Adam Gallagher of Carnegie recently posted a piece on the role and promise of non-violent resistance in the Palestinian Territories. It strikes an intriguing chord for observers and students of violent resistance movements – hunger strikes, sit-ins, boycotts of manufacturers of goods that enable the economic blockade of the Territories. Non-violent resistance calls to mind some pretty charismatic figures in world history including Gandhi and Martin Luther King. They died violently but their movements made notable achievements against powerful foes through their work and the work of their followers.
Can non-violence really be an effective strategy in such a tortured case as the Palestinian Territories? Ceasefires have come and gone between Hamas and Israel. The more cynical see them simply as ‘reloading’ periods for Hamas and other actors (e.g., Islamic Jihad) that have not renounced violence as part of its resistance to Israel. I have read of hunger strikes making a difference in the troubles in Northern Ireland, but in Palestine? After so many years of pain and suffering? I am skeptical but this bears closer inspection and more thoughtful research. First on my list will be an intriguing work by Wendy Pearlman on violence and non-violence in Palestine.
So here are some follow-up questions. Assuming, as I do, that politics are downstream from culture, what cultural legacies and characteristics have predisposed the Palestinians to respond as they have since 1948 to Israel’s creation and expansion? Given the Americanization/globalization of world culture, is the P. culture now shifting? If so, how? And are these changes making it more or less likely that non-violence will be used as a strategy or tactic? I ask these questions in this order as I think of how Ghandi and ML King emerged as major figures….as I understand it, they arose from grass-roots movements, not from existing political structures.
A couple things to start. I believe the ‘culture variable’ overdetermines political behavior or outcomes. i don’t see it as the driving force that your comment suggests. There are too many aspects of Hamas’ political behavior that i see in other movements that either non-Islamic or non-Arab (e.g., PIRA, Tamil Tigers). Hamas is, in fact, a grass roots organization – that is the hallmark of Muslim Brotherhood-based movements. Some have even likened them to the Boy Scouts for God’s sake (in that they work with youths as well as adults to shape a lifestyle of good works). To me, Hamas and other resistance groups including Fatah, have responded quite rationally to the Israeli occupation. Arab armies lost the wars with Israel in 1948, 1967 and 1973 and other smaller wars in and around that. They operate in a semi-authoritarian environment that has been touch and go re rewards/payoffs for participation in politics.
I see the impact of American ways and means waning in influence in this part of the world. Sure there are still pockets but empire is expensive and the US can now ill afford to pay for its friends. The US’s behavior following on from Hamas’ electoral victory in 2006 was not the stuff of nations that honor the rule of law. I get why we tried to isolate Hamas but it was ‘ugly American’ class stuff. Forget what you think about Hamas’ crimes. We tolerate tyrants every day (see Mubarak for one) when it is good for US interests.
Re Gandhi and King they were leaders of grass roots movements for sure. But, I see Hamas as a grass roots movement. At least the MB part – there are members of Hamas that would not have made the cut in the old days but growth changes the admission requirements to these groups. part of the price of having to govern. In fact, i think that hamas is pretty lousy at governing and was not ready for its victory in 2006. they were a resistance movement and a reshaper of individual lives to be ‘better muslims’. Running the state is a different thing. They struggled/are struggling still.
We in the US also tend to look for the ‘the man’, the charismatic leader who drives the movement. These guys have charismatic leaders but they usually get killed in targeted assassination programs. They need to be stronger and deeper. They have adapted thought the IDF is a pretty effective degrader of the leadership of these groups.
Thanks for taking the time to engage. Thoughts?
Thanks for the further detail. Most Americans, me included, can stand to learn more about how things look from the Palestinian perspective. What I still have trouble understanding is the standard nationalistic Pal. rhetoric that seems to consistently call not just for full P. nationhood with preferred boundaries, but the eradication of Israel. Yes, Israel is far from perfect. But from this American’s perspective, a nation like Israel, which gives its Arab citizens voting rights, seems somewhat justified in its defensive crouch, waiting for its opponents to relent from such catastrophic rhetoric. I’m guessing Americans in a similar spot would be equally defensive and militaristic in the face of such white-hot hatred. Are Palestinians, Hamas included, capable of backing of the rhetoric and talking like a more mature movement? Or is the P. ‘street’ not ready for that? And are these questions based on an accurate perception of P. rhetoric?
My bottom line: What common ground can these long-time sworn enemies find in the next few years that might bring hope for a ‘Sadat in Jerusalem’ moment? (I’m referring to the bravest act of any Mideast leader in our lifetime….an act that does point to the necessity at times of a Great Leader making a game-changing move. Rabin’s handshake with Arafat would come in second, IMHO. Both acts cost them their lives, something I’m guessing they knew were being put on the table.)
OK, into the belly of this beast we go. You know that this region and its woes have befuddled great minds for some time. While the Troubles in northern ireland came and went, this arena is still at war – and i suspect will be for sometime (sadly). I have no solutions here. I read, observe and pray.
The public statements (written and oral) from Hamas re the annihilation of Israel are real and not disavowed – publicly. But the reality on the ground is that Israel is only stronger. If the Hamas leadership doesn’t realize this (signs are they surely do) the people sure do. I see the ‘eradicate israel’ language as largely politics – the coherence of the group is suspect and there is an abiding concern that the political leaders will settle for something less (witness Fatah) than is acceptable to the people. They need to say these things to manage splinters (which have already happened). I see this as bargaining language. I am sure that some Palestinians (hard core Qassam Brigade members) really mean it. Given the highly effective targeted assassination campaigns by the IDF against Hamas from 2000 to 2005 (and prior), Fatah and the Pal Islamic Jihad, I suspect most find it hard to get excited about lobbing rockets into Israel. In fact, hamas spends more time policing up rogue rocket launchers (salafi splinters) than conducting any offensive operations against Israel.
Here is a site that regularly polls the Palestinian populace re various topics: http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/index.html. Most of these folks (salafis aside) want basic things in life – security, a way to make a living, a home. The same things that the Israelis want.
Regarding the ‘sadat’ moment, don’t expect it. Hamas is a consensus driven operation that due to its need to operate clandestinely, at least in part, does not have ‘the man’. I am sure there are those that want to be the top guy but their political system does not encourage that. They fear power abuse and when they talk about checks and balances I can almost hear Madison in the background. Haniyah is the leader in Gaza. Abbas is the man in the West bank. neither have the classic stature of a state leader. Arafat was a crook of the highest order – an old warlord. Quite honestly, hezbollah is closer to the ‘great man’ style with Nasrallah in command since 1992. Hamas has had key leaders assassinated over the years and Fatah is a mess (for now – a new guard is being born it seems).
Bottom line – don’t see the great moment coming soon. Abbas is a weak leader and unless the new guard of Fatah rises up soon (Barghouti? but he is in an Israeli jail) this will drift. Hamas needs to spend the time consolidating the build out of its political institutions and making sure law and order exists in Gaza. these guys are distracted. Sadly, the Israelis have a more unified government now and would be an effective partner in strategic negotiations. looks like the Palestinians will miss the window.