 | ISSUE NO: 004 | ABOUT AL - MUNADIThis newspaper was established in 1912 in Jerusalem. It focused on cultural issues, but had a very clear, and prophetic view, on the disastrous impact Zionism would have on Palestine. The editors were two Jerusalemite Palestinians, Muhammad al-Mughrabi and Sa‘id Jarallah. It was one of the first Muslim newspapers, the early ones were Christians, it was a precursor of the local newspapers in the mandatory period, asserting the Palestinians rights for liberation and self-determination in their homeland. At the same time, it called for the modernization of Palestine and thus visualized a Palestine that could have been, had it not been for the Zionist colonization. |
| PERSPECTIVES ON TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE | |
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FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF
June 2023 Editorial |
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You will know by now that the focus for MLN webinars this year is the Nakba and you will find details of our “Mapping the Nakba” webinar in this newsletter – a rich resource which I know you will find fascinating and stimulating. The fact 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the Nakba (Israel’s ethnic cleansing of over 700,000 Palestinians from Palestine between late 1947 and early 1949) says a great deal about the racism that drives colonisation and the Eurocentric narratives which support it. Both were on display a couple of weeks back when Israeli crowds on flag day chanted “Death to Arabs”, “May their villages burn” and “We want another Nakba”. But it also says more than this. It says that for the US, racism and oppression, occupation and brutality are justified where they contribute to its official goal of “full-spectrum dominance” on planet earth. The US aims to be the single global superpower and wants its proxy state, Israel, to keep the Arab world, where so much of the world’s oil reserves are held, under its military thumb. But military might is a crude tool of oppression which, history tells us, has never succeeded in the long term in any situation. In the meantime, Palestinians are giving humanity a masterclass in resilience and steadfastness, passion and spirit, fire and fury, as they face their oppressors and fight for their liberation in the land of their ancestors. For too long the outside world has not been paying enough attention, confused and misled by Israeli propaganda. But this is changing too. I live in Aotearoa New Zealand, a former colony of Britain, which has begun a process of decolonisation. The country is wrestling with its colonial past and Māori have begun to take small but significant steps on the path to self-determination. It would be overstating it to say the country is fully awake to colonisation and the fact that the past resonates in the present for Māori but we have come a long way. Despite this, our mainstream media broadcasters are still reporting Israeli colonial propaganda narratives. For example, our state broadcasters Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand have systemic anti-Palestinian bias built into their reporting. RNZ reporting typically talk about the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem when they should be reported as the occupied West Bank, occupied Gaza and occupied East Jerusalem. “Occupied” is the status these territories have under international law, United Nations resolutions and NZ government policy and should be consistently reported as such. BBC stories, and by default RNZ which takes these reports uncritically, consistently refer to Palestinians resisting occupation as Palestinian “militants” or “terrorists” or similar derogatory and dismissive descriptions.
We wouldn’t call Ukrainian teenagers throwing stones at occupying Russian soldiers as “militants” so why does RNZ think it’s OK to use this term to describe Palestinian teenagers throwing stones at Israeli occupation troops?
Under international law Palestinians have the right to resist Israel’s military occupation, including the right to armed struggle, and should not be abused for doing so by RNZ. Palestinian resistance groups should be described as “resistance fighters” or “armed resistance groups” while Israeli soldiers should be described as “Israeli occupation soldiers”.
The BBC, and by default RNZ, will often give wide sympathetic coverage to Israelis killed by Palestinians but do not give similar sympathetic coverage to Palestinians killed, on a daily basis, by the Israeli occupation.
For example, when two British Israelis were killed earlier this year they received wide compassionate coverage on RNZ and TVNZ while the hundreds of Palestinians, including dozens of children, killed this year are simply reported as statistics.
Wide coverage is given to Israeli spokespeople in most stories with rudimentary reporting, if any, from Palestinian viewpoints.
Our mainstream media reporting, most especially from our state broadcasters, is consistently Eurocentric and fails Palestinians – and the rest of us as well. This Eurocentrism which dominates our news is a big challenge for solidarity activists here and in other former British colonies such as the US, Canada and Australia – all of whose leaders are in the frontline of defence for Israel and its apartheid policies. But opinions are changing, and slowly but surely the tide of history is turning and the Israeli narrative is running out of steam (sorry for those mixed metaphors) That’s a story for another time but in the meantime we must all demand our media tell the truth so Israel’s propaganda wave of misinformation and disinformation ends. The 75th anniversary of the Nakba will not become a 100th anniversary. Palestine will have begun its transition from colonisation well before then. |
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| |  | | | The MLN webinar titled "Mapping the Nakba - tracing settler colonialism" was introduced by Hassanal. The webinar focused on the history of the Nakba and its relevance in the contemporary context. Professor Ilan Pappe was the moderator for the event. | Prof.Ilan Pappe briefly outlined the events of 1948, highlighting the fact that Zionist forces conducted an ethnic cleansing operation before Britain left Palestine and before any Arab soldiers intervened. This operation resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of numerous villages and towns. He further explained that the Nakba encompassed not only the physical destruction of Palestinian communities but also the loss of human capital, as many Palestinians who could have contributed to the development of a free Palestine became refugees and helped rebuild other Arab countries. The webinar aimed to educate people about the Nakba using historical archives, oral testimonies, maps, and other materials to counter the narrative that denies the Palestinian catastrophe. |
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| Prof. Pappe concluded by stating that the Zionist movement's settler colonialism began in the 1920sand continued through various periods, including the June '67 war and the present day, with ongoing campaigns of ethnic cleansing. He then introduced Dr. Salman Abu Sitta as the first speaker, a Palestinian researcher known for his work on mapping Palestine, including the Nakba map that showcased destroyed villages. Dr. Abu Sitta developed a plan for implementing the right of return for Palestinian refugees and is involved in mapping the demographic, economic,and cultural aspects of Palestine pre-1948, during 1948, and in envisioning a liberated Palestine. | | Dr. Salman Abu Sitta spoke about the ongoing Nakba experienced by Palestinians, starting from the events of 1948 when his birthplace was attacked and destroyed. He emphasised that the Zionist invasion of Palestine began even before the creation of Israel, and many villages and cities were depopulated before Israel's establishment. | | Dr. Abu Sitta highlighted the use of massacres as a tool of ethnic cleansing and the correlation between these massacres and the displacement of Palestinians. He also discussed the importance of preserving Palestinian history and identity through mapping and documentation, describing the extensive knowledge they have of Palestinian villages, their populations,and their current locations in refugee camps. Dr. Abu Sitta explained the potential for Palestinians to return to their homeland and presented their efforts in designing and planning the reconstruction of destroyed villages through innovative means like competitions by engaging young architects. |
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| He emphasised that the right of return is both sacred and legal, and it can be achieved without causing harm to Jewish citizens who wish to live in a free and democratic country. However, he stated that Zionism, apartheid, and racism should have no place in the future of Palestine. Dr. Abu Sitta also mentioned the possibility of using reparations from Israel to cover the costs of reconstruction, suggesting it would be more economical in comparison to the aid given to Israel by the United States. | | Dr. Rona Sela expressed gratitude to the organisers and mentioned the important role played by Dana Dura for her editing and animation work. She mentioned her collaboration with Prof Ilan Pappe in establishing the Palestinian archive and the film's original purpose of raising money for the archive and raising awareness about its importance. Dr. Sela discussed two ways in which Israel and its archives became sources of information about Palestinians. The first way focused on the seizure, looting, and control of Palestinian archives by |
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| Israeli institutions, which manipulated and censored the materials for colonial purposes. The second way involved the active gathering of knowledge about Palestinians by Israeli colonial bodies before,during, and after the Nakba, including information about villages, residents, and landscapes. Dr. Sela highlighted the use of settler colonial sources, which were created through erasure and concealment, and proposed challenging the oppressive colonial contents by redirecting them into a new channel that counters the original goals. She emphasised that this approach was just one part of the available knowledge about Palestinian history and called for the return of archival materials to Palestinians as a form of resistance. Dr. Sela acknowledged the long and ongoing work required to uncover the extent of materials still closed and censored in Israeli archives. | | | Dr. Heba Yazbak's conversation focused on the importance of oral history and documentation in understanding the experiences of Palestinian women and the impact of the Nakba(the 1948 Palestinian exodus and the establishment of the State of Israel) on Palestinian society. She highlighted the ongoing settler-colonial structure that has marginalised and silenced Palestinians, particularly the displaced,and the loss of written sources and cultural heritage as a result of the Nakba and Israeli actions. |
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| Dr.Yazbak emphasised the significance of oral history as a way to address the exclusion of Palestinian voices from mainstream historiography. She discussed the role of oral narratives in compensating for the loss of written sources,especially among the rural displaced population. The memory of displacement becomes a critical aspect of their lives, and oral history helps preserve and transmit their experiences, creating sites of memory and meaning. Dr. Yazbak also highlighted the challenges faced in documenting oral history, particularly the limited research on the Nakba generation and displaced persons, with a focus on the marginalisation of women's voices. Dr. Yazbak stressed the importance of gender as an analytical category and the need to recognise the double oppression faced by Palestinian women as Palestinians and as women within Palestinian society. She discussed the distinction between urban and rural experiences and the different narratives associated with them. Rural men are often seen as representing the attachment to the land, while rural women are portrayed as objects to be protected. Urban women's narratives have often been subsumed within a broader urban experience, limiting their ability to share their specific perspectives. Dr. Yazbak acknowledged the social stereotypes against Palestinian women and the initial reluctance of some informants to share their knowledge. She emphasized the need to "gender the field"and include women in the historiography to ensure their narratives are documented and heard. She concluded by highlighting the urgency of documenting oral history, particularly among elderly Nakba survivors and women. Dr. Yazbak emphasised that oral history serves not only as a method of documenting narratives but also as a political tool to confront occupation, colonial practices, and Zionist erasure. It validates Palestinian collective memory and contributes to the pursuit of truth, justice, and hope for future generations. | | During the webinar discussion, Prof Ilan Pappe, Dr Salman Abu Sitta, Dr Rona Sela, and Dr Heba Yazbak all highlighted the importance of reconstructing the history of the Nakba and its connection to various aspects of justice, including gender equality and women's rights. They emphasised the need to publicise the Palestinian people's history and engage artists, young people, and others in rewriting and sharing the factual narrative globally.
Participants raised questions about why the world does not listen or tell about the ongoing Nakba, how a global campaign can be created to free Palestine using factual history, and the importance of learning about the women's contribution in reconstructing the Nakba. They also discussed the role of oral history in preserving and passing down the stories of Nakba survivors, especially women, and the measures being taken to promote inter-generational work on this issue.
In their responses, Dr Salman Abu Sitta emphasised the importance of supporting young people and increasing awareness about the facts of the Nakba, drawing parallels with the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Dr Rona Sela discussed the challenges of censorship and erasure in Israeli archives, emphasising the need to fight for the opening of censored materials and expose the mechanisms of power that control the Palestinian archive. Dr Heba Yazbak highlighted the urgent need to bring the narratives of elderly Nakba survivors,particularly women, into the public sphere and suggested organising collective efforts to build an oral history archive.
Prof Ilan Pappe concluded the discussion by emphasising the significance of cultural resistance and proper academic research in the struggle for justice. He criticised the denial of the Nakba by the global north, particularly the refusal of the United States and European countries to commemorate the Nakba, and expressed disappointment in the hypocrisy and ignorance displayed by some Western intellectuals on the issue. He stressed the importance of the Global South's support for the liberation of Palestine and the need to continue educating,disseminating information, and debunking myths about Palestine. The creation of the MLN was highlighted as a platform for these efforts.
For more information on the webinar, visit the MLN website: https://nakbaliberation.com/mapping-the-nakba/ |
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PALESTINIANS STRUGGLE AGAINST THE ODDS |
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| Even though we begin and end with good news in this article; things for the Palestinians remain a horror story. It was a major victory for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian liberation, when British private security company G4S sold off its remaining businesses in apartheid Israel. G4S has long helped Israel to operate prisons at which Palestinian political prisoners are held without trial and subjected to torture. They’ve also provided equipment and services to illegal Israeli settlements and the Israeli military. In the arena of protest, Protesters who waved Israeli flags at a Roger Waters concert in London were kicked out of the venue in two separate incidents, while those waving Palestinian flags were reportedly not bothered by security at the performance. Comparatively good news!
Israel has induced ‘starvation politics’ as one of its new weapons. The weaponization of food is, perhaps, as cruel as weapons that kill immediately. Starvation is slow death and is infinitely more cynical, barbaric and typical of an uncivilized ruling regime except that in this case, Israel has found willing western collaborators.
An innocent toddler died from his wounds and hundreds took part in his funeral. According to the human rights group B’Tselem, Tamimi is the 150th Palestinian to have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of this year. Immediately after the shooting, Israeli military sources claimed that the boy and his father were hit by Palestinian gunfire aimed at a nearby army guard tower. Shortly after, however, the IDF Spokesperson admitted that the two were hit by shots fired by Israeli soldiers, who were allegedly responding to shooting at the guard tower. Residents of Nabi Saleh rejected the army’s version of events, with eyewitnesses claiming that the shooting at the Tamimi family was not preceded by any shooting from Palestinians.
Thousands of dunams of natural pastures have been lost in Masafer Yatta, Shepherds are compelled to buy fodder from nearby cities and then transport it at exorbitant prices. That is, if they are even able to transport it at all, given the army’s intensive deployment through out the area, and the fact that soldiers frequently confiscate Palestinians’ cars and arrest the drivers under the pretext that they are inside a firing zone.”
The focus on deepening annexation, increased violence against Palestinians, and putting down all resistance are facts that make up this government’s raison d’être. This phase saw its prelude with the settler pogrom in Huwara, which was incited and supported by senior government officials; the promise to Kahanist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of a new militia under his direct control that would fight Palestinians and leftists; and an attack on Gaza that killed dozens of Palestinians in the besieged strip.
It’s been a year of new lows: increased violence, accelerated annexation, expulsion, and assaults on human rights organizations even within Israel. No one is spared if you chose the side of justice for Palestine.
Israeli bombardments on Gaza are becoming more frequent, thanks to innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) and a military that bends to the dictates of increasingly right-wing governments…Since 2021, when Israel began publicly promoting the use of AI in military operations, over 300 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s annual assaults and thousands more have been injured and displaced; vital infrastructure like sewage systems and electricity grids have been irrevocably damaged in the regular assaults.
News from Palestine is, by and large, tragic in content. Yet, every now and then signs of substantive resistance come through. Despite Israel being a kind of military super power, a small Palestinian population has held on with courage and resilience, never willing to abandon their stations of resistance.Even though young people have lost their lives fighting back the occupation,the number of resistors grows and widens.
I am reminded of this quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “ First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then you fight you,then you win” Israel may want to pay heed to these wise words. Israel must heed these words of wisdom. They are prophetic. |
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