On the eve of the International Qods Day, and given the concurrency of this day with one centenary since the issuance of the Balfour Declaration by the British colonialist government of that time, the 70 years long overwhelming grief of the oppression endured by the patient and resilient people of this land, as well as the displacement of millions of Palestinians, are once again resurrected in the conscience of the international community and in the Muslim world.

The Palestinian issue is the sign of cruelty and oppression, of the disregard for international laws and the inefficiency of international organizations; on the other hand it is also the symbol of the combative and continuous efforts of one nation for its rights besides the shame of the international community.

Never in the course of history has one of the world’s nations faced such suffering, endeavor, and oppression so that one country was fully occupied and its people were forced from their homes, and in their place, a group of strangers from different parts of the world has been sent and settled there. The actual existence of a country has been ignored, and a fake entity has taken its place. The colonialism and the global arrogance have prevented the progress of the countries in the region by imposing a lengthy conflict and creating permanent instability in this region, by looting and plundering their wealth, and by transforming the heritage of the regional civilization identity. Since 1948 until now, many generations in this area have lived in homelessness and war; generations that are still displaced in different parts around the world, and the heritage that they have received is nothing but suffering, dislocation, torture, and martyrdom.

Now, the problem has gradually overtaken its originators, and slowly it has overcome their beliefs and values; it has overthrown the human and international standards and it has imposed on them the dual policies and the necessity of preserving the status quo.

Provocative actions have been taken after the land usurpation of the oppressed Palestinian nation and in continuation of the targeted efforts to change the historic and civilization identity of this land. Gradually, they have brought destructive effects for the international peace and security. The volume of crimes committed against humanity has challenged the support of the usurpers, and also the Muslim public opinion in the Islamic lands was turned against this support. Muslims have seen in resistance their only way against the occupation, assault, robbery, and murder, and they have always tried to make the world aware of this blatant oppression.

The increasing settlement trend in the occupied Palestinian territories which is resulting from the abuse of the regional peoples’ space, and from the agenda of the Zionist occupying regime regarding the construction of more than 5500 residential units in the West Bank, Jerusalem, demonstrates the continuation of occupying and expansionist policies of this regime. Despite the UN Security Council Resolution no. 2334, unfortunately this usurper regime has publicly declared that, regardless of this resolution, it will continue its illegal settlements.

The catastrophic and deplorable situation of the Gaza Strip residents is the result of the intensification of land and sea blockade of the region by the Zionist regime in the past minimum of 10 years. The hunger strike of more than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners and their 40-day resistance of protest against the deteriorating conditions and inhuman prison regime, due to their patience and tolerance, and to the support of the world public opinion and the pressure of the media and human rights organizations, have eventually forced the Zionist regime to surrender to the demands of the strikers and to accept the prisoners’ health and livelihood demands.

Over the past decades the Palestinian people have tested all the options, and this nation has understood that unity, solidarity, and harmony are the only password for this period of anger, fear, and destruction. The Palestinians have stood up for their land to remain. The resistance is the expression of anger and rage of a new generation of Palestinians in response to the failure of past generations. The Palestinian nation has come again to the fore; the generation that was born in the refugee camps and in the besieged towns and villages.

The Palestinian resistance has succeeded in attracting the sympathy of a large part of the public opinion and of the people of the world. Now peace-loving people from around the world have risen up to support the dialogue, and they defend the life and the right of self-determination of Palestinians.

The Zionist regime’s isolation in the past years’ events, such as the UN General Assembly Resolutions and even most recently the resolutions of the UN Security Council and UNESCO, is showing that, in addition to the Palestinians’ legitimate resistance in the occupied territories, a new arena for advancing the struggle has been opened in the world of politics and culture. Nowadays the issue of Palestine is expressed by the social media so that the message of oppression and injustice may be heard by the entire world; now, the people of the world, to the extent of the geographical area of social media, in which the peace-loving people are taking their part, have risen up to defend the Palestinians and their resistance.

The establishment of an equitable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is to be achieved only through ending the occupation of Palestinian territories and restoring all the rights of this nation, including the right to self-determination, the return of all refugees to their ancestral homeland, and the formation of a Palestinian unified government with the Holy Qods as its capital, through organizing a referendum in which all the ethnic groups and the original inhabitants of this land, including Muslims, Christians, and Jewish people should participate.

The support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the Palestinian cause, the Holy Qods and the legitimate struggle of Palestinian people has arisen from our beliefs and perspectives on the need to respect the legitimate rights of nations, and on the principle of fairness and justice in the international system; our duty is to support and assist the innocent and the oppressed.