Palestinians symbolically united by Israel’s war
Published
by
Richard Kuper
JVL Introduction
As Adam Shatz notes in the London Review of Books, the outcome of the recent conflict has been twofold:
- it has symbolically unified Palestinians in occupied east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, within green-line Israel and across the diaspora;
- the traditional instinctive reflex of supporting Israel’s ‘right to defend itself’ against ‘terrorism’ has been called into question as never before.
The narrative is shifting: the conflict is increasingly recognised as one of Palestinians, insisting on a shared identity, fighting the same struggle, on different fronts, for equal rights, freedom and dignity agaisnt a harsh oppressive regime which rules across the entire space of former mandate Palestine.
This article was originally published by the London Review of Books on Fri 21 May 2021. Read the original here.
Ghosts in the Land
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More than symbolic victory is needed, and how are they going to confront those who have been using antisemitic abuse in their name, like the car convoy last week in London ?
[JVL web – we trust by saying clearly that those responsible for this vile action are disowned by the solidarity movement and all who care about Palestine, human rights, justice, equality and liberation in general.]
Thank you for bringing me up top speed on this issue. It is said that maturity allows us to see around the mountain, let us trust that one day the Israel government has this ability. We all came out of Africa, we are all related, all cousins, if you must believe, use belief for good.
Adam Shatz is right to put the spotlight on the word “quiet”. We will get in the British media – are already getting it, Sunday morning, 7.15 am Radio 4 – cries for “peace”, but that’s not what is meant. If there is peace at the end of a war, then those who have been forced to flee because of the danger to them and their children are allowed to return to their homes and land. This is what Geneva is about.
That’s the last thing – the right of refugees to return – that those who produce casually glib references to “peace” have in mind. They mean “quiet” or, with more syllables, “acquiescence”. Then you might be allowed clean water to drink, or hospitals to tend your wounded.
@JVL – good to know. And are pro-Palestinians going to demand names of offenders, and an apology ? If not, why ? If people are carrying out antisemitic attacks, and claiming its on behalf of Palestinians, they need to apologise to the Jewish and Palestinian communities, and explain how they thought it would help things. Pro-Palestinians should demand this, rather than just tweeting about it.
@Hassan: I disagree.
Individuals are resonsible for their individual actions. It is quite clear that these particular people were not speaking on behalf of the pro-Palestinian organisations who were also demonstrating.
I support neither collective punishment nor collective accountability, especially where a connection between individuals and organisations is not clear.
The pro-Palestian groups involved have absolutely no agency against these individuals, who represent only themselves. It is entirely sufficient and appropriate for the pro-Palestinian groups to say, ‘these people do not represent us nor do they speak for us’.
@David T – thats true, good points. Would still be interested to know who the offenders are, and what they thought it would achieve.