Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has devastated schools and universities, with an apparent intent to wipe out a generation of educated young Palestinians. Despite this destruction and the loss of over 41,000 Palestinian lives, hope remains that Gaza's new generation will continue to champion the Palestinian cause.
Today, the focus of the Palestinian issue's future has shifted toward this younger generation. Mustafa Barghouti, a seasoned Palestinian politician, believes the war has "re-energized" the youth in Gaza, seeing them as critical to the future of the Palestinian cause and the rebuilding efforts that will follow the war.
"I know that this tyranny of Israel will not last. I know that our support worldwide is growing and I believe in Palestinians ... and I am sure we will never give up. We will never stop. We will never surrender and we will get our freedom," he told Anadolu.
Barghouti views the ongoing Gaza war as a major turning point, citing what he describes as the "terribly horrible double standard" of Western governments. While these governments sanction Russia in support of Ukraine, they simultaneously send arms to Israel, supporting its military actions against Palestinians yet remain silent on the killing of civilians, including 17,000 children.
Barghouti points to the lack of adherence to international law, which he says has given rise to a world governed by the "law of the jungle." He remarked: "This is a big turning point since World War II, and it will have a very big impact on the general situation of the world because so many countries now are making the conclusion that if you have the power, you can do whatever you want."
"And if you don't have the power, you are defenseless. That is a very dangerous and very inhuman situation that the world has to deal with."
Barghouti also highlighted the unprecedented surge of global solidarity with Palestine, particularly in universities across the US and Europe. He believes that massive demonstrations have helped shift the narrative, despite Israeli propaganda. "The world now sees the reality that Palestinians are the oppressed, the underdogs in this fight, and that Palestinians have been subjected to a terrible amount of oppression and discrimination."
However, internal divisions and lack of unity hinder Palestinians' ability to fully benefit from this shift in perception, says Barghouti, who leads the Palestinian National Initiative the political party. "And that's why we are trying our best, being a party and a group that is non-Fatah and non-Hamas that has played always an important role in mediation for unity."
Palestinians are now focusing their efforts on building a "unified" and "democratic" Palestinian leadership, which Barghouti stressed is crucial. "I think, that's what we need."
Barghouti argued that the ongoing war in Gaza has effectively ended the possibility of a two-state solution or any potential compromise between Palestinians and Israel. Referring to the Nakba, the mass expulsion of Palestinians in 1948, he suggested that Israel's goal in the current conflict is to repeat that ethnic cleansing.
He described the current situation as even more devastating than the events of 1948. "I don't think in the whole modern history there is any other similar example of the level of atrocity and inhuman behavior as the Israeli army has shown in this attack on Palestinians."
He warned that the war would have long-term consequences, not only for Palestinian-Israeli relations but also for Israel's ties with Arab and Muslim countries, as well as with the broader international community. "Because, what we face here is not just occupation, not just a system of terrible apartheid worse than what prevailed in South Africa at one point of time."
Barghouti expressed frustration with the reactions of certain countries, particularly the US, as many high-ranking American officials visited Israel and participated in "war room meetings," suggesting complicity in "planning and implementing the genocide."
He added, "But, of course, worse than that was the fact that we did anticipate and expect from our brothers in the Arab countries and Muslim countries a much better reaction than what we have seen." He believes the lack of a strong Arab response to Israel's actions will impact not only Palestinians but also the relationship between these governments and their citizens in Arab countries.
Looking ahead, Barghouti emphasized the need for a post-war strategy focused on rebuilding Gaza. He stressed that preventing further ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza must be a priority.
"Up to now, Israel has failed in achieving its main goal because their main goal was ethnic cleansing of the people of Gaza," he said, expressing pride in the fact that Palestinians have risked their lives to stay in Gaza despite Israeli attempts to uproot them. "This broke the Israeli plan."
Barghouti underscored the importance of holding Israel accountable for the destruction it has caused, stating that Tel Aviv should be "forced" to compensate for every house, hospital, clinic, and school it has demolished. "We have to pressure them to pay compensation because otherwise, they will continue to destroy Gaza every few years."
Barghouti also discussed potential future solutions for Palestinians, noting that 7.3 million now live in the land of historic Palestine, compared to 7.1 million Israeli Jews. This, he said, indicates that Palestinians outnumber Israeli Jews, yet still do not have a state of their own.
"If Israel does not withdraw from occupied territories and allow Palestinians to have a truly sovereign and real independent country, then what is the solution for us?" he asked. "The only alternative to a two-state solution is one democratic state with total and complete equality."
Barghouti warned that the Israeli government, fueled by growing fascist tendencies, seeks ethnic cleansing, but stressed: "We will never accept this, nor will we allow it to happen."
Israel, he said, must either allow Palestinians to have an independent state, which would require that it dismantle all settlements in the occupied territories, or accept a single civil, democratic state with equal rights for all.
Barghouti concluded by reflecting on the troubling shift in Israeli policy toward Palestine, with the rise of far-right figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom he said represent growing racism and fascism within Israeli society. He emphasized that the number of settlers has surged from 120,000 at the time of the Oslo agreement to 750,000 today, a development he believes has significantly influenced Israel's political system.
"I think the Israeli society in general, moved towards racism and fascism," Barghouti said, adding, "And it's a very sad thing. And it will have a very bad impact, not only on Palestinians but on Jewish Israelis themselves."
