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The march of return goes on

Apr 25,2018 - Last updated at Apr 25,2018

The Palestinian death toll since the launch of the "Great March of Return" on March 30 by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip keeps on increasing, with 40  persons already killed and hundreds of others injured. There were no Israeli casualties during this uprising, as the Palestinians have never used lethal weapons during the march.

All that the protesting Palestinians wanted to tell Israel and the rest of the international community, especially nations standing by Israel, was that no matter how long the Palestinians may have to wait, their right of return to their homes in Palestine is sacrosanct and will not be forgotten.

While the Palestinians used stones and burning tyres in their march, the Israeli army responded with live ammunition and artillery. This shows beyond doubt that the Israeli response to the Palestinian march has been disproportional to any threat that the Palestinians may have posed to Israel's borders. Unfortunately, this march did not attract enough attention by international media because it had to compete with many new flash points on the regional and international arenas.

The march has been held on every consecutive Friday since the day it started, with each Friday adding to the list of Palestinian casualties. Yet, the Palestinians go on with their march, come what may from Israeli soldiers.

Israel needs to get the message loud and clear: Palestinian refugees and Palestinians living in diaspora will never yield their right of return no matter how long it might take to implement that right.

Various international resolutions grant the Palestinians the right of return. Any sustainable resolution of the Palestinian conflict must entail the exercise of that right. The sooner Israel recognises this right, the sooner it will arrive at a peace deal with the Palestinians.

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