Bitterness oh homeland

Gaza today has become a story of pain and suffering, a story that can only be understood by those who live it on a daily basis. The streets, which once embraced dreams and ambitions, have turned into a scene of destruction, where the traces of war and Zionist violence are scattered in every corner of the camps and streets. The lives of the people of Gaza are no longer measured by time, but by the pain that has accumulated over many years, and this torrent of disasters has piled on it, until the collective memory of the people of Gaza has become laden with the wound that does not heal from the horror of the events.

In light of this tragic situation, we are witnessing another scene of suffering that is added to the list: suffering from the stubbornness of leaders in the face of the magnitude of the disaster that is befalling this people. The current situation of the Gazan street avoids talking about politics because politics, in many cases, has not been able to provide solutions or answer the difficult questions facing Gaza and its innocent residents. The situation does not need political speeches, but rather needs realistic visions that touch reality and open a new horizon for the future to stop the war, the price of which is paid by the citizens and those on whose heads thousands of tons of bombs fall that do not differentiate between the old and the young.

In this context, it must be noted that stubbornness and obstinacy in positions may lead to disastrous results. Perhaps history bears witness to this, as there have been many examples that provide valuable lessons in the importance of thinking of the people’s interests before any personal or political interest.

For example, and to do justice to history, when the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan at the end of World War II, Japan was faced with a decisive choice: continue fighting and persevering or surrender to save its people from further destruction. At that moment, the Japanese leadership realized that surrender was inevitable. Surrender was not only to maintain power, but was a decision to protect the people and save lives. The Japanese leadership chose to live and rebuild their country instead of persevering, which would have led to the annihilation of the Japanese people. This was a far-sighted vision, a vision that realized that the country could not rise while its people were being destroyed.

This historical example should be a living lesson for us in Gaza today. If powerful countries like Japan have chosen, at crucial moments, to put the interests of their people above any political or military calculations, what prevents us from adopting the same vision? Today we are facing a bitter reality, and clinging to stubbornness and obstinacy will only lead to more suffering. Hope for victory does not come from continuous useless wars, but rather from wisdom, the ability to negotiate, and putting the interests of the people first.

From here, we must give Hamas sincere advice, advice that is not out of blame or criticism, but out of concern for the interests of the Palestinian people. Hamas must re-evaluate its calculations and realize that it has failed miserably in leading the Palestinian people during this difficult period. After years of suffering and fruitless attempts to achieve victory, it is time to admit the failure of the movement’s calculations and its unpreparedness to be a true popular leadership.

National responsibility requires that we put the people's interest above all else, so Hamas must hand over the reins of power completely to the Palestinian Authority under the banner of the PLO, and withdraw completely from the political scene. We cannot live in a vicious cycle of failure and stubbornness, and there must be a serious step towards change and the search for practical solutions that guarantee the building of a free and unified homeland under one banner, far from partisanship that only serves external interests.

It is time to acknowledge that Hamas, despite its liberationist intentions, was not ready to be the real leadership that the Palestinian people in Gaza needed, and that accepting reality and relinquishing power in Gaza is what will allow us all to focus on building a better future, putting the interests of the Palestinian people above any narrow calculations.

The freedom of the homeland and the struggle are not dependent on the Hamas movement, and it is the only one capable of liberating it. The disappearance of Hamas from the political scene does not mean that we, as a Palestinian people, should give up on regaining our rights or stop our legitimate struggle for freedom. On the contrary, the struggle is a sacred right, and it should not stop. However, we must be aware that the political and strategic solutions adopted at this stage must be carefully studied, and that the leadership must be in the hands of those who have the ability to deal with this conflict in all its complexities.

And those who have a great sense of responsibility towards their people, and who can lead them at this sensitive stage without compromising the lives of innocents.