‘Israel is relying on fanatic, crazy people’, says head of Palestinian political party

We were joined by Mustafa Barghouti  – a politician in the West Bank and head of the Palestinian National Initiative party.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: What do you make of these new appointments by Donald Trump? They are very pro-Israel and very anti-Palestinian state.

Mustafa Barghouti: They are very worrying. Of course, these appointments of a bunch of far right, extreme, evangelical anti-Semites, I would call them, because of their beliefs. It’s very alarming when you have people, as you have shown, like Mike Huckabee saying that there are no Palestinians. He does not recognise even the presence of Palestinian people. He claims we are invented people. And he says that there is nothing called the West Bank and there is no occupation. With a person who has such views, who is absolutely and totally supportive, not of Israel, but of the most extreme fascist elements in Israel, who are advocating the annexation of the West Bank, who are trying to kill any possibility for peace in the region, and who are actually declaring that their intention is to annexe the West Bank. That’s what not only Smotrich said, but Netanyahu as well. And they are preparing the ground for that.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: As some of our viewers will be confused by your accusation of anti-Semitism, could you just explain what you mean by that?

Mustafa Barghouti: These evangelicals said that all Jews should be gathered and put in Palestine so that Christ can come back, and then they will have to choose either to become Christians or be slaughtered. That’s what they believe in. Isn’t that anti-Semitism? It is so strange that Israel is relying on the support of such people, fanatic people, crazy people who don’t have any respect for human life or for justice.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: The argument, as you know, is that a strong position in Washington – and it appears that this is just strongly on Israel’s side – will force you, the Palestinians, into some kind of climbdown and deal. What will be your response to that suggestion?

Mustafa Barghouti: Nobody is speaking about the deal. They are speaking about two things: land annexation, which means stealing our land and theft of our land. And they are speaking about ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people, as they are trying to do now in the north of Gaza and in Gaza in general. These people are talking about extermination, about ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people. And I see that their policy is about, practically, not only it’s a death sentence to the so-called two state solution, it’s a death sentence to international law. When Huckabee says there is no occupation and no settlements and no Palestinians, he’s practically saying there is no international law. So this is not just about Palestine. It’s about world order. It’s about what kind of law will prevail in this world, if any power in the world has the power to do whatever they want. They can do whatever they want. Then we live in a horrible world.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: What’s your expectation then, in the short term, as to how Israel will behave? I mean, do you expect to see a much bigger ramping up of military action in the West Bank?

Mustafa Barghouti: Yes, we expect more harassment, more aggression. It is already happening in the West Bank. It is happening in Tulkarem, in Jenin, in many areas. 750 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7th. 11,500 have been arrested. So much destruction everywhere. But I’m telling you, they will not break us. They will not stop our struggle for freedom. And if Israel kills the two-state solution, as it is going to do, and if Trump supports such an act, we will then have to say the only solution is one democratic state for everybody. Of course, what they are creating now is a system of apartheid, much worse apartheid than what prevailed in South Africa. But that will not stop us. We will continue our struggle for our freedom, for justice. And as much as the people of South Africa didn’t stop struggling for justice, we will also do the same. But so many people will suffer. So many Palestinians, so many Israelis will suffer, and the world will watch terrible atrocities happening as it is happening now in Gaza.