An Israeli invasion of Rafah would mean a new Nakba: Abbas

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
28 Apr 2024 15:35

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warns that even a "small strike" on Rafah would lead the population to flee the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a conference to support al-Quds at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Feb. 12, 2023. (AP)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has urged efforts that would pressure "Israel" against the invasion of Gaza's southern city of Rafah because it would "mean a new Nakba against the Palestinian people".

In a statement, Abbas stated that he expects "Israel" to invade Rafah in the upcoming few days. He advocated for a political solution that would combine Gaza and the West Bank, including occupied al-Quds, under an independent Palestinian state.

"What will happen in the coming few days is what Israel will do with attacking Rafah because all the Palestinians from Gaza are gathered there," he warned Sunday during a special meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Abbas stressed that even a "small strike" on Rafah would lead the population to flee the Gaza Strip.

"The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen."

He warned, once again, of the close Israeli attack on the city of Rafah, where 2.2 million Palestinians are currently sheltering, because it would materialize another Palestinian Nakba.

"We will not accept, under any circumstance, the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, outside their country, and we will not allow the repetition of the 1948 and 1967 tragedies," Abbas made it clear.

He also called for increased pressure on "Israel" to stop its invasion of Rafah, specifically from the United States as it is the only country that could prevent the occupation from committing this crime.

"We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime," Abbas stressed.

The Palestinian President described the terrible situation in Gaza amid the occupation's massacres that have killed over 34,000 people and injured over 75,000 others, as well as "Israel's" destruction of 75% of Gazan infrastructure, including residential buildings, enterprises, roads, mosques, universities, and more in the Strip.

He said what is happening in Gaza is paralleled in the West Bank, expressing concerns about "Israel" displacing Palestinians in the West Bank after it ends its aggression in Gaza, affirming that Jordan and Egypt categorically rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands onto theirs.

Lastly, Abbas urged countries internationally to recognize the Palestinian state immediately, which could kickstart negotiations with "Israel" on border divisions.

Israeli invasion of Rafah strategic mistake, Israeli experts say

Although the occupation government is adamant about invading Rafah as a means to distract from its crushing defeat in Gaza, several experts warned that an invasion would be a strategic mistake on "Israel's" part.

Numerous Israeli experts, comprising former military and security officials, have issued stark warnings against an invasion of Rafah, deeming it a terrible strategic mistake were it to take place, as they underline that such a move would culminate in a staggering defeat for the Israeli occupation forces as the Israeli regime appears hellbent on invading the southernmost region of Gaza.

Reserve Major General Yitzhak Brik contends that Israeli leadership's fixation on achieving "absolute victory" over Hamas is a delusion detached from reality. Brik asserts that this misguided pursuit could lead the Israeli occupation into another catastrophic outcome akin to Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

He further criticized what he termed the reckless determination of the political and military leadership to salvage their tarnished reputation at any cost, even if it meant risking the Israeli occupation's security and stability. These "gang members (the political and military leadership) have decided to pay any price to try to salvage their lost honor due to their responsibility and guilt for the grave failure; so much so that they are willing to take actions that amount to gambling on Israel's existence."

Former Israeli occupation forces Central Command Commander Reserve Major General Gadi Shamni underlined that "Israel" needed to swiftly pursue a resolution through negotiations, which would include recognizing Hamas's inevitable dominance in the aftermath of any Israeli withdrawal.

Shamni dismissed the notion of a viable alternative to Hamas and warned against the futility of attempting to confront the Resistance faction militarily.