Ayatollah Khomeini's long term strategy of connecting the liberation of Palestine to Islam is paying off

Qodsna (Tehran) - Speaking to Qods News Agency, a Canadian writer, senior journalist and political expert Eric Walberg talked about the latest developments in Gaza. 

Following is an interview of qodsna reporter with Eric Walberg:

Qodsna: The Islamic Republic of Iran has defined support for the cause of Palestine as one of its priorities since the first day of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. As you know, Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution who designated the last Friday of holy month of Ramadan as the International Quds Day and had a special view on the Palestinian issues as well as fighting against the Zionist regime and described Israel as a "cancerous tumor". What was the goal of Imam Khomeini in designating the especially day for the Palestinian people?

Eric Walberg: Imam Khomeini was looking ahead in 1979. Up to that point, the struggle to free Palestine was largely secular, dominated by Marxists inspired by the Soviet Union. But by 1979, the Soviet Union was declining, it had done little to stop Israel, and its desire to bring secular socialism to Afghanistan was in deep trouble. On January 1, 1988, just a year and a half before he passed away on June 3, 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini made a historic move, reaching out the Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, in a gesture of anti-imperialist solidarity, despite the long hiatus in relations with communist Russia. This was at a time of war against Iraq and continued subversion of Iran by the US and Israel. He sent President Gorbachev a written message, like the Prophet Muhammad did from Medina, calling on leaders of nations to embrace Islam. The unprecedented visit of the Iranian delegation to Moscow was a sincere offer of support to the faltering Soviet leader, who had rejected the atheism of the Soviet past.

Ayatollah Khomeini made other prescient gestures in his short and difficult decade as the leader of the Islamic revolution in Iran; in the first place, the transfer of the Israeli embassy to Palestinian representatives, the canceling of recognition of Israel, and the inauguration of al-Qods Day as an annual international holiday on the last Friday of Ramadan. He met with Fidel Castro and other third world leaders, encouraging solidarity against the imperialist foe. He showed that it is possible to work with progressive secular leaders.

But Gorbachev dismissed the message, preferring to rely on Reagan as his new friend. We know how that panned out. But the Ayatollah's message is as fresh and important as ever. The forces of Islam are stronger than ever, despite the West's permanent war against Islam, the subjugation of much of the Muslim world to the yoke of imperialism, and the daily slaughter of Muslims around the world, but more than ever in al-Qods, the holy city of Al-Quds. The 20th c showed that secular struggles are doomed in the face of the secular god, Satan, Mr Moneybags. The Ayatollah could see this and knew that to liberate al-Qds, Al-Qods Day should be declared for the final Jumah prayers of Ramadan every year, indelibly linking the liberation struggle to Islam.

Qodsna: A genocide is under way in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip from ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 31,000 mostly women and children. Israel waged its brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out an unprecedented operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. Do you believe that Israel committed genocide in Gaza?

Eric Walberg: Clearly the self-proclaimed 'Jewish state' is inflicting destruction on an awesome or catastrophic scale on the starving women and children of Gaza. That genocide, opposed by most of the world but

supported by the US and its puppets, risks exploding into a much larger war that could kill billions and inflict destruction on an even more awesome or catastrophic scale.

Qodsna: How do you assess the social awareness in your country about ground facts concerning Israel’s war crimes and its occupation practices?

Eric Walberg: I am both depressed and delighted. Depressed by the frightening power of the Jewish lobby in Canada. We are threatened with the might of the law if we dare to criticize Jews. But 90% of Jews support the genocide, indeed, with their Christian Evangelical Zionists, they welcome it. It is as if I am living in Nazi-occupied Europe, and must support Hitler's genocides against Slavs, Communists, Jews, crippled. Many of the finest Canadians are being fired for protesting the genocide.

At the same time, the vast majority young people are against Israel now. That is encouraging, as I have been fighting for Palestine for 20 years now and saw only indifference until October 7, 2023. So the Ayatollah's long term strategy of connecting the liberation of Palestine to Islam is paying off. It is only when people appreciate Islam as our last hope to prevent annihilation of not just Palestinians, but the entire human race, that we can hope to prevail against the Great Satan, US-Israel.

Qodsna: An immediate ceasefire is more urgent than ever. U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are intensifying their efforts to reach a hostage deal and temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian group wants guarantee of total ceasefire and Israeli troops' withdrawal. How do you evaluate the ceasefire process in Gaza?

Eric Walberg: I won't predict. Hamas will not give up the Israeli hostages (those that have not already been killed by the IDF) until there is some positive agreement with Israel. I fear that Netanyahu will continue with his Hannibal Doctrine (better dead hostages than live ones) and kill all Ghazans and hostages. But I hope the world will not condone this massacre, that Israel will be isolated, though that means US-Israel. That will take time. But the struggle is not going to stop. The good people are fighting the bad now. People have taken a stand, and the vast majority of people are good.

Qodsna: Palestinian groups called for launching a campaign called "Ramadan Storm" and announced that a global storm should be launched in this holy month against the occupiers and with the aim of supporting the Palestinian people. At the same time as the holy month of Ramadan arrives, the Zionists plan to intensify their conspiracies against the Palestinian people, especially in Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque. What do you think about Ramadan storm?

Eric Walberg: Finally Biden is calling for a ceasefire. He is still the 'least bad' of potential presidents. We must hope that the tide will have changed before a possible Trump replay. As for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, October 7 will be engraved in history as a noble, desperate act of defiance against the most odious regime in the world. It has reset world politics. If the human race is to survive, it will be without the Zionist regime.