Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 4)
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- Democratic Palestine : 28 (ص 4)
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Interview With Comrade Habash
«Our Masses Can No Longer Live Under Occupation»
In early February, Comrade George Habash, General Secretary of the PFLP, was interviewed by Al
Nida’a, the Lebanese Communist Party’s newspaper, on the uprising in occupied Palestine.
The uprising is the most prominent among cur-
rent events, attracting great international atten-
tion. What are the main characteristics of this
uprising?
Scientifically speaking, this particular uprising has at-
tained the highest level ever reached by any uprising over
the past 20 years of occupation. The first basic
characteristic of this uprising is its being inclusive and
comprehensive. All classes of the people and all sectors of
society have become integral parts of the uprising. all
ideological trends are represented. Moreover, the uprising
has spread all over the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the
Palestinian territory occupied in 1948... Every town, village
and refugee camp... the entire Palestinian people, with no
exceptions, are taking part in the uprising. There is par-
ticipation by the old, the children, the Marxists, the fun-
damentalists, the merchants and the workers alike.
The second basic characteristic of the uprising is its
quality and depth. This is mirrored in the political slogans
raised by the people. In this particular uprising, the
Palestinian people have raised the slogans of freedom and
independence, the slogan of an independent Palestinian
state. It is true that several other slogans were chanted,
demanding the release of prisoners, the lifting of the iron
fist and a stop to settlement building, along with various
other demands. Yet all these are in line with the essential
slogan, namely ousting the occupation, and freedom and
independence.
The third basic characteristic of the uprising is its high
level of organization. In the first period, there was some
controversy about this issue. Yet, I believe that the con-
tinuity of the uprising has provided the real answer to this
question. After this long duration, no reasonable person
can describe the uprising as spontaneous rather than
organized. Indeed, the uprising has developed even beyond
the expectations of those who originally planned and ig-
nited it. Since then, it has assumed a well-organized form.
At present, there are popular committees organizing ac-
tivities in towns, villages and refugee camps. Efforts are
being made to form committees to cover every quarter and
every street.
The fourth characteristic is the courage shown by our
people in confronting the enemy. ‘Israel’ employs every
available means of oppression. Despite all the brutal Israeli
measures, the Palestinian children, women and old people
stand firm and continue their acts of defiance.
The particularity of the uprising, then, is seen in these
characteristics, namely its being comprehensive, deep,
organizeu ana daring. These characteristics can be at-
tributed to the huge sufferings of the Palestinian people at
the hands of the Israeli occupation. Our masses have re-
jected the occupation and can no longer coexist with it. This
is a big lesson that should be taken to heart by the Arab na-
tional liberation movements. Our masses now raise the
slogan of victory or martyrdom. How do we interpret this?
Our masses can no longer continue to live under occupa-
tion. They will risk death for the sake of freedom. These are
the sole reasons for the uprising: the occupation, and the
subjective condition which is the presence of the vanguards,
the organizations that lead the masses in order to rid them
of their suffering.
TOWARDS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
What are the chances that the uprising can
become comprehensive civil disobedience? Is the
uprising capable of paving the way for the
establishment of an independent Palestinian
state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip?
At the present moment, the uprising is being stepped up
towards total civil disobedience. It still lacks the prere-
quisites to be developed into total civil disobedience. The
Palestinian masses and their vanguards are aware of the
fact that several requirements should be fulfilled to make
total civil disobedience a success. Foremost among these
conditions is national concensus, i.e., agreement among the
most important Palestinian organizations on this issue.
Moreover, there must be agreement on this issue between
the uprising’s leadership inside Palestine and the PLO
leadership abroad. It also requires popular committees
everywhere. Finally, the conditions for survival must be
provided.
Civil disobedience basically means total rejection of the
occupation, refusing to deal with it in any way. Now, when
the Palestinian masses boycott the occupation authority, - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 28
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