KUALA LUMPUR – The political rivalry between Israel’s ruling Likud party and its main opposition parties does not necessarily offer any hope for the liberation of Palestine, as both sides continue to operate within the same ideological framework of Zionism.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said although the parties differed in leadership, political strategies, security approaches and their handling of the Palestinian conflict, such differences did not necessarily reflect a commitment to the national rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people.
He said the refusal of Israeli political parties to form a government with Arab parties also exposed deeper issues within the country’s democratic system.
“Arab citizens may be allowed to participate in elections, win parliamentary seats and take part in the political process, but their ability to play a meaningful role in shaping national policies remains questionable.
“This raises a fundamental question about what future Palestine can expect from an Israeli political system in which both the governing and main opposition parties remain committed to the same framework of Zionist nationalism,” he said in a statement today.
Mohd Azmi said replacing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not automatically change the country’s political and ideological foundations, as a change of government did not necessarily mean an ideological transformation.
He stressed that the main concern for Palestinians was not which political faction would control the Israeli government, but whether any future Israeli leadership was genuinely prepared to recognise their fundamental human and national rights.
These include the right to self-determination, the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state, freedom from occupation, the right of return, as well as the restoration of the dignity and sovereignty of the Palestinian nation.
He said Palestinians had strong reasons not to place their hopes solely on changes through Israel’s electoral process as long as these fundamental issues remained outside the country’s genuine political commitments.
“The future of Palestine cannot be left to political rivalries between factions with different leaders but which share the same fundamental ideological framework.
“The liberation of Palestine requires international accountability, recognition of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and a political solution grounded in international law,” he said. – DETIK MALAYSIA
About the Author
