Referendum, the Only Solution to Resolve the Palestine Crisis

Perpetuation of genocide in Gaza and unceasing commission of crimes at the hands of the lawless Zionist regime against the oppressed and defenseless people of Palestine has rung the alarm bell for the most unprecedented catastrophe of the century. 

The Zionist regime has been violating the fundamental rights of people of Palestine for 75 years. The Nakba Day, i. e. 15 May 1948, the massacre of Sabra and Shatila of September 1982, Operation Cast Lead in 2008, and Operation Protective Edge 2014 are just few examples from long list of tragic catastrophes committed by Israel.

It has been for six months that the world has been witness to a more tragic and a more brutal massacre in Palestine. In attacks by the armed forces of the Zionist regime against the defenseless people of Gaza, more than 32 innocent Palestinian civilians, most of whom women and children have been martyred and 18 thousand people have gone missing. 

By blocking the transfer of food and medicine aids, this regime is seeking gradual and painful massacre of the remaining population of Gaza and the authorities of this regime have brazenly told that they would seek annihilation of people of Palestine. Massive destruction of the Gaza strip, street and group execution of families in the Gaza Strip, destruction of hospitals, forcing displacement and denial of the right of Palestinian people to self-determination is the tragic story of Gaza and Palestine and the more bitter fact is the impunity of the Zionist regime against all these crimes. Unfortunately the unilateralism of the West in blindly supporting this regime has degraded all human achievements in the area of multilateralism and international law.

The International Criminal Court is duty bound to address the file of crimes perpetrated by the apartheid Zionist Regime for crimes against humanity in the form of causing systematic and massive hunger to the civilian population in particular women and children and intentionally incurring deep spiritual and psychological suffering to mothers observing gradual demise of their children. This regime must also be held accountable for dishonoring international rules and norms, especially the international humanitarian law and human rights. 

The wave that took off six months ago in the streets of most countries in supporting Palestine and condemning the Zionist regime highlights the fact that the people of world irrespective of their language, ethnicity, culture and religion have the same language in backing the rights of Palestinian people and the so-called “Deal of the Century” is the most repulsive initiative of the century and normalization of relations with this regime is merely a mirage.

History testifies that peaceful coexistence and the two-state solution has remained a failure for many years. A former Israeli foreign minister had said that if Palestine was recognized they would cancel the Oslo accords. The final nail in this coffin was when the Israeli Knesset declared that Arabs were not entitled to any rights in a Jewish nation-state. Therefore, the first one which caused the two-state solution to fail was the Israelis themselves.

The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the only solution to the Palestine crisis is ending occupation and return of the Palestinian refugees to their mother land, and holding a national referendum at the participation of all original Palestinians including Muslims, Christians and Jews for the purpose of self-determination and choosing their political system.

The Quds Day is a day to recall and highlight this demand on the part of the people of the world to recognize the right the oppressed people of Palestine to their self-determination.