The Palestinian Hamas movement called on Muslims to hold protests to show support for Palestinians in the occupied territories and Gaza Strip. The Hamas movement, through its spokesman in Qatar, described Friday as the day of the Al-Aqsa flood, referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem and the bloody storming of that mosque by the Israeli police in May 2021, according to Arab media reports. This prompted a Hamas military commander to begin preparing for the attacks and bombing that have been hitting Israel since last Saturday.
The invitation specifically targets Israeli Arabs and Palestinians from East Jerusalem who should come to Al-Aqsa Mosque. But also on people in countries that have a “special role” in Palestine, such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. In Jordan, the majority of the population are Palestinians or of Palestinian origin. According to former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, these countries should join the fight against Israel.
But the movement is counting on protests around the world, especially now that residents of the besieged Gaza Strip are being subjected to constant bombardment. Germany and France have banned demonstrations in advance, but many pro-Palestinian demonstrations are expected elsewhere in Europe, as well as in Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the United States. (AP)
