By Al-Nayer Al-Yaqoubi
In every conflict ignited by the Zionist entity in Gaza, lives are lost there, and facades crumble here. With every aid convoy heading to Rafah Crossing, a glimmer of hope emerges, yet it often accompanies significant noise and pointless grandstanding.
The “steadfast convoy” entered Libyan territory, akin to many convoys that have traversed the country over decades, where roads were smoothed and gates opened, treating it as an honoured guest. However, the convoy halted at the entrance to Sirte; this precautionary stop was essential in a country whose wounds have not yet healed, and whose security apparatus is striving to mend deep fissures that have exhausted its stability and security.
The clamour was ready, and opportunism was present. The loudspeakers of “those fishing in troubled waters” began to aim accusations at anyone who, in good faith, requested a halt for the convoy to verify, inquire, and ascertain the identity of those arriving in the name of “Palestine.” These opportunists arrived with premeditation and deliberate insistence on inciting controversy and condemnation, as if the requirement was the absence of the state for enthusiasm to flourish, and the silencing of laws for slogans to resound.
The objective of these “opportunists” is to transform the Palestinian cause into a ready accusation of collaboration and betrayal against anyone diligently striving to be an honest, vigilant, and alert security official in their country.
These opportunists know with certainty that Libya has never been, and will never be, alien to Palestine, historically or presently. They are well aware that the blood of martyrs from Libya’s villages, rural areas, and cities has mingled with the pure soil of Jerusalem. They also overlook aid that originated from the pockets of the needy before the wealthy among Libyans.
It is self-evident that if we wish for a state to rise, we should inquire about the identity of those entering its territory, and that it should pause and investigate a convoy, the nature of some of whose wearers of its mantle is unknown. How many times has the “Palestinian kuffiyeh” become a cover for those who trade in its name from within Palestine and Arab countries? How many times has an intelligence project been hidden in a truck of Arab and foreign aid destined for children starving amid the rubble of their homes? How many times has Gaza been exploited by those who feed on its patience and resilience to lambast and betray patriots, simply for speaking a word of truth, far from the honeyed words mumbled by malicious tongues and exhaled with a yellow smile?
Ladies and gentlemen, the problem is not with the convoy itself, but with those who donned the cloak of “the only zealous Arab Muslim for Palestine,” exploiting the nobility and significance of the convoy, and turning it into a test for patriots who uphold their country’s sovereignty while their hearts yearn for Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Libya is known for fulfilling its duty and more towards its Palestinian brethren, untainted by any shortcoming. Anyone who seeks to gain leverage over a “Libyan” concerning the Arabs’ foremost cause is either ignorant or deliberately forgetful, harbouring a vile ulterior motive.
In conclusion, should the convoy be delayed or return due to agreements between Libya and Egypt regulating traffic between them, this by no means signifies that the entirety of Palestinian territory has been removed from the map of Libya’s top priorities. The cause of Palestine has been, remains, and will continue to be in the hearts of ordinary citizens for as long as they live, offering invaluable sacrifices for it, in the face of obscure opportunists and those who manipulate them like puppets.