27 Sep. - 3 Oct. 2001
Issue No.553
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 27 Sep. - 3 Oct. 2001 Issue No.553 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Who'll be the hero? Children play at Intifada, although they are among the Israeli army's main victims in real life photo: Thomas Hartwell
Right of resistance
The Palestinian uprising that began last September is one of the best things to have happened in contemporary Arab history. Although the regional and international balance of power is sharply skewed in Israel's favour, the Palestinians wanted to send a message to the world that they would not submit to occupation or accept an Israeli political solution that does not fulfil their basic rights. The Intifada told the world that the Palestinian resistance will continue until a comprehensive settlement based on international resolutions is reached.
The past year has been grim: hundreds of our people killed, tens of thousands injured, hundreds of demolished houses, in addition to the Israeli policy of extrajudicial killings, which took our leader Abu Ali Mustafa on 27 August. All these developments, however, are lessons for the Arab and Islamic world, for the Intifada has also achieved major objectives. Politically, it brought the Palestinian question into the headlines in the Arab world and internationally. On the economic level, it has harmed the Israeli economy, with losses amounting to $2 billion. On the human level, despite the high number of Palestinian casualties, around 180 Israelis have also been killed. Israeli settlers are fleeing en masse; those who remain are terrified.
The Intifada has also mobilised the Arabs in support of the Palestinian struggle; in turn, such support gives a regional dimension to that struggle, even though the demonstrations of the early days have dwindled.
A year has also taught us several lessons. First, national unity must be consolidated. We must draw up a unified plan of action and create a collective leadership to control and plan the Intifada and its escalation.
Second, we must revive the offices of the PLO, a symbol of Palestinian identity both on our land and in the Diaspora. We must also work in tandem with the 4.5 million Palestinian refugees. Third, we should coordinate our efforts with those of popular forces throughout the Arab world.
Today, we find ourselves in a complex political situation due to the terrorist attacks on US and Israel's exploitation of the tension to cover up its criminal attacks on Palestinians. Israel equates our national struggle against occupation with acts of terrorism. But there is a radical difference between Zionist terrorism, which is illegal, and Palestinian national resistance, which is a right granted by international law.
* The writer is spokesman for the Damascus-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
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