Undoubtedly, the Zionist movement has undergone significant evolution since Theodore Herzl outlined its objectives and since the inaugural Zionist congress convened in Basil in 1897. Progress initially proceeded at a measured pace until the pivotal Balfour Declaration in 1917, which, backed by the United States, provided a beacon of hope for Zionists. By 1948, Herzl’s fundamental goal had been achieved, and by 1967, Zionist control extended over the entirety of Palestine—the primary objective of Zionist aspirations. Subsequent events included the Egyptian capitulation under Sadat with the Camp David agreement in 1979, the Zionist invasion of Lebanon in 1982 culminating in the massacres of Sabra and Shatila, and the gradual neutralization of Jordan.
In essence, the reactionary encroachment into the Arab and Muslim homeland had completely altered and reshaped the interpretation of commonly used words: Surrender became euphemistically labeled as ‘peace’ and ‘bravery’— leading to the emergence of Oslo Accords.
With the waves of revolts that swept through the region in 2011, the liberation of Palestine lost its central position in the strategic and political sovereignty of the region. This shift opened the door for NATO-led regime change operations in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and the Syrian Arab Republic. These interventions plunged both republics into a vortex of destruction and chaos, creating fertile grounds for the unabated advancement of the project of Zionist normalization. The normalization [Abraham] accords, led by one of the most openly right-wing US administrations under President Donald Trump, aimed at reconfiguring the region’s dynamics.
The Accords did not simply aim to normalize the existence of a contentious criminal entity in the region, “Israel”. They also aimed to redirect the US attention away from the Middle East, entrusting the region’s management to its closest conservative allies. This strategic shift was intended to create the necessary breathing room for the US to address what it perceived as its primary challenge: the ascendance of the People’s Republic of China.
As usual, the reactionary Arab allies (Bahrain, Egypt, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) were ready to trade power for surrender. Their pernicious influence ultimately aimed to prove to the Arab and Muslim masses that submission and defeat were the only acceptable paths forward. They sought to leverage further steps toward the abyss of defeat and normalization with “Israel” in exchange for access to advanced military technology and expertise. These resources have long been employed to perpetuate decades of violent oppression against their regional brethren, particularly in Palestine. For a long time, the drums of war and normalization failed to resonate with the people of the region and global revolutionaries. Despite successive acts of aggression, they did not spur the populace into action. Thus, it was natural that the reactionary forces resorted to inflicting humiliation upon us—these were harsh realities we had to confront.
However, the military operation initiated by Palestinian Resistance factions launched on October 7, 2023, abruptly reminded us that regardless of the imperialist US’s plans for the region, a realm of autonomy for other regional forces to challenge the dominance of reactionism and settler-colonialism had already been evolving. Defeatism is for corrupt rulers and their power-hungry servants, not for the revolutionary masses.
Al-Aqsa Flood: An antidote for defeatism
Despite the current gloom that had shrouded the Palestinian homeland, the forces of revolution did not stand idle, and the gun remained firmly in their grasp. Their misery, pain, and suffering may be profound, and the statistics and reports emanating from Gaza may be bitter ones, but the revolutionaries have always remained loyal to their enduring devotion—the homeland and its liberation. A ray of hope remains, for the candle held aloft by the revolutionaries in the Palestinian homeland, especially in Gaza. The flickering flame grows ever brighter, inspiring countless more individuals worldwide to rally to the revolutionary cause.
A new world is in the making, one that increasingly recognizes “Israel” not only as an existential threat to the Arab and Muslim masses but to humanity as a whole. The revolutionary masses of the globe have realized that there is no alternative to seven decades of Western-sponsored terrorism but to unite and mobilize all their human and military resources for the purpose of self-defense against brutality and utter violence. Al-Aqsa Flood provided clarity to the revolutionary masses of the globe. Everyone can now see that there is no difference between Zionism and America, that Zionism and America are one. Therefore, the legitimate struggle against Zionism is, at the same time, a struggle against the US and its imperialist policies.
In such a context, the latest military operation launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran —from its own territory—in response to yet another terrorist operation carried out by the Western-supported entity on April 1, 2024, in Damascus, showed that taking further action against defeatism is imperative. Those who have had the unique pleasure of visiting the Umayyad Grand Mosque of Damascus, Syria, cannot but notice the mosaic wonders. When admiring a mosaic, it is not enough to merely observe its size, intricate details, and vibrant colors, we must also acknowledge the indispensable patience demonstrated by the various artists in assembling this unique masterpiece of Islamic art. Iran’s latest attack is just one more tile in this patiently crafted mosaic of liberation against the oppressive and reactionary that have subjected the region to decades of humiliation. For each moment that their military forces rise to counter Zionist terror, a step further against defeatism is made.
One minute to midnight
In the span of seven months, the Western-implanted entity, “Israel”, has been repeatedly targeted by attacks from numerous regional forces. These military operations have revealed that even amidst the West’s efforts to transform the region into a laboratory for deadly weaponry and reactionary religiously-driven political agendas i.e. “Israel and ISIS”, a new standard of humanity and morality can still be attained. Most importantly, what October 7, 2023, and the persistent military capacities of the region illustrate is the erosion of Israeli deterrence. The unified front—the Axis of Resistance—that has risen from the rubble after, at least, three decades of military and economic warfare in West Asia, offers one of the most basic lessons of history to all the revolutionary masses of the world.
When the masses unite and deliver a major blow to the interests of those exploiting them, they prove that foreign interests cannot be permanently safeguarded, regardless of the level of threat and interference, the establishment of military bases, or the bribery of corrupt regimes. Once a united populace resolves to assert control over its own affairs, eradicate foreign interference and tutelage, and acknowledge the rights of a displaced people to reclaim their homeland following liberation from alien occupation, foreign and corrupt interests become untenable.
Those traditional treacherous and pariah regimes reveling in terrorism, humiliation, and repression cannot be deterred by angry statements, strong denunciations, or even popular demonstrations. They cannot be made to change their oppressive policies by mere formal condemnations by the international community. The only thing they fear, and therefore the only way in which they can be beaten, is genuine revolutionary activity. Such revolutionary practices will awaken the masses of the region and the globe. Once these conditions are realized, the fate of reactionary tyrants and the entity is sealed. Victory becomes inevitable.
In 1947, one year before the Palestinian Nakba, Western scientists introduced the metaphor of a clock to illustrate the potential threats that humanity could face from unchecked scientific and technological progress. With midnight symbolizing a hypothetical global catastrophe, the gravest imaginable scenario at the time was nuclear war. Seventy-five years after the Nakba, keeping the clock metaphor in mind, a new dawn will be emerging on the horizon, because midnight is approaching for future generations. History is unfolding rapidly, demonstrating that no political entity can maintain its existence solely through violence. What opposes humanity is destined to fade away. With the clock ticking, and the idea of “Israel” being compromised, humanity inches closer each day to a resurgence of solidarity and justice for the majority of the world’s people.