TEL AVIV — Palestinian jihadists are calling for a continuation of ongoing clashes with Israeli soldiers and security forces in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
According to the jihadists, a new Intifada was ignited on Friday in the Palestinian territories and will only intensify. This even though the number of protesters reportedly dwindled to the hundreds on Saturday from thousands the day before.
“The Intifada has begun in all the Palestinian territories and it will escalate in every place,” Iran-backed Islamic Jihad member Hader Habib stated. He pointed to “Palestinian anger over the American decision that shows, once again, that the current American administration is no different than the previous one: just a puppet in the hands of the Zionist lobby.”
According to Habib, “The Palestinian organizations are determined to continue the Intifada and actions of anger to stress the fact that Jerusalem is Palestinian, Arab and purely Islamic and has no room for occupiers or those who help them.”
Habib said that the Palestinian factions are meeting regularly to discuss ways to ensure the continuation of the “Intifada” and to escalate it.
The Islamic Jihad terrorist blamed the Israeli and American governments for the deterioration of the situation in the Palestinian territories without a trace of irony in light of his calling for an escalation of violence. He further called on the leadership of the Palestinian Authority “to withdraw from the Oslo Accords and end security cooperation with the Zionist occupation.”
“The position of the Palestinian Authority still hasn’t developed to the necessary level,” said Habib. “We expect the PA to join hands with our people in this Intifada to reverse the American decision. This is the opinion of every Palestinian faction.”
From within Fatah, the movement led by PA president Mahmoud Abbas, Munir al-Jagoub said that America’s recent decision effectively gives a green light to Israel to continue its policy of settlements.
Al-Jagoub, the director of Fatah’s communications department, called on all the factions to form a national strategy to confront Israel and bring an end to the “occupation.” Many Palestinian factions consider the entire State of Israel to be “occupied” territory.
“The United States has taken an aggressive stance against the Palestinian people by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” said the Fatah official. “It has violated every decision and international convention, including the bilateral agreements, while preferring to go against international consensus in all regards to Jerusalem.”