Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 22)
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- Democratic Palestine : 29 (ص 22)
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post in the occupied territories, was beaten by the occupation
forces as he was stepping out of Al Aqsa mosque. Everyday gas
bombs are thrown and shots are fired in the holy places.
Almost everyday, the Zionist troops enter mosques to in-
timidate worshipers and suppress sit-ins. This should make all
other Islamic trends face up to their nationalist conscience and
follow the path of Islamic Jihad by deciding to participate in
the uprising. It is sorrowful that the other religious organiza-
tions haven’t taken such a decision yet, although their honest
members have joined the uprising in practice.
What developments have you observed in the
uprising since its beginning?
Actually, the uprising 1s a qualitatively new school within the
realm of Palestinian struggle. While studying the school of the
uprising, one could remember other great lessons from history:
the Paris Commune, the Russian revolution of 1905, the
Palestinian-Lebanese national coalition that expelled the
Zionists from Lebanon... Also this uprising is a new school.
The Palestinian masses are confronting the Zionist expan-
sionist entity with their determination, with stones and the
slogan of freedom.
During the first month of the uprising, before I was
deported, I witnessed the great revolutionary capacity among
the masses. I personally couldn’t imagine that the masses
would rise up this fast, under such a strong organization and
with such precision and readiness to sacrifice. Daily, the upris-
ing has been able to intensify and develop new methods of
resistance. The gradual development in the relationship of the
merchant to the consumer, the landlord to the tenant, and the
process of developing home economy are all building the basis
to assure the continuation of the uprising. Now we see the
creation of dual power: the authority of the Palestinian masses
and the authority of the occupation forces. The authority that
is on the daily offensive now is the authority of the masses. On
the other hand, the authority of the occupation Is retreating.
I have had the opportunity to meet with some of the people
who were deported from Palestine after I was. They started to
talk about the unbelievable increase in the morale, con-
sciousness, cooperation and sense of solidarity among the
people. For instance, when the aid committees go to distribute
food, milk and medicine to some families, the reply 1s: «We
have supplies, go and give to other people.» When there is a
siege on a village, the surrounding villages rise in support and
offer whatever they have to save it.
There are basic prerequisites to insure achieving victory, 1.e.,
organization, mass support and the realistic outlook of the
leadership. One might think that the continuation of certain
points of action in the calls issued by the United National
Leadership, such as demonstrations, rallies, planting the land,
medical aid, etc, are merely repetitions. In fact, the process of
repetition means rooting the authority of the masses more
deeply. The uprising is going in the right direction and is ex-
panding the scope of its authority each day. When the United
National Leadership calls for a rally, everybody runs to join.
Our people, by achieving national unity, by learning from
many international experiences, by being steadiast in Sabra
and Shatila for 3 years, have created the children of stones in
22
the occupied territories. In the womb of all of the miseries that
our people have faced grew this great uprising.
How have the so-called Palestinian moderates
reacted to the uprising?
You are surely referring to people like Shawwa, Frei,
Siniora, Abu Rahmeh and Neseiba (respectively mayor of
Gaza, mayor of Bethlehem, editor of Al Fajr, Gaza lawyer,
professor at Bir Zeit University - all of whom have been named
as possible ‘acceptable’ negotiating partners rather than the
PLO - editor’s note). These people are parasites who want to
harvest the fruits of the uprising. This trend intends to divert
the uprising from its nationalist aims. These people changed
their position from one extreme to the other. Previously, they
thought that the PLO doesn’t represent the Palestinian people.
Since the uprising, they moved to a position of considering the
PLO the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian
people. Previously, they considered the masses who are making
the uprising as a bunch of troublemakers. Now they speak of
the uprising as a revolutionary way to implement changes.
Siniora, for instance, was going to run in the municipal
elections in «unified» Jerusalem, entering the slate of can-
didates along with Teddy Kolleck (the Israeli mayor of
Jerusalem). He called on the Palestinians to participate in these
elections. Now somehow this person has become a defender of
the uprising and also calls for civil disobedience. The same
change occurred in the position of Sari Neseiba. Approx-
imately a year ago, Neseiba considered using knives to attack
the occupiers, which our people consider a form of struggle, as
being contrary to the Palestinian heritage. He considered the
people who used this tool as outcasts and troublemakers. This
person, after the uprising, calls for civil disobedience. Simply
put, these people are strangers to the uprising. The masses of
the uprising are not theirs. The contents of the uprising are not
theirs. Frankly, these people do not represent the uprising or
even themselves. Our masses have confronted them since the
beginning of the uprising, considered them as outcasts from
the national line and warned them that committing any actions
against the uprising would cost them dearly.
Would you comment on the Ship of Return?
I was one of the people who were deported from Palestine
and who were supposed to be on the Ship of Return. I actually
went to Greece in order to join this trip. I consider this project
as an attempt to practice our right of repatriation and return to
our homeland. With all sorrow, the Zionists had a better
understanding of this project than the Palestinians. The
Zionists consider that the right of return is limited to Jews.
Thus they would prevent the return of the Palestinians by any
means. Eventually this led the Zionists to abort the project by
blowing up the ship. I don’t consider that the project has fail-
ed, because for the first time in 40 years we worked to practice
our right of return by renting the ship, gathering where the ship
was supposed to embark and preparing for the trip. These were
all basic steps towards practicing the right of return. As a result
of the Zionist conspiracy together with the help of interna-
tional imperialism, the ship was blown up; thus there was a
decision to postpone the project but not to cancel it, The PLO
is going to resume this project in the future by all means. e - هو جزء من
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