The Palestinians have been divided temporally and spatially, however who’s accountable? – Center East Monitor

Israel has allotted time and house for unlawful Jewish settlers inside two main mosques in occupied Palestine: Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. There’s nothing actually new on this — irrespective of how unwelcome — however what’s new is that Israel is making use of spatial and temporal divisions on the individuals of occupied Palestine. This has largely gone unnoticed, regardless of its success.

Why did we Palestinians fail to protect the unity witnessed through the Sword of Jerusalem battle in Might final yr? But once more, plainly Israel has succeeded in dividing the Palestinian individuals into 5 distinct zones: the diaspora; these inside the Inexperienced (1949 Armistice) Line — inside Israel “correct”; Jerusalem; the West Financial institution; and the Gaza Strip. It offers with every zone in keeping with completely different insurance policies, and has succeeded in separating the individuals inside each psychologically, socially and politically.

The best success on this respect was when the Oslo Accords have been signed in 1993, with out addressing the Palestinians inside the territory occupied since 1948. The occupation state has additionally succeeded in dividing the Palestinian individuals in keeping with which zone they reside in and which state terrorism it makes use of towards them. The Gaza Strip just isn’t just like the West Financial institution, and Jerusalem just isn’t just like the Palestinians in Israel. Now the spatial division has reached the extent of governorates: Jenin just isn’t like Nablus or Bethlehem, for instance. What I worry is that Israel’s therapy of Balata refugee camp will probably be completely different from Hawara or the town of Nablus itself.

The temporal division is linked to the occupation’s capacity to set the time and date of its terrorism. A yr in the past, Gaza was within the eye of the Israeli storm — once more — accompanied by Palestinian silence; immediately Jenin is within the midst of everybody’s silence. We didn’t even see a peaceable march in any of the 5 zones, and that is the most important strategic risk to the Palestinian collective consciousness, as a result of it establishes the concept we’re a scattered group of individuals united solely with these the place we reside.

Probably the most essential features of the Sword of Jerusalem battle was that Palestinians throughout all the specified zones have been united within the face of the occupation’s aggression, as we have been on the time of the 1987 intifada. This was manifested in marches and confrontations in Jaffa, Nazareth and different Palestinian cities inside the Inexperienced Line, Jerusalem and the West Financial institution, in addition to demonstrations in London, Chicago and elsewhere.

What occurred to this unity? The reply is just that we’re divided over the whole lot, masters in making enemies, and adept at flexing our muscle groups at one another whereas evoking painful and darkish issues within the historical past of our individuals. Even our victory speeches have develop into a supply of resentment and anger amongst some, which confirms that defeat is ingrained. So as to cease this farce, we have to acknowledge the illness.

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This stems from the truth that we established the “Palestinian Authority” whereas nonetheless underneath Israeli occupation, so the occupation state grew to become our benefactor, and the determinant of our welfare and the prosperity of our economic system. Worldwide donors grew to become captive to the developments of this abhorrent occupation. Furthermore, the Palestinian management of this authority has develop into a bunch with a vested curiosity within the safety of the occupation state, as a result of this serves their very own pursuits.

The occupation state is thus in a position to make use of a carrot and stick method towards us. The stick is for many who disobey, the resistance teams whose members are arrested or assassinated; the carrot is for many who preserve calm. It’s they obtain grants and VIP official journey permits. There’s a psychological conflict between the 2 during which the assorted events which help the occupation take part. Those that are affiliated with the resistance motion are disadvantaged of journey, grants and assist, whereas the others are rewarded for his or her complicity.

Our division has taken on a couple of kind, so it has develop into tougher to beat than the Israeli occupation. We’ve a geographical, political and ideological division, and it has develop into a part of the politics of axes and alliances. There may be an axis of resistance that has targets associated to the pursuits of every get together inside it. Iran, for instance, funds the resistance factions with the intention to distract Israel and blackmail the US in order that Tehran might fulfil its nuclear ambitions. The opposite, non-resistance factions are a part of an axis that desires stability and peace with Israel; they unite towards the resistance underneath the smokescreen of the “conflict on terror”.

There’s a enormous hole between the individuals and their political leaders, as Palestinian society has itself break up in three instructions: some Palestinians wish to work inside Israel, their final dream; others reside on assist crumbs and dream of the cheque or the Qatari grant; and but others reside off the PA desk, establishments and factions, in order that nationwide work is now a job ready for another person to do with the intention to receive salaries and incentives on the expense of self-sacrifice. The nationwide mission has develop into an financial mission with a nationwide nature.

READ: Israel forces demolish Palestinian greenhouse in occupied West Bank

We will conclude from this that the sacrifices of our individuals deserve us to knock down the wall, have our say, and never stay slaves to forces, factions and labels. We should say to those that made errors that they made errors, after which supply help and put strain on for main reforms within the construction of the Palestinian political system, together with the PLO. This wants a nationwide convention to judge and assess the political monitor in all its elements to work out the place we went mistaken, and see what we did proper. Then a nationwide technique may be formulated and agreed that takes under consideration the errors of the previous and establishes a brand new future. This future should embody a presidential election and parliamentary election, in addition to complete polls throughout all political, union, native and scholar our bodies.

None of this may be achieved whereas we sit on the sofa and complain. Everybody have to be energetic. Our homeland must be repaired and the discourse for ending the occupation relies on prophecies the accuracy of which I’m unsure. Nonetheless, in a nutshell, I say that Israel is making progress, whereas we aren’t. The reason being not the ingenuity of the Israelis and their occupation, however the failure of our leaders. Our decision-making depends on outsiders, and that should finish.

This text first appeared in Arabic in the Palestinian Information Centre on 19 June 2022

The views expressed on this article belong to the creator and don’t essentially replicate the editorial coverage of Center East Monitor.