Ghoul claims right to resist occupation

Kayid al-Ghoul, member of the Central Committee of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), stressed that the front made its position clear concerning the people’s right to popular resistance like all other forms of struggle, and that prioritizing one form of struggle over the other is dependent on the unified position at any given moment, and whether such form of struggle could be utilized in confronting the occupation. “All of Palestine is under occupation, including the Gaza Strip, which is surrounded by occupation tanks imposing what is referred to as a buffer-zone of 300 meters along the borders of the Strip… in addition to it being subject to continuous aggression,” said al-Ghoul in a press statement on Wednesday. He stressed that the non-existence of settlements in Gaza and the lack of presence of Israeli soldiers inside the Strip, in a direct form, does not mean that Gaza is free, nor does it take away its right of resistance. “We believe that all forms of struggle are required,” he added, recalling historic phases where armed resistance was the major back to the struggle, and other times when popular resistance during the first Intifada made significant achievements, stressing that no form of resistance contradicts with the other. PFLP leader stressed on the need for a serious discussion on how to utilize all forms of struggle and to agree on the tactics that could serve the resistance every step on the way, adding “we should find harmony between all the forms and decide, within a unified resistance leadership, on the form of struggle to be exercised in every moment, including armed struggle.” Al-Ghoul hoped that the PLO leadership would contribute in forming a unified resistance front which would carry out such policy, and help decide the place and time for the resistance, as well as its form and tactics, and respond to repetitive calls for calming the situation with the enemy, while stressing that the Palestinian people are fully entitled to use all forms of resistance against the occupation; a right granted by all international laws.