Several people in my mentions (and messages) have been asking why so many Palestinians have considered the recent ceasefire as a victory. To explain, here's a short thread (or at least I intend it to be short)
Reason #1: Reclaiming the narrative about our peoplehood. Our people have been fragmented and forced to live multiple parallel realities. The fact that every Palestinian across the board was rising up and raising one flag was a huge victory against an oppressive reality
Reason #2: Dignity. To be humiliated is part of the Palestinian experience, this is true across the board but some are more deeply oppressed than others. The cease fire was a return to the status quo strategically, but for many people was more proof that we cannot be defeated
Reason #3: History. Reminder, Israel is far, far more powerful than any Palestinian faction. For the longest time, it was clear to Palestinians that they do not have the power to win, but at least can ensure that they don't lose. In these situation, to simply not lose is victory.
Reason #4: The crucially important shift in the conversation around Palestinian rights and the Palestinian cause. Reminder, a few weeks ago op-eds were still being written about the death of our cause. These events actually showed that it's not only alive, it's making progress.
Now this is my own reading of other people's reaction (not mine). I am just one Palestinian. As for me, I think there are things to celebrate, such as reason #1 + reason #4 above. I'm just afraid that what happened reinforces a status quo that we rather need to break out of.
The vicious cycle of Israeli provocations -> rockets -> bombing of Gaza -> cease fire -> continuing political dysfunction and gradual but relentless Israeli annexation + erasure... needs to be broken. And I'm afraid what happened rather entrenches it instead of breaking it.
Agree? Disagree? Reply and let me know
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