Since the Arab states gave up on liberating Palestine in the mid-1960s, various resistance movements with different ideological and intellectual perspectives have borne the burden of liberation. Consequently, youth have become more involved in these movements, more engaged with the Palestinian cause, and more aware of the reality and danger of the Zionist project. Since that time, young people's blood has been the most shed, and they have suffered the most in various prisons, especially in the prisons of the Zionist occupation.

Before the “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7, 2023, interest in the Palestinian cause was waning among many young Arabs. Many believed that the Zionist army was invincible and that achieving a victory over it, or even delivering painful blows, was impossible. They thought normalization with the Zionist entity was the only option for Palestinians and Arabs, and that there was no escape from submitting and accepting the existence and superiority of “Israel.”

However, the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation had a significant impact on Palestinian and Arab youth. The events revived the Palestinian cause and brought back the tragedy of the 1948 Arab Nakba. This time, the Palestinian response was entirely different. Hundreds of thousands of Gazans rejected Zionist displacement plans, clinging to their existence in Palestine even if borders were opened and countries welcomed them.

Many opinion polls indicate that the Gaza war has had a significant impact on both Palestinian and Arab youth. In the West Bank, the majority supported the resistance project led by Hamas, while support for peaceful and normalization projects with “Israel” pursued by the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, declined. This support for Hamas transcends party and factional commitments, favoring the resistance project.

A poll conducted on December 13, 2023, by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed an increase in support for Hamas in the West Bank. 85% of those surveyed supported Hamas's surprise attack on “Israel” on October 7, 2023, while only 10% supported the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and 7% supported Mahmoud Abbas.

This poll reveals the presence and deep-rootedness of the resistance project within the Palestinian society across all factions and forces, especially among youth. Young people believe that normalization has not improved Palestinians' living conditions or deepened their sense of security and hope for a better life. Instead, it has led to increased settlements that consume land and confine Palestinians to small, fragmented areas unsuitable for life or development, let alone establishing an independent state. Therefore, the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the Gaza war have shifted Palestinian youth from accepting the logic of normalization to embracing the horizon of resistance, increasing youth support for the resistance project and their involvement in its current.

Anyone following the impact of the Gaza war among youth in the West Bank will notice that resistance has become a youth option. Hence, “Israeli” incursions into cities, villages, and camps in the West Bank, their siege, and the arrest and killing of young people have not ceased. The number of martyrs has exceeded 370 Palestinians, while the number of detainees has surpassed 6,200 since the “Al-Aqsa Flood.” These Zionist crimes in the West Bank undoubtedly create a strong barrier against normalization projects and a lasting memory of the brutal reality of the Zionist occupation, weakening the security apparatus of the Authority in Ramallah in suppressing youth anger against the ongoing war of genocide in Gaza.

At the Arab youth level, despite the apparent calm in Arab capitals, the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the Gaza war have revived the Palestinian cause in the hearts of many young Arabs. This awakening has prevented those known as the “Arab Likud” or “Arab Zionists” from having a media presence opposing the resistance project or supporting “Israel.” Some normalization advocates have even expressed regret for supporting normalization with “Israel.” For instance, Dr. Osama Al-Ghazali Harb apologized, writing in the Cairo newspaper “Al-Ahram”: “I apologize for my good faith in the 'Israelis,' who have revealed a vile, criminal racist spirit. I apologize to the martyrs of Gaza, and to every Palestinian child, woman, and man... I apologize.”

In a survey conducted by the Washington Institute between November 14, 2023, and January 6, 2024, involving a thousand Saudis, 95% supported what Hamas did on October 7, 2023. 91% of them viewed the Gaza war as a victory for Palestinians despite the destruction and loss of life. 96% opposed normalization with “Israel” and called for severing diplomatic, commercial, and economic ties with “Israel.” According to this survey, Hamas enjoys unprecedented support in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. For example, in Lebanon, 8 out of 10 Lebanese have a positive view of Hamas, indicating that support for Hamas and the resistance project extends beyond sectarian boundaries.

Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim youth have played a prominent role in “humanizing” the war on Gaza and transforming it into a humanitarian tragedy that necessitates intervention to stop the barbaric genocide that “Israel” is perpetrating in Gaza. The significant efforts of youth have presented a different narrative of the war on Gaza, gaining wide global acceptance and support. This has been evident in the demonstrations flooding Western capitals, narrowing the grip on the “Israeli” and Western narrative about the war on Gaza. Youth efforts have been clear on social media platforms, providing extensive information and videos, exposing the Palestinian plight and rights. For instance, over 50 million posts appeared on the “X” platform during the first two days of the war on Gaza. Despite billionaire Elon Musk's visit to “Israel,” millions of posts condemned “Israel,” prompting the platform's administration to launch a campaign to close many influential pro-Palestinian accounts after threats from the European Commission. Hashtags supporting the Palestinian cause garnered millions of views; for example, the hashtag “#Palestine” received 40.3 billion views on “TikTok,” and the hashtag “NotJustNumbers,” which tells the stories of martyrs in Gaza, achieved wide reach.

These efforts by youth on social media have significantly changed the stance toward the Palestinian cause in most Arab countries, especially among youth. This has been confirmed by “Foreign Affairs” magazine, stating that after the Gaza war, “Israel” is less popular, having changed Arab perspectives.

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Palestinian historian Abdul Qader Yassin, founder of the Arab Front Supporting Palestinian Resistance since 2008, is one of the most prominent voices raising awareness about the Palestinian cause through the narratives of its own people. Over the course of 30 books, and a year since the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle commenced on October 7, 2023, he has been an advocate for the cause and resistance at numerous supporting events in Cairo.

His books are considered authoritative references on the history of the Palestinian cause, including titles such as “The Struggle of the Palestinian People Until 1948,” “The Palestinian National Movement 1948-1970,” “Misconceptions About the Palestinian Revolution,” “The Crisis of Fatah,” and “Supporting Formations for the Palestinian Resistance in Egypt: A Study of Three Models.”

365 Days that Reintroduced the Palestinian Cause in a Way that Hastens the Demise of the Occupying Entity

In his interview with “Al-Mujtama,” the octogenarian Palestinian thinker asserted that he foresees the strategic end of the Zionist occupation state. He emphasized that liberation comes at a price, commending the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the successes achieved by the Palestinian resistance and military support fronts, despite the comprehensive Zionist genocide.

A year post “Al-Aqsa Flood,” how do you see the position of the Palestinian cause?

- I believe that the Al-Aqsa Flood operation has reintroduced the Palestinian cause correctly. This reintroduction signifies the beginning of the end for the Zionist entity, especially given the developments we see across all fronts of resistance and confrontation over the past year, which strengthen the proximity of this end.

This ongoing escalation, the Zionist savagery, and the desire to annihilate the Palestinian people will not break the will of the Palestinian people but will increase the ferocity and steadfastness of the resistance fronts.

As Long as There is Occupation, There Will Be Armed Resistance: Zionist Savagery Will Not Break the Palestinians

Some claim that Palestine did not need this battle due to the current savage aggression. What is your opinion?

-Aggression has never stopped since the beginning of the occupation. However, it is now a mad aggression. The Al-Aqsa Flood operation has deeply wounded the usurping entity, thus increasing its aggression against the Palestinian people after stealing their homes and lands.

With over 150,000 martyrs and wounded, was there a lesser price for complete liberation and the right of return?

-No country has ever been liberated throughout history without paying a high price in the blood of its people and leaders, the latest being leader Ismail Haniyeh (Abu al-Obad).

There is no “sweetness without fire,” and the people and resistance will not be weakened by what has happened and will happen. The vision has become clear, and everyone has seen the Zionist entity's determination for genocide. Everyone has pledged to continue the struggle against the usurpers of our homeland until victory.

We Are at the Beginning of a Regional War with the Enemy: The Coming Year Will Be Complex and Requires Deep Reading

The right of return will not be achieved through United Nations resolutions or the good morals of the Zionists. Return will only be possible through the declaration of complete liberation. Thus, it can be said that liberation and return are intertwined, and the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle can be historically marked as the beginning of complete liberation.

How do you evaluate the expansion of armed resistance fronts supporting Gaza over the past year?

-This is a real beginning of a regional war with the Zionist enemy, in which non-collaborating Arab countries might intervene alongside the Palestinian resistance.

As long as there is occupation, armed resistance, and the resistance line is ascending and expanding, only iron cuts iron.

The Al-Aqsa Flood was an unprecedented military operation in military history and should be included in military science, where the Palestinian resistance achieved astonishing feats, especially considering it was a guerrilla war and a battle by a non-regular army, unlike Egypt's regular army which inscribed another epic with its crossing in the victory of October 6, 1973, but it is linked to its name as a regular army.

No Country Has Ever Been Liberated Without Paying a High Price: No Sweetness Without Fire

How do you see the failure of the forced displacement project for Palestinians over the past year?

-The project did not achieve its goals and failed miserably. I affirm what I said since the start of the battle: Palestinians have an immunity against the issue of displacement. They can be killed on their land, but they will not be displaced. No one will leave Gaza for Egypt or any other place.

History reminds us that fears of forced displacement to Sinai began in June 1953 when the United States proposed a project to relocate Palestinians to an area near the city of Port Fouad over an area of 50,000 acres. This project was thwarted from Gaza by an uprising that lasted from March 1 to 3, 1955, and did not stop until a promise from the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser to reject the project entirely.

Has the Palestinian narrative succeeded in imposing its word over the past year?

-There is a noticeable and significant shift in Western public opinion among free Western peoples in favor of the Palestinian narrative and the truths of our cause. This is important and a strategic gain that we rely on in the long run, apart from most current Western governments that stand with the Zionist entity, right or wrong.

Economic Boycott is Part of the Open Battle on All Fronts

As for the Arab peoples, they are powerless for reasons not hidden from the discerning reader. However, they have managed to express themselves and their certain sympathy, which the Palestinian people know well.

How do you see the impact of the economic boycott of the Zionist entity among Arab peoples?

-The boycott is part of an ongoing battle that must be fought on all fronts. The boycotters are like soldiers on the economic front against the enemy. I have observed some of its effects in Cairo and hope it will expand across all Arab countries. We should not be enveloped in silence.

What is your message to the Palestinian people after a year of remarkable resilience?

-You are a living people, walking the path of struggle, no matter the sacrifices. Day by day, the resistance of your sons escalates, and despite the enormous costs, you are writing the beginning of the end for the Zionist entity.

How do you see the new year of “Al-Aqsa Flood” in light of the current situation in Lebanon and the region?

-The coming year may be more complicated and requires a new in-depth reading, especially after the recent electronic blow dealt to Hezbollah and Lebanon.

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Three stages that shape the relationship between an occupying usurper and the occupied peoples:

First stage: Total control by the occupier and complete submission by the occupied peoples

Second Stage: Resistance of the occupied peoples against their usurpers

Third Stage: Liberation from occupation

After the occupier tightens its grip and achieves complete control, it finds no need for the costs associated with the use of force and tries to appear gentle and kind, continuing in this manner as long as the people remain submissive. With the first signs of resistance from the people, the occupier's fangs and claws become apparent, and as the resistance continues, the occupier's ferocity and crimes intensify until the costs of resistance become unbearable, forcing the occupier to withdraw in disgrace.

An illustrative example from history can be drawn from the British occupation. After initiating with bombing, killing, and destruction, the British achieved the control they desired and ceased using force, maintaining this stance for a quarter of a century until the first notable resistance incident, the “Denshawai Incident.” Here, the true face of the occupier was revealed, with its fangs and claws exposed, dragging the resisters and their families to public execution and flogging to make an example of them. The prosecutor, Ibrahim Al Hilbawi, appointed by the occupation government, pointed fingers at the Denshawai resisters in a statement that eloquently expresses our concept. From the court session records, he addressed the seventy-five-year-old principal defendant, saying: “Hassan Mahfouz stirred a dormant strife, disturbing the peace of an entire nation; we have spent 25 years with the occupiers in loyalty, integrity, and honesty. He harmed us and every Egyptian, so consider my voice as the voice of every wise and sensible Egyptian who understands the future of his nation and country.”

This incident, which exposed the ugly face of the occupier and its accomplices, marked the beginning of the resistance phase against the occupation, which lasted for 50 years until its expulsion.

If you replace Egypt's name with Algeria, Vietnam, or any other country that went through similar circumstances, you will find the same three stages in their entirety.

If you replace Hassan Mahfouz's name with any resistance movement, you will find the same rhetoric, as if they are reading from the same book.

The aforementioned stages are almost a fixed historical rule, rising to the level of historical patterns. Any reader of history can trace this historical pattern across the East and the West.

The bloody scene we witness today in our nation is the appropriate scene for the phase we are living in. We have experienced periods of give-and-take, advances and retreats with the usurping occupier planted by the West in the heart of our nation until the states and their regular armies were neutralized from the conflict. The scene seemed calm as if the peoples had accepted the occupation, then we transitioned from the phase of submission to the phase of recognition and normalization. When normalization was about to be realized, and after the occupier thought that the resistance had accepted to be part of the authority, the “Al-Aqsa Flood” occurred on October 7, 2023, which struck and surprised the occupier, tarnished its reputation, turned the tables, and for the first time placed the usurping occupier before an existential crisis.

The usurping enemy completed the features of the phase we are living in by showing its true face and indicating that its limits in criminality would expand to include what it called the Middle East. Its Prime Minister stated this on the United Nations platform, repeating it under the euphoria of success in his series of cowardly assassinations, confirming once again the impossibility of coexistence with this criminal gang, no matter how much support and legitimacy it receives from its partners in crime. There is no life, hope for security, peace, revival, or stability for this nation as long as this cancerous entity exists.

Thus, the issue is not just about Palestine, but about the entire nation, not just a matter of religion, holy sites, pride, and dignity, but of life and death.

History will record that what the resistors achieved on October 7, 2023, was the first existential threat to the usurping entity and the first true nail driven into its coffin, marking the real beginning of the historical rounds leading to complete liberation.

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The Palestinian revolution is not a transient event or merely a temporary political movement; it is the story of a people whose roots delve deep into Palestinian history, as all humanity witnessed the sacrifices of successive Palestinian generations who have given their utmost in defense of their homeland and dignity.

This nation, who previously struggled against British colonialism and later against the Zionist settlement project, continues its revolutionary journey today in a continuous struggle that knows no pause or surrender. This revolution does not only mean armed struggle or mass protests; it represents the practical embodiment of daily sacrifices made by Palestinians in every corner of historic Palestine.

Palestinian sacrifices extend across various cities and camps within and outside the homeland, from Jenin in the north to Hebron in the south, passing through Gaza and Jerusalem. Every inch of this land holds a special story woven by the blood of martyrs and the pains of prisoners. Despite the diverse methods of struggle, the Palestinian people continue to fight on multiple fronts, starting with popular resistance in the West Bank and Jerusalem, to armed resistance in the Gaza Strip, which serves as a living model of organized and systematic resistance against Israeli occupation. Regardless of the varied methods, the goal remains the same: liberating the land and restoring national rights.

One cannot overlook the role of the Palestinian Prisoners Movement, which represents another front of continuous struggle. Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons engage in daily battles to achieve human dignity. Their hunger strikes and protest movements form a significant aspect of the struggle, no less important than the field combat. Over the years, the prisoner movement has presented symbols of steadfastness and resilience, becoming a crucial axis in the Palestinian fight against occupation, where prisoners are seen as true leaders directing the course of the struggle from behind bars.

Politically, the Palestinian cause remains at the heart of regional and international interactions. Despite Israeli attempts to erase the Palestinian identity and remove the cause from the international agenda through normalizing with some Arab regimes, Palestinian resistance has proven its ability to overturn the tables and bring the cause back to the forefront of the international scene.

The Zionist colonialism, which strives to dismantle Palestinian national unity and sow discord, has not succeeded in breaking the will of the Palestinian people, who stand united against eliminationist schemes. Despite the complex political circumstances, Palestinians continue to assert their presence on the international arena through resistance to occupation by all available means.

The revolutionary Palestinian strategy in facing the Zionist project requires unlimited resilience and dedication that surpasses all challenges. Since the Nakba of 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were uprooted from their lands, and the Naksa of 1967, which saw the occupation of the remaining parts of historic Palestine, Palestinian resistance has not ceased against the occupation. The Palestinian revolution is not the result of a fleeting event but a culmination of long-term struggle and resistance. It has taken various forms, from the First Intifada in 1987, which revealed the strength of popular will against the occupation, to the Second Intifada in 2000, which demonstrated that Palestinian blood could thwart all Israeli plans to subdue and break the people's will.

Additionally, the Palestinian armed factions play a pivotal role in resisting occupation. Armed resistance is the sword that protects the land and the people against settlement and repeated Israeli aggression, especially in the Gaza Strip, which has become a symbol of steadfastness and defiance. Despite the suffocating siege imposed for over 15 years, Gaza has never ceased offering the lives of its children for freedom and dignity. Gaza is a living example that resistance is the strategic choice for Palestinians amidst ongoing occupation and criminal practices.

The Palestinian revolution is characterized by its continuous youthful spirit, where Palestinian youth form the backbone of any resistance movement. These young people, who have only known life under occupation, siege, and repression, are shaping the future of Palestine through their daily sacrifices. From Jenin to Nablus, and from Gaza to Jerusalem, a new generation of Palestinians is forging its path to freedom, rejecting all forms of complacency or surrender. This generation, raised witnessing Israeli planes bombing homes, settlers storming Al-Aqsa Mosque, and martyrs being carried on shoulders, understands that there is no freedom without a price, no dignity without struggle. Thus, you cannot find a street or alley in Palestine without hearing stories of youths who sacrificed their lives for their homeland, or prisoners languishing in Israeli jails. The determination of Palestinian youth to continue the struggle ensures the persistence and evolution of the Palestinian revolution.

In discussing the Palestinian revolution, one cannot ignore Jerusalem, the heart of Palestine and the soul of Palestinian national identity. This holy city, subjected to the most heinous forms of Judaization and forced displacement, remains a symbol of resistance and steadfastness against the Zionist project. In Jerusalem, the daily battle of identity manifests, with the occupation attempting to Judaize the city and alter its demographic and historical character. However, its residents stand as a formidable barrier against these schemes. The Jerusalemites, facing demolition policies, arrests, and expulsions, are the first line of defense for Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city's identity. Despite the harsh conditions, their resilience sends a clear message to the entire world: Jerusalem will remain Arab and Islamic, and the occupation's attempts to alter its character or displace its people will not succeed.

The Palestinian revolution is not just a men's revolution; it is also a women's revolution. Palestinian women have played a pivotal role in the struggle, participating in armed combat, leading demonstrations, and assuming leadership roles in national work. Despite all the challenges faced by Palestinian women, whether from the occupation or from the social and economic reality, they continue today their pioneering role in building Palestinian society and participating in all areas of life. The sacrifices made by Palestinian women, whether through offering their sons as martyrs or their resilience against occupation, affirm that women are true partners in the liberation journey.

The Palestinian revolution is not merely about guns and weapons; it is also a battle of awareness and culture. The Palestinian intellectual plays a crucial role in shaping the political and cultural vision of the Palestinian struggle. Through writing, poetry, art, and theater, the Palestinian intellectual expresses the people's pains and aspirations, contributing to the building of national awareness that rejects occupation and submission. The national Palestinian culture is an integral part of the revolutionary identity of the Palestinian people. Despite all attempts by the occupation to erase this culture, Palestinians continue to preserve and spread it worldwide. Today, the world witnesses an increasing interest in the Palestinian cause through cultural and artistic productions that tell the story of resilience and defiance.

The Palestinian revolution is not just a historical memory or a passing phase; it is a renewing spirit in every generation. Despite all the challenges it faced, the Palestinian revolution remains alive in the hearts of the Palestinian people, who continue to make sacrifices for freedom and independence.

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The fall of the Ottoman Caliphate is a pivotal event in the civilizational history of our Ummah. Previously, the fall of an Islamic caliphate was followed by the rise of another, carrying the same religious identity regardless of ethnicity, race, and nationality. But the sacred religious foundation would remain untouched, serving as the legitimacy for the new caliphate.

However, the experience of the Ottoman Caliphate was entirely different. The caliphate, which had weakened and suffered from the afflictions of dying nations—an expected occurrence in what is known as the cycle of civilization—was toppled along with the identity that granted it legitimacy, namely, the Islamic union. The center of the caliphate transformed into an extreme nationalism that sought to disdain the Islamic identity, criminalize it, and blame it for civilizational backwardness. This also influenced our Arab countries, which pursued the narrative of Arab nationalism as an alternative identity to the Islamic union that had been discarded, associating it with ignorance, corruption, tyranny, and stagnation—traits found in dying civilizations that have nothing to do with religious identity. In fact, Islamic values that highlight shura (consultation), justice, and responsibility are completely contrary to these negative traits.

After the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, two new identity trends emerged: patriotism and Arab nationalism.

However, the contradiction between the major values of identity and the miserable reality, along with attempts to reconcile the two, ultimately led (with intellectual and military conspiracies from the Western civilization that had renewed its identity) to a repulsion from the Islamic identity. Religion came to be considered an individual and personal matter, while identity was linked to race and language. Consequently, Arab nationalism flourished as an alternative capable of confronting occupation and its imperialist project in Palestine.

The June Defeat

There is no conflict between national, ethnic, and religious identities—these are merely overlapping circles that may start with smaller identities, perhaps beginning with the family and ending with broader identities encompassing all of humanity under the concept of human brotherhood; however, this notion seems theoretical. There is always one identity that dominates a nation at a given time and becomes the “mother of identities,” so to speak. After the tragic collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate, two new identity trends emerged: one was patriotic identity, and the other was Arab national identity. However, with the partitioning of Palestine, the declaration of a national homeland for the Jews, and the war in 1948, the trend of Arab nationalism was heightened as a new identity for the nation in opposition to the occupation and its spearhead in Palestine.

Everything was paving the way for this new identity: educational curricula, arts, new popular organizations, newspapers—everything intertwined to create the new Arab capable of defeating the Zionist entity, liberating his nation from the occupation’s hell, and elevating it to the ranks of advanced nations.

Here, we can observe that the consolidation of the new identity proceeded in two directions: one was popular, represented by student unions in universities, labor unions, and newspapers; the other was official, through attempts at unity, the creation of directed political organizations, and even silencing opposing voices by imprisoning them.

In this context, we observe the emergence of major projects and bold political decisions that challenge colonial powers and attempt to create new international alliances, such as the Non-Aligned Movement. Such efforts ignited the enthusiasm of the masses, eagerly awaiting the anticipated grand step of defeating the Zionist enemy, cleansing the land of its impurity, and, if possible, casting it into the sea!

The fervent poems, speeches, and nationalist songs that represented the youth's consciousness during this period served as the emotional and sentimental fuel for this new identity, which formed the great narrative of “Arab nationalism.” The Palestinian cause became a national sacred issue, according to this narrative. Freedoms were marginalized, opposition was rejected, and any discussion of other identities, even the Islamic identity, was dismissed—no voice was louder than the voice of battle.

The heavy defeat in June 1967 represented the first nail in the coffin of Arab nationalist identity.

This was until the nation awakened to the disaster of the Six-Day War, which shattered all the grand dreams and great sacrifices that the Arab people had experienced. It was a disgraceful defeat by all measures, with armies that did not fight, new Arab lands swallowed up along all lines of the conflict, and the loss of the remaining sacred land of Palestine.

The heavy defeat on the ground represented the first nail in the coffin of Arab nationalist identity and opened the door wide for questions and reassessments. The image of the charismatic leaders in whom the nation had placed its hopes fell. The Arab nationalism trend continued to represent the new identity for several more years, perhaps due to inertia or to shift the responsibility of the defeat onto some corrupt leaders rather than the project itself. The defeat was thus considered merely a setback in the path of Arab nationalist progress.

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” Battle

The victory of October 1973 served as a restoration of the nation's dignity, which had been squandered in 1967. The slogan “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is Great) raised in this war signaled the emergence of a new identity for the nation. However, what followed was a state of identity conflict between the nationalist identity, which had the highest cultural momentum, and the Islamic identity, seeking renewal away from the Ottoman legacy and its associated schools and experiences. There was also a resurgence of patriotic identity after large sectors rejected national identity and, following the start of negotiations, peace, normalization, reconciliation, and acceptance of the Zionist entity as part of the “Middle East.”

All this led to the gradual emergence of a new identity that partially or almost entirely abandoned the Palestinian cause. Normalization, which began as cold, limited, and condemned in most countries, became normal and enthusiastic, with steps accelerating to catch up with it. The fragmented patriotic identity melted into the new globalized identity, where acceptance and engagement with the Zionist entity became one of the conditions for integration.

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” marks the beginnings of a new identity for an Islamic Ummah that is feared and capable of action.

A distorted version of globalization has shaped our nation's identity in recent times. Pragmatism as a philosophy, despotism as a mode of governance, a rentier economy as a source of income, the absence of any genuine major projects on either the national or pan-Arab levels, the rejection of the Arabic language in youth and educational circles, and worst of all, the feeling that we are compelled to accept this identity, unable to act. The Zionist entity has become an existential reality that must be accepted and dealt with.

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” Battle on October 7, 2023, came to shake the course of events, as if the victory of the enemy in the Six-Day War and the subsequent developments were met by this battle to shake its foundations and shatter its illusions. The enemy and the new imperialist powers were on the verge of achieving a decisive victory, not like the June War, which could be a setback to correct the course, but rather on the level of penetrating consciousness and identity. The nation was made to accept defeat willingly, even seeing defeat as a victory and perceiving their enemy and its supporters as an unbeatable force, thus deciding to surrender under the guise of friendship.

However, the “Al-Aqsa Flood” proves to them that they have fallen victim to psychological defeat and that a small, primitively equipped resistance group terrifies and frightens the enemy simply because they adopted Allah's words: “And you did not throw when you threw, but it was Allah who threw.” (Al-Anfal: 17) as their slogan. They strove in their efforts and relied on Allah, achieving what the helpless deemed impossible.

We can say that the “Al-Aqsa Flood” marks the beginnings of a new identity for an Islamic Ummah that is feared and capable of action, not just mere scum. Effort, striving, and victory are the gateways for nations to form identities.

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