We aim for wide Palestinian, Arab, Islamic, intl coalition: PIJ chief

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The Israeli occupation is constantly trying to push the Gaza Strip out of the photo when it comes to the struggle for Palestine's rights, Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ziyad Al-Nakhalah said on Thursday during a speech commemorating the founding of the resistance factions.

The occupation, he said, is also trying to turn the Palestinian cause into a humanitarian issue it can deal with through financial and economic temptations.

"The [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] celebrates today its 35th anniversary under the banner of 'our fight will go on until [the liberation of] Al-Quds' in accordance with the principles we launched for," Al-Nakhalah said. PIJ holds "the names of its martyrs and prisoners and the martyrs and prisoners of the Palestinian people high to highlight their pivotal role in our people's struggle."

"They wrote their wills with blood, and their souls rose in defense of what they believed in. Al-Quds was their compass, and they fought for the goal of a free Palestine," the Palestinian resistance leader said. "We must not forget our martyred people that were killed in their homes, on their farms, and in their schools. They are the victims of the enemy that built itself on murder, which is still ongoing."

Al-Nakhalah hailed the Jenin Brigade and the Nablus Brigade, among others. He also hailed the freedom fighters and the prisoners, most importantly the heroes of Operation Freedom Tunnel, who made for a great pillar of the resistance in the occupied West Bank.

PIJ's message is one of the unity of the Palestinian people around the resistance, "and a message of unity of the Palestinian people and their resistance against the enemy and its attacks on Al-Aqsa."

"One of our most important duties is bolstering Palestinian unity on the basis of resisting the occupation and increasing our cooperation with our brothers [in arms]," Al-Nakhalah said.

"The enemy and its allies are seeking with everything in their power to besiege us so that the enemy can corner our people and resistance," the resistance leader explained.

'Israel' still trying to marginalize Gaza

"Al-Quds is being Judaized, and the occupation is increasing its control in the West Bank," he said. "Arab and Islamic countries are increasingly opening up to the enemy."

"The enemy's attempts at sidelining Gaza from the Palestinian struggle are still ongoing [...] it is our duty to ensure that Gaza is not neutral when Al-Aqsa mosque is under attack and Al-Quds and the West Bank are being targeted," Al-Nakhalah underlined.

"The enemy wants Gaza to be the state of the Palestinian people and is working to gain control of the settlements in the West Bank and Al-Quds," he stressed. "We heard from brother (Palestinian President) Abu Mazen that the enemy does not want peace and does not want to give us anything... This is what he says... the man that has a peace plan with the enemy.

"When we first started, we were just a few men. And today, there are so many of us that we fill up public squares," he said. "The Palestinian people and their resistance are an honor and an inspiration, and they will not give up Palestine regardless of how long and difficult the path [to liberation] is."

Occupation trying to portray Palestinian cause as humanitarian issue

The Palestinian commander also touched on the Israeli occupation's goals, saying "Tel Avi" was trying to portray the Palestinian cause as a humanitarian one that can be dealt with through money. "They are trying to lure us in with money so that the flame of the resistance gets extinguished."

"The Palestinian people are resistance have a duty: protecting the land of Palestine, including all of the Islamic and Christian sanctities on it [...] the Palestinian people, with their beliefs, creed, and will, will never give up their homeland and sanctities to the enemy no matter the sacrifices."

"Our people resist and do not give up. They fight for Al-Quds, their land, their history, and the future of their children," Al-Nakhalah underscored, praising the steadfastness of the Palestinian people all over occupied Palestine.

Resistance is united

"PIJ's decision to constantly be in combat is a duty of ours, and we will not leave our posts so long as the occupation is in Palestine," Al-Nakhalah underlined.

"We take pride in our people, resistance, and alliance with Iran, Hezbollah, the Yemeni people, Syria, and anyone who takes a stance with us against the enemy," the PIJ chief stressed.