Democratic Palestine : 4 (ص 45)
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- عنوان
- Democratic Palestine : 4 (ص 45)
- المحتوى
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Palestinian Information
Tasks and Perspectives
Below we print the first part of an essay on Palestinian information work, written by Bassam Abu Sharif
The information activities of national liberation move-
ments are closely linked with their goal and political strategy.
The goal of these movements is to mobilize the masses in the
fight against imperialism and, simultaneously, to wage a direct
struggle against the imperialist enemy, particularly against his
information activities.
With regard to the Palestinian national liberation move-
ment, its information activities are marked by certain special
features, in addition to general ones.
These special features of Palestinian information stem
from the specific nature of the Palestinian cause, the situation
of the Palestinian masses and the situation of the Palestinian
revolution. Palestinians are scattered throughout a number of
Arab countries and in emigration. This hinders the process of
information unification and concentration. Most Palestinians
live outside their fatherland and have no territory from which
they can run their information institutions. Those who are at
home cannot speak out freely and are under military occupa-
tion.
In view of these conditions the Palestinian masses not
only do not have their own state and state institutions but,
moreover, live in many countries under the rule of different
political regimes.
Therefore Palestinian information, like various other
aspects of Palestinian activities, cannot be free and spontane-
ous, except to the degree that it is permitted by one or another
regime, and insofar as this freedom does not violate the overall
balance of forces. But that is not all. Some political regimes
deny the Palestinian revolution the right to unite and mobilize
the Arab Palestinian masses through their own information
programs; instead they advance their own stances towards
Palestinians.
There are very many examples of this - in radio, newspap-
ers, publications, etc.
This makes Palestinian information activities more com-
plicated than that of other national liberation movements.
Furthermore it must be said that Palestinian information
operations are more different and complicated because the
enemy camp of the Palestinian masses is very diverse. This
means that Palestinian information activities must fight simul-
taneously on more than one front and are compelled to counter
enemies who have mastered information practices and their
art, both at home and abroad.
The Zionists have committed extensive robbery of Pales-
tinian culture and its civilization legacy. This also gives Palesti-
nian information activities a cultural dimension, because we
must include and expose such robbery and return the contribu-
tions of real civilization development to its true creators.
But it is not easy to fight on several fronts and the enemy
knows how to use these difficulties, such as our limited
facilities and the fact that we are scattered. These difficulties
were a great challenge to the Palestinian national liberation
movement when it began its activities on this front after the
June war. If we were to compare the situation in information
immediately after the June war in 1967 with its state in June
1981, it would show that very great progress has been
achieved. It would also be evident what more is needed in this
sphere to fill in the gaps so that desirable progress is obtained
on the qualitative information level.
1) Information Activities Within the Palesti-
nian Home :
Information activities must not only show the world the
truth about the Palestinian cause, it is also necessary that
these efforts are based on a clear information strategy directed
to our own ranks; this means on the national level. This is what
| call «information activities within the Palestinian home».
The main task of information in this field is to retain the
Palestinian identity of all generations so that they continually
cling to Palestine on the basis of knowing the real facts about
the country, the people, and their cultural legacy, besides hav-
ing political knowledge. This task, which lies on the shoulders
of information workers, has not been formulated very precisely
as yet nor has it yet been given the necessary and desirable
attention.
Endeavours expended for this task are an investment for
the future; they are the prerequisite for success in the fight for
liberation and in the fight against hostile disinformation.
Information activities «in the Paiestinian home»,
altogether, represent building the foundations on which the
knowledge of our young generations will grow. And it is on the
basis of such knowledge that the Palestinian citizen will con-
tinue to cling to his country, his land, and his homeland,
because his homeland is his right, as facts show. This truthful
knowledge gives him strength to fight for the liberation of his
homeland from the claws of the usurpers.
And beyond and above all this, such knowledge will be the
sharpest weapon in protecting the national heritage and his
weapon against the enemy, which is trying to steal and destroy
the culture of our people.
It is on the basis of this that we educate a citizen to be com-
mitted in the fight for his homeland and that we would mould
national cadres.
Activity in this field must begin by providing truthful infor-
mation about Palestine before it was seized, and by reinforcing
this knowledge in the minds of people.
This has not happened as yet, unfortunately, not only
among ordinary citizens but not even among certain cadres
45 - هو جزء من
- Democratic Palestine : 4
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