Peaceful uprisings should be encouraged

It seems that the most important question to be asked this year is whether the Palestinians and Israelis will be able to sign a peace agreement despite increasing atrocities against the Palestinians: military barricades, arrests, assassinations, coloniser vandalism and Judaisation of Occupied Jerusalem. Given the type and size of these continued atrocities, we must ask: What is the benefit of resuming negotiations for a so-called peace process? In response, the Israeli government is impudently nonchalant. This is symptomatic of the strategic stance adopted by the ruling right-wing coalition, which believes fighting ‘terrorism' and continued colonisation have priority over the peace process.

It is natural that this situation has a negative effect on the peace process and the entire cause as well. Besides, there is nothing more to give. Arab countries have already shown a positive attitude through the Arab Peace Initiative which, if followed, could secure a just and comprehensive peace which meets the basic needs of both parties. Despite this, Israel is unable to abandon the idea of forcing the Palestinians to acquiesce to a non-stop occupation. The extreme-right Israeli government is not concerned with making real peace with the Palestinians. This is why various Palestinian factions have agreed that the solution lies in popular resistance.

More effective

In an article titled ‘Danger: Popular Struggle', Israeli journalist Amira Hass correctly concludes: "What is dangerous about a popular struggle is that it is impossible to label it as terror and then use that as an excuse to strengthen the regime of privileges, as Israel has done for the past 20 years. The popular struggle … shows that the Palestinian public is learning from past mistakes and from the use of arms, and is offering alternatives that even senior officials in the Palestinian [National] Authority have been forced to support — at least at the level of public statements".

All factions, especially Fatah, have emphasised the necessity of popular struggle. Fatah called for "escalating popular resistance against the Israeli occupation through demonstrations and diplomatic efforts … Our programme has emphasised the struggle's tasks in this period, for which two lines have been drawn: first, escalating the popular struggle as a mode of resistance against occupation … and, second, fortifying action at the international level for the purpose of globally chasing and isolating Israel, to eventually force it to acquiesce to international legality".

It is perhaps prudent to hear comments provided by Yuval Diskin, director of the Israel Security Agency, and Amos Yadlin, director of Israeli Military Intelligence. In their report to the Israeli government, they said: "The Palestinians intend to continue building their state from below … and force Israel to accept a settlement from above … The quiet conditions, security-wise, in the West Bank and the fact that the [Palestinian National] Authority is working successfully against terrorism has made the international community expect from Israel a political move ahead."

Indeed, present conditions demand an immediate campaign for a Palestinian, in fact an Arab mobilisation, in the form of street demonstrations and other actions in their communities. This will convince the Israeli occupation of the ability of the Palestinians and Arabs to adopt peaceful methods that are likely to have the desired effect. Peaceful resistance has the ability to mobilise Arab and international support against Israeli racism.

Demands

Rather than falling anew into the quagmire of negotiations with vague goals and underhanded tactics, Palestinians should support the Palestine Liberation Organisation Central Council's demands, "… bringing an end, fully and unequivocally, to Israeli [colonies] in [Occupied] Jerusalem and its neighbourhoods, and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories before resuming negotiations with Israel; defining a reference for negotiations in line with internationally legal resolutions; defining a time frame; and acceptance of the 1967 borders as the official borders of the Palestinian state, with East [Occupied] Jerusalem as its capital".

Meanwhile, there are clear signs that a new wave of popular resistance against the occupation is imminent. A popular uprising against Israeli occupation would serve the Palestinian cause, as would putting an end to the internal rift. This divide is an Achilles' heel, crippling the Palestinian national movement and shattering the Palestinian cause.

Professor As'ad Abdul Rahman is the chairman of the Palestinian Encyclopaedia.