Noteworthy Dates Ahead
A few more notable dates lie ahead. On April 15, 2018, an Arab summit meets in Saudi Arabia, and April 17 has been proclaimed “Palestinian Prisoner Day.” These are in addition to Fridays, which have been proclaimed as “Days of Rage” on a regular basis.
It is reasonable to assume that the organizers of the “Return” campaign will try to stir things up on the border between Gaza and Israel on these particular days.
The height of the campaign is supposed to be on May 14 and 15, the scheduled dates of the transfer of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and Nakba Day.
On May 15, the month-long fast of Ramadan, which is sacred to the Muslims, is also due to begin. The activities of the “return” campaign may also spill over into this month, when extremist organizations tend to carry out terror attacks, even though Hamas has announced that the campaign is supposed to finish on Nakba Day.
For Hamas, this is a new intifada that is similar to the first intifada in 1987 with regard to popular participation.
It is clear to the Palestinians that this intifada, known as “marches of return,” will not lead to the return of the refugees to the territory of the State of Israel. However, through it, Hamas is trying to stir up the frustration and fury of the residents of Gaza toward Israel caused by the severe humanitarian crisis.
In light of the current lack of response and practical cooperation from West Bank residents, it is hoped in Gaza that the campaign will eventually provoke the international community to put pressure on Israel to remove the embargo from Gaza and compel the world to take care of the residents of Gaza after 11 tough years of sanctions.
Alternatively, as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar said at the weekend, “if there is an explosion in the Gaza Strip, that explosion will be in Israel’s face.”
(full article online)
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