(MENAFN) Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has marked the 31st anniversary of the first Intifada with pledges to continue the "armed struggle" and rebuked Arab leaders for looking to normalize relations with Israel.
Hamas stated in a statement issued on Saturday, "Armed struggle is a strategic option to safeguard the Palestinian cause and restore Palestinian national rights".
The first Intifada occurred in 1987 after four young Palestinians were murdered by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Gaza as well as the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy during a weaponless demonstration.
Intifada is an Arabic term that literally translates to "shaking off." It has been used to refer to legitimate means of resistance against oppression across the Middle East for decades. In the Arab-Israeli struggle, it means a concerted Palestinian effort to shake off Israeli occupation and gain independence.
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