which marked a qualitative shift for the Palestinian people’s struggle by moving from abroad to inside the homeland. It was confirmed that this stage became a building station for the Palestinian state, where the Palestinian National Authority was formed.
It was pointed out that in all these milestones, the leader and symbol left a direct impact with his presence and ability to overcome the challenges facing this cause, such as the siege of Beirut and Ramallah, the Jordan station, Israeli attacks on the organization and Fatah movement, in addition to the internal conflicts that were surpassed during his era. All these milestones formed a credit for a unique leader who managed to shape the Palestinian identity and nationalism, establishing an entity on the homeland, albeit incomplete.
It was stressed that this milestone is the most important for this great leader who maintained hope and an optimistic vision, which instilled hope in the hearts of the Palestinian people. This legacy supports the people’s resilience and understanding of the Palestinian cause, considering it an existential issue for a people whom some tried to expel from their land, but they returned and centered in their homeland.
It was explained that the Palestinian people, despite what they are suffering today from genocide, land grabbing, and brutal practices and violations in the West Bank, Gaza, and inside prisons, hold a firm conviction that they are steadfast and resolute on their land. This is the fruit of accumulated struggle and a belief that we are moving towards freedom and establishing the Palestinian state, and a just solution for the refugee issue.
Today marks the 21st anniversary of the martyrdom of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat ‘Abu Ammar’. The anniversary comes amid a war of extermination and ethnic cleansing targeting the Palestinian presence, according to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA).
