All of us who work on Israel-Palestine are used to hearing: “if only the Palestinians embraced unarmed resistance!”
Since the Arab Spring we have heard over and over, “why don’t Palestinians follow model of Egyptians & come out to protest peacefully by the thousands? If they did, world would support them, Israel would have to change policies.”
Well, the reality is that the Palestinians have been engaging in unarmed protest for years.
Israel’s response has been to treat unarmed protest as just another form of terrorism.
What’s happening now on the Gaza border with Israel exemplifies this.
Israel’s response has been to treat unarmed protest as just another form of terrorism.
What’s happening now on the Gaza border with Israel exemplifies this.
So the next time someone asks, “Where is the Palestinian Million Man March” remind them that Israel responded to Palestinians rallying on their own side of the Israel-Gaza border were met with snipers.
The next time someone asks, “Where is the Palestinian Ghandi” remind them of Israel labeling Ahed Tamimi a terrorist and jailing her.
The next time someone asks, “Why is there no Palestinian Peace Now movement” remind them how Israel using military regulations in the West Bank to outlaw virtually all Palestinian public protest.
And the next time someone asks, “Why don’t the Palestinian use other non-violent methods to achieve their goals” remind them that according to Israel:
- boycotts are “economic terror”
- seeking recourse in courts is “lawfare”
- going to the UN is “diplomatic terror”
- etc.
- boycotts are “economic terror”
- seeking recourse in courts is “lawfare”
- going to the UN is “diplomatic terror”
- etc.
Israel has, in effect, set up rules according to which Palestinians have two choices: acquiesce quietly to permanent occupation & the ever-expanding violations of fundamental human rights that it entails, or be labeled a terrorist and dealt with accordingly.
This is the reality for the general population of Palestinians in the West Bank & Gaza.
And make no mistake: it is a reality that serves only those - on both sides - who prefer violence to peaceful protest, and who favor zero-sum outcomes over compromise.
And make no mistake: it is a reality that serves only those - on both sides - who prefer violence to peaceful protest, and who favor zero-sum outcomes over compromise.
And it is a reality that guarantees that more innocent human beings, Palestinian & Israeli, will suffer.
This is the morally indefensible reality of occupation that is highlighted by the events on the Gaza-Israel border today.
