Cape Town (IP) - Ronnie Kasrils is a veteran anti-Apartheid activist and military commander who held leadership roles in the ANC’s armed wing, uMkhonto weSizwe. He is also South Africa’s former Minister of Intelligence.

Iran Press/Africa: In an exclusive interview with Iran Press News Agency in Cape Town, Ronnie Kasrils expressed that resistance will presist despite the assasination of resistance leaders.

Iran Press (IP): Let's look at the current reality that the resistance faces. Over a year into this battle, a number of the key top leaders have been assassinated by Israel. What is the importance of the struggle to continue with the resistance that we've seen? 

Ronnie Kasrils (RK): Yes, well, of course, these are really towering figures that have played an enormous role in the history of the region and in standing up to Zionist Israel, settler colonial apartheid Israel and its sponsors, the USA, Britain, Germany and so on.

 

'True Resistance Fighters'

They've all wanted to see these people out of the way. They were very well aware of their role and the threat to them. And like true resistance fighters, they accepted death. There's no question about that. They weren't running away at all. They led the resistance and they prepared their organizations to continue with or without them. And for every hero or heroine, such as they are, there are hundreds, thousands who actually rise up to take their place, including what is emerging and will emerge; extremely dynamic figures.

So Israel is with the USA, Britain, these colonial countries, they think by beheading - as they would call it the snake - by beheading the leader that they would. This is a tactical aspect. The resistance does not die. It can be set back. It's a big, big loss, a huge loss. We can't imagine the loss. But as we've seen in other anti-colonial struggles against imperialism throughout history and from our own position here in South Africa, we lost tremendous leaders. Others emerge. And that the struggle is bigger than any one leader, no matter how incredible that leader is. 

 

Resistance Resurges

So what the resistance is already showing in every sense is that they are not put off, they are not back on the ropes. They actually coming back and they are shocking Zionism. They are shocking the United States. And you would think that those imperialist forces, including Israel, would have learned from history, but they are too arrogant.

They lose over and over no matter what leaders they like, get out of the way from all over. We've seen it in recent times, whether it's Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout history. You go back to 1935 when Izz al-Din al Qassem was killed, murdered by the British. That didn't stop Palestinian resistance. 

In fact, the resistance against repression might get pushed back for a while. But it's a question of one step back, two steps forward. It grows inorganization, capacity and in strength. 

 

"Zionism's End Near"

And I would say we are already seeing such profound problems arising for Zionist Israel and its sponsors that I think we're going to see the end of Zionism sooner rather than later. I think people will be surprised why, because of the determination of the people of the region and they are fighting a just struggle, a noble cause, and they represent the many Zionist Israel, the American elite, and the British and the French elite. They are the few. We are the many. Resistance and struggle is the many. We will grow in strength, in fact, absolutely no doubt about that whatsoever. As we say here, Aluta Continua, the struggle continues and Amandla Awethu power to the people - that is inevitable throughout the region.

Iran Press (IP): I want to pickup on that. You talk about us, the people that are facing this aggression as being the many. Let's look at it from a dimension away from the front lines, the role that South Africa, for example, played in taking this matter to the ICJ at the international law level, andthen also the importance of boycotts, sanctions as well in bringing a power such as the Zionist entity to heel. 

 

Resistance Built on Four Pillars

Ronnie Kasrils (RK): Well, you see we had the formula. We characterized the struggle residing on four pillars. The primary one is the resistance of the people inside the country, inside the region, an unstoppable force if it's properly organized and led. The moral high ground, reinforced by armed actions and an underground network which survives against the most intense repression. And you can see how after a year it survived in Gaza and throughout Palestine. And the fourth pillar, extremely important ... international solidarity.

 

Israeli Narrative Losing Grip

So for many decades, Israel had an advantage of the Western narrative that fully supported it, as it still does. But people, particularly in the West, were bamboozled. What the people of the world never found in the West now have seen and said Israel's not invincible. For sure, Al-Aqsa flood of the 7th of October 2023, but Zionist narrative has been exposed for something that isn't aboutsecurity for a chosen Jewish race, but something that is inherently evil, regressive and they captivated even Jews around the world.

But you can see how, especially in the USA, how many younger Jews are revolted by thecriminality and the genocide of Zionist Israel. So they are losing the narrative. There is a much stronger narrative that has emergedand 80% of humanity supports and understands it more and more. So this is not the example of the extent of the crisis facing Zionist apartheid Israel and its sponsors in the West.

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