The Palestinian Non-Violent Resistance Movement
by
Abdul Jawad Saleh
29 November 2002
It currently seems in vogue to call for a Palestinian non-violent movement. However, there was, has been and still is a very active non-violent Palestinian resistance movement. We have opposed the Israeli occupation by trying to work around it and to build a sustainable Palestinian society, schools and economy, in spite of Israeli Occupation.
Palestinians have been committed to developing an effective non-violent resistance movement at least since the beginning of the Israeli Occupation in 1967. As a seventy year-old moderate Palestinian leader - a former Mayor, Cabinet member, and now a Member of Parliament and one of the founding members of the Palestinian National Front - I have invested my professional and personal life in non-violent resistance to Israeli Occupation. The idea that such a movement never existed is a odd attempt to erase a very real political movement.
Unfortunately, peaceful resistance to the Israeli Occupation has never served the interests of many of Israel's leaders. This is true for several reasons. Israel is determined to pretend that it is a victim because there is no glory, or even self-respect, in being the victim of pacifism.
Palestinians have never been a military threat; in truth, they have never been able to pose one. Fighting against even a fictional "force" legitimizes Israel's military approach.
As the Israeli Occupation grinds on without end, Isreal is able to construct more settlements and to imprison Palestinians in several enclaves, each surrounded by settlements, bypass roads and checkpoints. Most of these acts are illegal and are only justifiable because they take place behind the barrel of a gun. It is simply a case of military might against non-violent civilians. In many cases, Israel's actions are nothing more than an attempt to goad Palestinian civilians into anger.
The last thing Ariel Sharon wants is a non-violent resistance movement - a là Ghandi - that the world could sympathize with. Israel wants the sympathy of the world even as it sends it army to destroy our apartment buildings.
To minimize non-violent resistance among Palestinians, Israel has systematically dismantled and discredited moderate political forces in the Occupied Territories. Other comparable occupying forces are known to have used this tactic with success. The South African apartheid regime devastated the leadership of black communities as a means to weaken ANC
non-violent resistance initiatives.
We, the Palestinians, have worked well at non-violent resistance. We have staged non-violent marches, organized labor strikes, and boycotted Israeli goods and banks. In response, Israel has dissolved our elected municipal governments, undermined the judicial system by closing appeal courts, and exiled the numerous Palestinian mayors and community leaders who preached
pacifism.
In the first days of Occupation, a dynamic voluntary work movement sprang up under the guidance of democratically-elected Municipal Councils. This movement created jobs, built schools, established youth clubs, and created public libraries. Passive resistance demands strong leaders. The Palestinian non-violent resistance movement had a surplus. Seven years
later, in 1973, the establishment of the Palestinian National Front provided a much-needed central leadership with representatives from all the Occupied Territories. It's goal: to collectively confront the Israeli Occupation by non-violent means.
What did pacifism gain? Over the next ten years, the Israeli Occupation Authority dissolved Palestinian Municipal Councils, deported its elected leaders and attempted assassinations of others. On December 10th, 1973 (ironically the International Day for Human Rights), eight of the most moderate leaders, among them a mayor, of the Occupied Territories were deported, with no charges given and no access to legal defense.
Then came further deportations, arrests, and the imposition of Israeli-controlled local governments.
As the Israeli's intended, the immediate effect was an incredible weakening of the non-violent resistance movement. This was followed by months of closures in cities and villages, humiliations, incessant harassment, searches of houses, bulldozing of hundreds of homes, uprooting of vineyards and olive groves, filling up of wells, construction of tens of thousands of
housing units in settlements and large scale confiscation of land, all in violation of international law.
The contention that if Palestinians had acted differently -- had mobilized ourselves in effective, pacifist ways -- we would have a state today, is making it's way through the ranks of the Western press, and unfortunately people are beginning to believe it. Regardless of how long this lie
continues to be passed around, history will show that Palestinians responded to the Israeli Occupation with an energetic and well-organized non-violent resistance movement that was crushed at every turn.
That the non-violence movement survives is evidenced by the fact that for six weeks this summer there were no Israeli casualties and during that time numerous Palestinians died.
It is fortunate that those asking us to peacefully organize have never experienced the problems of ordinary Palestinians throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip as we struggle daily to simply to get enough water, cross the 250 checkpoints that surround us, feed our children, earn a living, and extract a small amount of dignity from our lives. It is fortunate that they have never had to explain to their sons and daughters that the family honor is still intact, even though we have non-violently endured over 40 years of oppression and humiliation.
Out of the Occupation morass and devastation a second Intifada erupted. Ariel Sharon, previously having failed to destroy much of the pacifistic peace movement in Palestine, was given another chance to do so as Prime Minister. Since he has taken office, Israel's relentless crushing of democratic institutions, Palestinian towns, Palestinian Administration ministry headquarters, offices of the civil society, educational and cultural facilities, as well as industries and socio-economic infrastructure, has taken place on a level unprecedented in modern history.
The blockading of agriculture, denial of work permits, and increased impoverishment and hunger strain at the limits of pacifistic tolerance. As innocent citizens are uprooted, injured, and killed and as thousands of homes are destroyed, the intensity of Israeli violence has produced the perhaps intended response from our bewildered Palestinian youth.
Israel's complete disregard and violation of all international norms and standards under prolonged Occupation has been the catalyst for the destruction of the non-violent resistance movement. As Palestinian youths experience Israeli torture, illegal and arbitrary repressive measures and non-judicial collective punishment, it becomes more difficult to convince
them that the pacifistic approach has been appreciated by the outside world and will eventually provide a just peace.
The Palestinians have an indomitable will that in the end will survive and win. The Palestinian non-violent resistance movement has consistently demonstrated the Palestinian people's undeniable commitment to peaceful and democratic change.
Palestinians have clear ideas about the necessity of internal institutional reform. These concepts of reform have evolved over the years. Outsiders actually interested in peace and in a non-violent solution to the conflict with Israel should work to end the violence and non-judicial repression caused by Israel, and should do everything possible to ensure that free Palestinian elections take place under a new and independent election committee. We only ask that you give pacifism a chance.
The writer is currently a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (Independent). During his twenty-two years in exile in Jordan he authored several books on the legal implications of Israeli administrative orders in the Occupied Territories. Since the Israeli's allowed his return to the West Bank, he has received overwhelming Palestinian electoral support and was appointed the Palestinian Authority's Minister of Agriculture in 1996.
