Democratic Palestine : 14 (ص 15)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 14 (ص 15)
- المحتوى
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Women in
the Palestinian Revolution
In anticipation of International Women’s Day, we interviewed Samira Salah, Central Committee member
of the PFLP and head of its women’s organization. A mother of three children, she participates actively
in women's activities on the Arab and international level. We asked Samira about the situation of Pales-
tinian women in general, the General Union of Palestinian Women and the Palestinian Womens Organi-
zation of the PFLP. The following is based on our interview with her.
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Samira Salah at WIDF conference
The reality of the women’s situation in the
Palestinian liberation struggle
The struggle of the Palestinian women, especially in the
occupied territories, cannot be separated from the political
struggle and the struggle in unions. Palestinian women suffer
a compound form of oppression: economic and social as well
as national. This is especially so in the occupied territories.
Meanwhile, they participate in institutions whose role is to liber-
ate them economically, socially and politically.
When discussing Palestinian women as distinct from Arab
women. we should also keep in mind the following: Ever since
1948, Palestinian women have suffered the consequences of
war. massacres, migration and occupation. This forced many
to shoulder total responsibility for preserving the family. Cir-
cumstances demanded that the woman become the provider,
a role historically assumed by the male, in addition to the bur-
Gens of domestic duties and motherhood. This added respon-
sibility had the positive aspect of developing the character of
the Palestinian woman as contrasted with Arab women as a
whole. Secondly, participation in daily struggle through the
Palestinian revolution gave her a distinct militant character.
Thirdly, the ideologies that were introduced via the Palestinian
revolution made her more aware of her rights as a woman and
hastened the process of her becoming politically conscious.
if we look at women s participation in the struggle as such,
it is relatively small. Yet compared to women in other Arab
countries, we find itis very advanced. Palestinian women have
participated in all fields of struggle, even the highest form,
armed struggle. They have carried arms, planted mines, got-
ten arrested, etc. They have reached the same level as men,
though on a smaller scale, because of the circumstances
women live under.
Naturally we are constantly striving to upgrade womens
struggle, because in the end it all goes towards advancement
of the Palestinian revolution. The more women are liberated
socially and economically, the more they are able to adhere to
our peopie s cause and play an active role. Womens con-
sciousness and economic independence are a help to the
revolution’s advance. The slogan «Man and woman, side by
side in the battle of liberation» has been applied in practice, but
it has its ups and downs. The more the revolution advances,
the more women’s participation is boosted. The reverse is also
true. Women being the weakest link, are the most affected by
any slowdown in the revolution. In a phase of retreat, the prog-
ress of women is most affected. In phases of advance, their
progress is not as quick as that of men, because of the back-
ward social situation.
Obstacles to women’s liberation
The family is the main obstacle. Backward social customs
hinder women from expressing themselves freely. Anyone
who oversteps the social boundaries is considered to be
deviating from tradition and norms which we inherited from our
grandfathers. The woman's movement is restricted, because
she always remains under the guardianship of her father,
brother and husband. Her liberation is therefore necessarily
linked with theirs.
A second factor is the woman herself. She is not con-
vinced of her importance and ability to play an active role. She
has been brought up to view herself as the society does, as the
weaker sex. She is used to remaining at home. Her thoughts
are limited to bringing up children, cooking, etc. She has been
brought up to believe that men are responsible for making deci-
sions, even over her own life. She lacks confidence in her abil-
ity to contribute, despite the fact that she is always giving. She
bears the children that become heroes and martyrs for Pales-
tine. That is basically her role in the society - to give. When
women become conscious of the importance of their status as
the giver, they will become aware that they are important.
There are many subjective factors which affect women and
limit their self-confidence.
In this context we can appreciate the role of the woman
vanguard whose task is to mobilize the potentials of women by
bolstering their confidence. Looking farther ahead, to after lib-
eration, we will be faced with the task of building a new society.
This will not be just the men's task. Women must be up to this
task, and preparation must start now.
Another factor affecting women is the infiltration of west-
ern culture into the Arab world. This affects the process of
women’s liberation negatively, because it emphasizes things
like fashion and make-up, projecting the woman as a commod-
ity. We reject the television commercials projecting women as
commodities or promoting other commodities. It is not only
backwardness which is an obstacle to women’s liberation. The
invasion of western culture diverts from women’s basic
national and social cause. The reaction to imperialist ideas is
either to be completely carried away and blinded by western »
15 - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 14
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