In praise of Palestinian steadfastness

Despite 60 years of hardship, real achievement, too.

By Ben White

from the May 2, 2008 edition

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São Paulo, Brazil - As Israel celebrates 60 years of statehood this month, Palestinians are taking the opportunity to remember the catastrophic shattering of their society in 1948. It is not simply a question of recalling the past; they continue to struggle for self-determination and to have their rights recognized under international law.

Yet it is a mistake to consider the past 60 years as simply a story of unmitigated disaster for the Palestinian people. There have also been significant successes and achievements – and it is a story worth telling. This is all the more remarkable, given the extent to which the society was devastated in 1948: Israel destroyed some 400 villages as 85 percent of Palestinians in what became Israel were dispossessed.

In spite of everything, Palestinians have not only survived but won international recognition for Palestinian statehood thanks to unflagging persistence. Often bereft of allies, they have struggled to make substantive political gains. But Palestinians inside Israel, the Occupied Territories, and the diaspora have resisted Israeli domination – and refused to just "go away."

This Palestinian resolution is embodied in the Nassars, a Christian family I have come to know over the years. Owners of a beautiful piece of land overlooking Nahalin village to the west of Bethlehem, they have seen illegal settlements spring up on the hillsides around them and thus far survived attempts by the occupying Israeli military to confiscate their property.

Whether blocking the path of trespassing settlers, pursuing their case in the courts, or connecting with supporters around the world, the Nassars have mobilized the resources of their family and community. Most inspiringly, they have developed their land to host children's camps, intercultural exchange, and foreign guests, knowing that they have to fight to remain on their own land.

Theirs is a victory that resonates with the historical Palestinian refusal to simply accept their lot and – especially since the 1960s – the parallel determination to organize grass-roots resistance. Perhaps the most significant achievement was the first intifada, a popular uprising in the late 1980s that showed the Israelis that their occupation came with a price, as well as displaying to the world the oppressive reality of Israeli policy.

A further profound achievement of the past few decades has been the flourishing of Palestinian civil society. Emphasizing democratic participation and education, these refugee camp community centers, dance troupes, media organizations, and human rights groups have offered vital strength to a besieged society. It was in part due to this deeply rooted culture of active citizenship that the Palestinians were able to hold elections that in their professionalism and transparency were the envy of the Arab world.

Building on a vibrant tradition of intellectual life, Palestinian scholars and academics have risen to global prominence in recent decades, not only as advocates of their people's struggle, but also as figures of repute in their own disciplines.

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