Palestinian Scholar Warns of More Clashes If Israeli Occupation Continues

08:54 GMT, 1 April 2018

Russia has offered to host a summit of Israeli and Palestinian leaders following the recent wave of violence in Gaza. Radio Sputnik discussed the protests in Gaza and the clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli forces with Dr. Waleed Al-Modallal, professor of political science at the Islamic University of Gaza.

Sputnik

Sputnik: Who is actually participating in these protests?

Waleed Al-Modallal: All Palestinian factions and movements are involved in this process, not just Hamas, which is only one of the participants in this march. Hamas is no longer responsible for what is happening in Gaza.

Sputnik: Do you think these clashes are going to continue. What can be done to stop the bloodshed?

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Waleed Al-Modallal: As long as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories continues the clashes will also continue. […] The majority of Palestinians in Gaza are refugees, this is a fact. We are under the responsibility of an international organization that looks after refugees. I think people have every right to push their issue forward, to remind the world community of its failure to take responsibility for the [Palestinian] issue.

Sputnik: Who do you think is currently to blame for the violence?

Waleed Al-Modallal: Let me say that the [Israeli] occupation is the first to blame for this. People can’t live on their lands, they live in hardship. [Israel continues with its policy] of seizing land, demolishing the Palestinians’ houses, trying to occupy the West Bank and even the Palestinians’ sacred city of Jerusalem, according to Trump’s declaration. So people see that they are in danger and have to fight to return to their cities and villages [across] the border [with Israel].

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