Roberto Viola

A Tale of Two Palestinian Cities. Some were outraged when I stated earlier that we, as Gulf Arabs, no longer wish to destroy our nations and futures for a cause that, for 70 years, has brought us nothing but terrorism, accusations, betrayal, and alliances with our enemies. The moment we say: “We want to live,” we are branded Zionists. By who? By people sitting comfortably in Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, the West - sipping lattes and tweeting from safe homes - demanding we fight and die for their version of solidarity. So let me show you two realities. The first video is from Gaza, April 2025 - 18 months into a war that never needed to happen. There was no prior Israeli provocation, no bombing campaign, no invasion leading up to October 7. Things were improving. Israel was issuing 22,000 daily work permits for Gazans, and negotiations were underway - with Saudi mediation - for improving Gaza’s conditions in exchange for moderation. Then Hamas, acting on behalf of Iran, blew it all up. October 7 wasn’t resistance. It was sabotage. A completely unnecessary massacre - not for Palestinian liberation, but to derail Saudi-Israeli normalization and regional peace. It was Tehran’s agenda, paid in Palestinian blood. The second video is from the Palestinian capital, Ramallah, also April 2025 - the ICON Mall grand opening. Music. Dancing. Luxury stores. BMWs pulling in. Palestinians celebrating as if Gaza were on another continent. No outrage. No mourning. Just luxury shopping and selfies. If they, the fellow Palestinians, aren’t standing in the rubble, why are we told we must? Let’s also get this straight: Gaza has been “free” since 2005. The siege? It started in 2007, after Hamas took power by killing 300 fellow Palestinians (PA Police) and throwing them off rooftops. Since then, Israel still gave out work permits. Egypt, on the other hand, kept the Rafah border completely sealed. Even during the war’s worst days, Egypt wouldn’t open it - barely for aid, not for refugees. Not one work permit. Nothing. If Gaza was truly a prison, why didn’t Hamas break out through Egypt? Why always toward Israel? Because Egypt would shoot - not negotiate. But you won’t see the usual online “activists” blaming Cairo. No. It’s always easier to guilt-trip the Gulf Countries. So no - we will not join your death cult. We will not die for the cause while Ramallah dances and Cairo locks the gate. And to all the comfortable, self-righteous voices screaming “solidarity”: shut the fuck up and go die in Gaza yourselves if you care that much. Don’t lecture us from safety. Don’t demand sacrifice from others while you live off hashtags. If the people of Ramallah aren’t bothered - if their own fellow Palestinians can dance on the same day others die - why the hell should we? Spare us the pious performative grief. We’ve seen through it. The cause was hijacked long ago by ye Ayatollahs of Tehran - and we are done dying for other people’s delusions.