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On May 16, 2021, The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the West Bank, the military wing of the Palestinian Fatah movement, issued a statement instructing its fighters to answer its call for general mobilization, known as "Al-Nafir," to defend Jerusalem, the 1948 territories, and the Gaza Strip, which it said are under intense Israeli bombardment.[1]
The statement reads: "To all the fighters of The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the cities and villages of the brave West Bank: The Martyrs Brigades of Yasser Arafat, Abu Sharkh, Abu Jandal, Al-Aybat, Zaloom, Thabit Thabit.
"You are the men of men so go forth[2] to defend our people in revolt in our eternal capital Jerusalem and in the persistent Gaza and [West] Bank, Lod, Haifa, Yafa, and Nazareth and all of Palestine. This is your role, and this is your time. Do not let the herds of coward settlers and the occupation soldiers enjoy security and stability until the unjust aggression on our wounded Al-Aqsa, persistent Gaza, and our people in the Al-Jarrah [quarter] stop.
"Make their roads, settlements, and occupation camps a target for you and unbearable hell [for them]. Prevent them from passing and travelling. Make them stay in their shelters until the persistent Palestinian people enjoy security and stability in all of Palestine.
"We urge our sons in the brave security forces to extend their support and be a shield as they always have been to our people and defend them against the incursion of the occupier to our cities and villages. Let their message to the tyrannizing occupier be: Your incursion is forbidden and shall never be easy.
"The Brigades are true to their word, and they keep their promises. Glory and eternity to the generous martyrs. Long live to the unity of our heroic people. Long live Palestine, Free and Arab."
[1] Maannews.net, May 16, 2021.
[2] The Arabic word infero, derived from Al-Nafir, is a Quranic command for general mobilization.
