What happened during the events of the 14-28 July, when the "Al-Aqsa Intifada" took place, was an uprising with all its meaning. All five features of the first Intifada existed. First, all generations and ages took part in the uprising, all sexes, all classes, social groups, professions and local communities, including Muslims and Christians, Palestinians of Jerusalem and Palestinians inside the Green Line, religious and secular.
All participated together to protect our national existence, and its meaning embodied in the image and structure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Second, they demonstrated national unity, solidarity and cohesion: the slogans of factions were not raised. Third, there was a competition between everyone to provide food and drinks and other needs to the protesters without waiting for any support or funding. Third, Everyone was following the decisions of the four Sheikhs, [who signed the First Alexandria Declaration of the Religious Leaders of the Holy Land in 2002] the sound was one and the act was the same.
Fourth, the reflection of national resilience, self-esteem, and a high sense of dignity, was expressed by the absence of refraction in the face of the repression of the occupation forces and its daily attacks against the protesters. It amazed the Israeli police that the number of protesters was increasing day after day despite all the methods of repression and abuse. Perhaps this was the main factor that made the occupation forces retreat in the face of the high psychological resilience and the unrelenting willingness to give to our people.
Fifth, the characteristic of the peaceful and non-violent nature of the Intifada. The preservation of this character has enabled the continued participation of all groups, despite their varying capabilities, and has enabled the world to stand by and support the creative approach adopted by the Intifada participants.
Therefore, we have experienced an Intifada, not measured by the number of days, but measured by its qualities.
Many are trying to limit what has been achieved, which is only to prevent the occupation government from imposing electronic gates and surveillance cameras. This flawed view has not been able to take into account the following Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and international results:
A Palestinian living model has emerged here, and an additional glimmer of examples of what popular resistance can achieve, a model of lessons and mechanisms that can be absorbed and replicated elsewhere. Unfortunately, this model has not yet affected by both sides of the divide, leading them to unity.
On the other hand, the Arabs were forced to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and Jordan stood on its feet to follow up the event as well as other Arab countries. It is important also to say that those who were thinking of normalizing their relations with Israel after the Al-Aqsa Intifada would think a thousand times before they take such steps.
On the popular Arab and Islamic level we have seen the demonstrations of anger that have taken place in Amman, Istanbul and many other Arab and Islamic capitals and cities.
As for Europe, at the beginning the EU countries called on "the parties to exercise restraint and not to be dragged into violence." Later, as the nature of the matter became clear as a further step to impose full Israeli control on Jerusalem, there was a change in the European position, which called for the preservation of "The Religious and Historical Status of Al-Aqsa Mosque: The Status Quo."
The problem was the US position, which completely supported the Netanyahu's statement on the need for electronic doors and cameras to ensure security, so America chose to ensure the security of the occupation, and not the alternative way to put an end on it.
In this context, there is a need to speak with the Americans in order to make them understand that the Al-Aqsa Intifada must make them think a thousand times before taking the foolish step to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The Al-Aqsa Intifada has achieved all results. What remains important is the continuation of the popular struggle for the accumulation of other achievements, such as the end of the provocative settlers' incursions into the Aqsa Mosque, the cessation of settlement expansion and others steps on the way to end the longest settler colonial occupation of the last century.
