Working on ceasefire says Palestine envoy, condoles death of Kerala woman in Israel

Palestine's envoy to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber Abualhayjaa has said that his government has been "working for the ceasefire from the first day" when it comes to the ongoing situation with Israel. According to him over 200 people have lost lives in West Bank and Gaza due to actions by Israel. 

Speaking to our Diplomatic Correspondent, Sidhant Sibal exclusively, Amb. Adnan Abualhayjaa hoped that India won't make a reference to Temple Mount, as it is "encouraging Israelis and that matter will lead to religious war".  Temple Mount, which is which is the holiest site in Judaism is known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.

He also condoled the death of Indian National Soumya Santhosh. Santhosh a caregiver who died in Israel's Ashkelon in a rocket strike is survived by her 9-year-old son and her husband. This is his first-ever interview amid the ongoing escalating violence between Israel and Palestine that started after violence in Jerusalem and possible eviction of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhood.

Q: What is the current situation when it comes to the ongoing conflict? Will you call it a full-scale war?

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: The current situation in Palestine is mainly for 2 reasons. First is the occupation, as long as the occupation continues. Who is ignoring the Oslo Agreement, who is ignoring all the agreements with Palestinian authorities, who is killing, jailing every day in the West Bank, restricting the movement of Palestinian people via the 600 military checkpoints, is controlling 60% of the west bank, restricting the people's movement, controlling tax money of Palestinians, refusing the elections in Jerusalem. Secondly, Mr Netanyahu himself. Netanyahu as you know, there was the 4th election in Israel and he has failed to form a government. Netanyahu is very clever, how to make problems, so he has started calling the right-wing of the Israelis to go to Al Aqsa and sent those people to restrict the worshippers from praying in Al Aqsa. Before it became military, it was the issue of Al Aqsa and Sheikh Jarrah area where they want to displace 28 families living in their houses for 70 years. He wants to put obstacles in forming the government, so he has started with these problems because if other parties are able to form the government, Netanyahu because of corruption he might go to jail. Sure it's a war, and it is not any way, it's a very bad war. Because the victim of this war is, civilian people mainly. We are on the 8th day of the war and we have lost, 218 people in the west bank and Gaza, more than 5600 people have been injured. In the west bank, no weapon with Palestinian people, no rockets, nothing.250 of the wounded people has been wounded in the metal bomb. Israelis are making war crimes on both sides, in Gaza and in the West Bank. It's a very bad war, hope it will end soon.

Q: How do you think the international community can support Palestine?

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Israel is an exact copy of South Africa during the apartheid time. We live in an apartheid regime in Palestine. There are 2 or more than 2 laws in Israel. There is a law for the Jewish people, there is a law for a Palestinian who has Israeli nationality and there is another law, the military law for Palestinian people living in the occupied area, west bank, including Jerusalem and Gaza strip. The international community could help a lot, first of all, they should boycott Israel, exactly as South Africa has been boycotted. Secondly, Americans should stop its pressure on other countries to take action against Israel. Many of the European countries take action and American pressure has come there and they will go back. Hope there will be real pressure from the international community to follow the united nation resolution. Israel is the only country, in the world which is over the international community. UN resolutions, they refuse everything. Hundreds of resolutions, from the security council to the general assembly of the UN. It is the only country that can refuse everything. 

Q: Will Palestinian authorities call for a ceasefire?

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We are In the beginning, we had talks with some Arab countries like Egypt. Because Egypt normally coordinates in these matters. With Qatar..we spoke with France, Britain. Our foreign minister was in Europe, he was working hard with the European Union for the ceasefire. From the first day, we started to work on the ceasefire. We called on the security council, to have a resolution for the ceasefire. But 3 times, Americans refused, including on Sunday.

Q: Then there is the issue of Hamas's rocket attacks, something that has been condemned globally...

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: First of all let me present my condolences for that lady who has passed away in Israel. We feel sorry that we have lost one Indian in this conflict. So my condolences to the Indian people and her family. Secondly, the rockets of Hamas are a reaction, not an action. The main thing is the occupation. I am with destroying all weapons, Israel and Palestine not using weapons. When we had signed the Oslo agreement, we signed it to live side by side in peace, security, coordinate in everything together as neighbors. Since that time, 1993, up to now, Israel is refusing everything, destroying everything. I think we will go to the question of 2 state solutions and they are destroying 2 state solutions. Rockets is a reaction, and hope we won't see any aggression on the Palestinian people, in Gaza and West Bank.

Q: Can President Mahmoud Abbas prevail over Hamas, and is Hamas trying to exploit political space?

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: President Mahmoud Abbas in connection with the leaders of Hamas, because of that he was working for the ceasefire from the first day. Any war it is to both sides, you need another one to control the Israelis and their crimes, otherwise, we will see another war, another war, right. Without ending this occupation, for neighbors to live side by side, according to the international resolutions, agreements have been signed with the Israelis, I think there is no security in the area at all. 

Q: Is Hamas trying to use the political vacuum in Gaza, West Bank vis-a-vis the election schedule...

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: We are a democratic state, we have a democratic institution everything. If Hamas via elections, take advantage of that and win the election we have no problem. Let Hamas control the country. They are the main party of the Palestinian people, they have a political department as the organization. If they win the elections, we will welcome that and we will give them the authority. we have no problem, this is a democracy. 

Q: How do you see India's statement at the UNSC. New Delhi reiterated its "strong support to the Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the two state solution".

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: India is a very close friend to Palestine and I would like to thank, Indian govt when they say they strongly support the just cause of the Palestinian people. Only one thing, there is something which I have seen in the statement, which is Al Masjid Al Aqsa/Temple Mount which is a new expression. Al-Masjid Al Aqsa since the British was nominated to rule Palestine, 1929 a mission had come from the United Nations after some conflict between the Palestinian Muslims and Jews at that time. They checked everything in Al Aqsa and said everything in Al Aqsa is a Muslim place and Jewish people pray near the wall. It was like that without any problem. Secondly, Al Aqsa mosque is registered in UNESCO as a Muslim place. So hope this one not to be used again because encouraging Israelis in that matter will lead to religious war which is not acceptable to anyone. India is supporting Palestine, we thank them very much, not only in the political side but they also helped in many other things building hospitals, schools, diplomatic institutions, women empowerment centers, they help Palestine in many ways.  

Q: Current situation of the COVID crisis when it comes to the Palestinian territories.

Adnan Mohammad Jaber: Now a little bit better. Last month, before it was very bad, still a little bit better but we don't have enough vaccines to say the truth. It's not bad, these days at least. It is much better than 2 months ago.