The world has fundamentally changed on October 7, 2023. This is the perspective of an independent South African security analyst with a special focus on the Palestinian liberation from Israeli occupation. Zaakir Mayet spoke with Radio 786 as nighttime fell over Palestine on Day One of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, a day of brave and heroic efforts to further weaken and end the Israeli siege of the Palestinian people and more urgently – its ongoing attacks on the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Mayet believes that this operation shows that the Palestinians are always a step ahead, despite the Israelis’ vast military arsenal.
Speaking during Radio 786’s rolling coverage of Operation Al Aqsa Flood, Mayet noted that the extent of the Palestinians’ techniques being used against the Israeli regime shows that there has been extensive training and development of their capabilities, which has completely caught the Zionists off guard.
According to Israel’s stated figures, at least 200 settlers were killed and over 1,000 were wounded throughout the day. A Gaza-based Journalist, Akram Al Satari however told Radio 786 that this number is grossly inaccurate, suggesting that the fatalities may be much higher than claimed by the Israelis.
Mayet said that the Palestinian operation reveals the arrogance of the Occupation Forces by not giving the Palestinian resistance its due, thinking that Palestinians are lesser beings. This, he argues has now been its downfall, as the resistance deals a decisive blow through Operation Al Aqsa Flood.
More than 150 rockets blasted into the occupied lands by nightfall. The military wing of Hamas said the rockets on Saturday evening are a response to Israel’s attack on a high-rise building in the heart of Gaza City.
Videos on social media showed a barrage of rockets over Tel Aviv.
Mayet observed that the Israelis don’t appear to know how to strategically respond to the resistance – evidenced by the bombing of Palestinians en masse. However, this poor strategy is also indicative of the Israelis’ mediocre ground capabilities. These have been shown by youths with Molotov cocktails and stones being able to drive out occupation forces during previous incursions into Palestinian towns.
On the guiding motivation that drove the Palestinian act of resistance, Mayet paused to note that Palestinians are an inherently religious people, who are made up, predominantly, of Muslims. Today’s operations, its name, and the motivating rhetoric, are religion-based. This means that the discussions of the Palestine issue being a “human rights” concern is not at the core of the Palestinian cause, said Mayet.
Furthermore, Mayet argued that much like the South African experience, an armed resistance is the only tool left to deal the occupation a decisive blow. Mayet said the BDS movement, and secularism, has sought to muzzle the need for armed resistance against Israel.
Palestinians in Gaza have absolute faith in the Almighty. The fighters are wearing sandals, no boots; showing that they have the ultimate faith in their Creator and are showing they have no fear of the Israeli regime, or death, said Mayet.
