Mohamed Ousman
Between 1994 and 2020 official government aid, as per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), (excluding that from NGOs) to Palestinians exceeded $40 billion.
This included a total of $8.5 billion from Arabian regimes as follows:
$4 billion from Saudi Arabia; $2.1 billion from the UAE; $908 million from Algeria, $766 million from Qatar and $758 million from Kuwait.
Excluded from the $40 billion is the measly few hundred million from Qatar directly to Hamas.
Compare the combined measly aid from the Gulf statelets over this entire period with their weapons purchases in 2020 alone, which amounted to $100 billion!
Or with the $26.7 billion equity holdings that Saudi Arabia has invested in the United States.
Or with the amount in excess of $400 million spent on numerous football clubs by the Abu Dhabi United Group.
Also, excluded from the $40 billion in aid to the Palestinians is an estimated $9 billion from the Islamic Republic of Iran directly to the Islamic Movement Hamas, among other resistance groups.
(This figure is based on western speculation as it is not the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to make a show of its generosity).
As Hamas, among others, has been designated a ‘terrorist’ organization by the zionists, imperialists and the Anglo-Saxon Wahhabi Arabians, cash flows to them using the global economic system are prohibited.
Hence, exclusion of those figures from the $40 billion as per the OECD.
Un-noticed by many is that the financial support from the Islamic Republic to the resistance groups over the past 20 years exceeded that of the Arabian fiefdoms combined, despite Tehran being the target of economic sanctions and warfare.
Let us ask whether the $40 billion could have been better utilised.
Before proceeding to explore this question, consider the following situation: if there is a roof leak that damages the furniture of the house/office, would the owner repeatedly replace the furniture or repair the leak first?
Common sense would dictate that the cause must be dealt with first.
Everyone can see this in their house/office yet when it comes to the plight of the people of Palestine everyone opts to repeatedly replace the furniture!
Countless humanitarian organisations have sprung up over the past decades to raise funds for humanitarian aid.
It has become a lucrative money spinner.
The zionist Israeli genocidists have a track record of routinely reducing Palestine to rubble.
Whenever such a cycle kicks in, so-called humanitarian organisations and activists frantically rush to collect money in order to help the Palestinians rebuild their lives and homes.
This is not an easy statement to make but in this process, billions of dollars are squandered.
Let us consider an alternative.
A state of the art Russian fighter jet, the Sukhoi Su-35 costs $85 million apiece.
A state of the art Chinese fighter jet, the Chengdu J-20 costs $110 million.
A cheaper Chinese fighter jet, the Shenyang FC-31/J-35 costs $70 million.
The Moldovan fighter jet, the MiG 29 costs $40 million.
The Iranian Shahed-136 Kamikaze drones costs $20,000 apiece.
How would the equation be altered if a substantial amount of this $40 billion had been put to better use?
The only people capable of stopping Israel are the committed Muslims and the only successful efforts that have been done/or will be done are those demonstrated by the Islamic Resistance.
Unfortunately, instead of Muslims intensifying these efforts they prefer to go with the global solidarity movement that is on its own tangent of name and fame seeking.
The same can be said about the latest Sumud flotilla that has been scrambled together from 43 countries to break the siege of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to its people.
An urgent imperative would be to expend funds to militarily deter the Israelis by providing weapons to the Palestinians.
Historically, it needs recalling, that the Flotilla Movement was launched during Israel’s war on Lebanon in 2006.
It should be noted that the launch of flotillas did not end Israel’s war on Lebanon.
It was the military efforts of the Islamic Resistance, Hizbullah that ended that war.
Even when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara in May 2010 and killed 10 activists and injured dozens, the global outrage that resulted was, at best, temporary sensationalism.
Since these flotillas began to sail, only 5 out of 38 reached Gaza, including two in 2008, yet, sadly, they did nothing and will continue to do nothing except puff the egos of the made-for-camera pro-Palestine activists.
Given that Algeria is the most reliable of the afore-mentioned 43 countries with government and people closely aligned as far as the liberation of Palestine is concerned, it may well be the best option from these 43 countries from which to seriously begin to plan beyond strictly humanitarian efforts.
The following countries are currently involved in the latest Sumud flotilla: Algeria, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines/The Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
The first observation is that there is no country or representative from the Axis of Resistance.
One of the reasons for this may be because the Axis of Resistance do not have time for name and fame, making maximum sacrifices for minimum gains, wasteful expenditure and other such activities.
Not to mention that among these countries are allies of the zionists and the likelihood of spies, intelligence operatives and even agent provocateurs being on board is real.
The second observation, (which is relevant for those who marginalize the participation of Muslims), is that if the countries are categorized by “religion”, then the single most represented religion by country are Muslim majority countries, 16 (nominal as they are).
That should answer those who always minimise Muslim participation by asking “where are the Muslims?”
In fact, the secularized South African Muslims who spare no occasion to mock Muslims for no good reason by calling them “reactionary”, should take note that at least 10 of the 14 participants from South Africa who are on the flotilla are at least Muslim by name.
Thirdly, by emphasizing their ethnic-cum-racial-cum-national character/arrogance these saviors of Palestine should be on guard not to mimic the ultra-Nationalists and become Israeli-like.
Finally, may Allah open the eyes of those well-meaning people whose sincere efforts are being misdirected and may Allah save them from the spies/intelligence agents that may have infiltrated this flotilla.
One hopes that the fate of this flotilla will be better than the previous attempts to break the siege.
However, the track record does not encourage one to have high hopes.
Unless, of course, the zionist Israeli genocidists try to pull another Hasbara move and allow free passage of these supplies into Gaza to prove how humanitarian it is.
After which their ISIS criminal partners inside Gaza will loot, plunder and steal this humanitarian aid or destroy it as they have been doing for several months now.
This effort, sensational as it is being made out to be, will not dismantle the Israeli zionist Yahudi cancer and it definitely will not liberate Palestine.
Hopefully we will realize this sooner rather than later, and use our scarce and precious time, energy and resources better.
It is time to direct our time, energy and resources to more effective causes.
“Hence, make ready against them [the mushrik enemies] whatever force and impressive war mounts you are able to muster, so that you may deter thereby the enemies of Allah, who are your enemies as well, and others besides them of whom you may be unaware, [but] of whom Allah is aware; and whatever you may expend in Allah’s cause shall be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged” (The Ascendant Qur’an, Surat Al Anfal, verse 60).
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