Algiers – Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative, speaking from Algiers, has affirmed that the Palestinian struggle against occupation is a direct continuation of the values for which the Algerian people fought to achieve their independence and national rights.
Dr. Barghouti made these remarks during his intervention at a forum dedicated to the Algerian leader Hocine Aït Ahmed in Algiers. He emphasized that the brutal aggression against the Palestinian people has exposed the extent of violations of international law that any people demanding their freedom and legitimate rights may face.
Shared Values: Palestine and Algeria
Barghouti clarified that the Palestinian struggle is not limited to demanding a ceasefire or an end to the war or genocide. It is a struggle for freedom, self-determination, and an end to the occupation – the very values for which Algerians fought against French colonialism to achieve national independence. He pointed out that the acts of genocide, starvation, displacement, and destruction of homes and hospitals occurring in Palestine today embody the same struggle for freedom.
He asserted that the steadfastness in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, and within Palestine is a continuation of the same will of the Algerian people to preserve their land and rights.
Staggering Figures Reflect the Scale of the Catastrophe
Barghouti presented stark figures to illustrate the extent of the violations: 72,000 martyrs, 171,000 injured, and the destruction of 91% of homes and 94% of hospitals and health centers. Furthermore, approximately 200,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on the sector, indicating that Palestinians are suffering the equivalent of 12% of Gaza’s population being either killed or wounded. This would be equivalent to tens of millions in larger countries like the United States or India. He also noted the martyrdom of 264 journalists, the assassination of 1,670 doctors and paramedics, and the complete annihilation of 2,700 families, leaving only one survivor from every 5,943 families, in addition to 30,000 orphans and 60,000 amputations.
Continuing Steadfastness Despite Aggression
Despite the devastation, Barghouti affirmed that Palestinians continue to stand firm and that the struggle continues despite all attempts to quell it. He clarified that the occupation has not been able to eliminate the resistance or deprive the people of their fundamental rights.
