6 - 12 September 2001
Issue No.550
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 6 - 12 September 2001 Issue No.550 |
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'In my heart, only Palestine'
With diplomacy in deadlock and Israel aggressively pursuing its assassination policy against Palestinians, sentiments continue to run high in Egypt and other parts of the Arab world, writes Amira Howeidy
I, the thirsty, have no water but Palestine
In my heart, in my eyes only PalestineState-run TV stations may not be fueling national sentiments with pro-Palestinian, pan-Arab or Jerusalem songs as was the case almost a year ago when the Al-Aqsa Intifada first erupted. And yet, sympathy with the Palestinians continues to run high.
It is no secret that diplomacy -- viewed as, among other things, a means to defuse national anger -- is not being used to achieve this purpose, if only for the time being. But every day the situation in occupied Palestine deteriorates further and shock waves resonate in Egypt as much as elsewhere in the Arab world. Everyone watches in horror.
It was no surprise, therefore, that when a seminar on the Intifada was organised at the Press Syndicate on Monday, it quickly created a state of unusual excitement and anticipation for both organisers and security forces. Lined up on both sides of the street leading to the syndicate's temporary headquarters located off Galaa Street in downtown Cairo were police cars, armoured vehicles and around a dozen members of the state security service.
"What's all the fuss?" someone asked, "it's only a seminar, for heaven's sake." It could "turn into something they would like to control," came the answer. "Everyone is fed up and our hearts are aching."
The comment was a true reflection of the atmosphere in the syndicate's modest meeting hall. Pro-Palestine sentiments reigned supreme as young boys and girls from the Palestinian Sunflower Choir performed nationalist songs. This was followed by a moment of silence in memory of Abu-Ali Mustafa, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who was assassinated by Israel last week.
The theme of the seminar was "The Palestinian Intifada between [a negotiated] settlement and resistance." Reviewing the pros and cons of the two options were three speakers: Maj-Gen Talaat Mossalam, a military expert, Gamal Abdel- Gawad, a researcher with the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, and Abdel-Qader Yassin, a Palestinian political analyst.
Although sympathetic and supportive of resistance "because this is how liberation movements across the world achieved their objectives and because there is no other means", Mossalam warned that "this is war." In war "leaders are targeted. They do not sit in their offices relying on a bodyguard outside. No, they take shelter in trenches. They protect themselves," he stressed, obviously referring to the more than 60 Palestinians assassinated by Israel. "I hope the Palestinian resistance acts like fighters," Mosallam said, "not just emotionally."
The "other" view, favouring a negotiated settlement, was supported by Abdel- Gawad. "At one point both the Palestinians and Israelis will have to sit and talk, there is no other option. Military resistance can be an option at one point, it may put the Palestinians in a stronger position, but they'll have to stop and negotiate."
But is there room for rational thinking now that "the situation may be entirely out of control?" Abdel-Gawad wondered.
This is perhaps the reason for average Egyptians' mounting frustration. At its inception, the Intifada was presented as being an upheaval that could be prevented from escalating, but this is no longer possible in view of the continuing, and horrifying, carnage. A boycott of American products is being urged once more because the US, in the words of Mosallam, "is the reason why Israel acts with such brutality and is the reason why Israel has survived."
For the past two weeks, the newspaper Al- Wafd, mouthpiece of the liberal Wafd Party, has been running an Intifada fund- raising campaign. The El-Adl group, producers of Friends or Business, a movie about the Intifada, announced earlier this week that they donated LE38,000 from the film's revenues to the Palestinian uprising.
And rumours of links between American food chains and Israel are flying fast and furious. These companies are topped by none other than the American symbol of symbols, McDonald's fast food chain. "McDonald's will donate its Saturdays' income to Israel," a letter circulating via the Internet claimed.
There is a general fear that reactions may become more vociferous once the academic year begins at universities, the delay of which many attribute to an attempt to avert the expected anti-Israeli and anti- American demonstrations.
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