The Palestinian cause in the balance

Haitham Nouri , Tuesday 8 Oct 2024

What gains has the Palestinian cause secured since 7 October 2023.

The  Palestinian cause in  the balance

 

Nationwide, but especially in Gaza, the Palestinian people have paid a hefty price in terms of lives lost, injuries sustained, and the near-complete devastation of the Gaza Strip, which has been under siege by Israel for many years. Conversely, the global impact of the Palestinian cause, politically, socially, and culturally, has been increasingly ricocheting, with a presence that was not as pronounced just a year ago.

According to Marwa Al-Ramli, a political researcher in Canada, the gains achieved by the Palestinian factions in Gaza — particularly Hamas, the de facto governing body since Israel’s withdrawal in 2005 — are contingent upon the magnitude of losses sustained by each faction.

“The reactions differ between those who lost their homes and those who lost family members,” she says. “Personal grief is intertwined with political stances, and therefore, the people of Gaza cannot be judged by conventional standards as they endure an extraordinary and unnatural reality.”

Since the onset of the latest Israeli war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, demonstrations have broken out in Western cities rallying for an end to the war in unprecedented displays of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Ahmed Al-Khamisi, a professor of comparative literature and cultural studies, attributes this surge in support to “the harrowing scenes of Israeli war on Gaza, which have shattered the once-entrenched Israeli narrative. For 80 years, Israel was perceived in the West as a bastion of democracy amidst Arab authoritarianism, a lamb among wolves with one of the world’s most ethical armies. This narrative has now crumbled.”

Several European capitals and US universities have seen protests calling for an immediate halt to the conflict in Gaza. “While the turnout may not have been massive relative to the overall populations of these places, the scale of these demonstrations marks a significant shift,” Al-Ramli said. “It’s important to remember that Palestinians have been at a disadvantage since the establishment of Israel, while Israelis have not suffered substantial losses. However, now we see a shift where Palestinians are beginning to gain ground as Israel faces setbacks.”

“The gains for Palestine, though modest, come at a steep cost, while the losses for Israel, though limited, mark a departure from decades of relatively effortless gains,” Al-Khamisi remarked.

From her residence in Canada Al-Ramli noted that “the demonstrations have largely been led by Arabs and Muslims, which is expected. However, there is a notable increase in participation from others, though not yet constituting the majority.”

For over 15 years, there have been assertions that Israel has been cultivating ties in Africa and Asia to secure support against Arab initiatives in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). During the Israeli war on Gaza, the UNGA voted on two resolutions concerning Palestine. The first, in May, addressed Palestine’s full membership in the organisation, while the second, in September, focused on the imperative of ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Both resolutions garnered significant support.

The first resolution saw 143 countries in favour, nine opposed, and 25 abstaining. The second received support from 124 nations, with 15 objections and 43 abstentions. Additionally, the International Court of Justice issued two rulings. The first deemed the events in Gaza genocide, while the second characterised Israeli presence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem as an occupation that must cease, holding Israeli authorities accountable for the safety of the inhabitants and infrastructure in these areas.

“Israel’s influence strategy in Africa and Asia has waned, as most countries in these regions now back Palestinian rights. Despite variations in voting patterns, the majority of nations worldwide have sided with Palestine,” Al-Ramli said. “Support for Palestine now extends beyond Arab and Islamic nations to encompass global backing from countries like Russia, China, Brazil, Mexico, and numerous Afro-Asian nations. This is an important development. It means that the Palestinian cause is no longer perceived solely through a religious lens but rather as a struggle for national liberation, reverting to its inherent essence,” Al-Khamisi asserted.

In response to the widespread international support for Palestine’s fight for national liberation, the US was compelled to sanction Israeli settlers in the West Bank due to their egregious actions against Palestinians, killing 500, wounding numerous others, displacing families, while the Israeli government detains countless Palestinians at unprecedented rates.

The death toll in Gaza has been catastrophic, surpassing 41,000, predominantly comprising women and children (some 17,000 children). Additionally, over 10,000 people are missing or trapped beneath rubble, with nearly 100,000 more suffering serious injuries. Severe malnutrition, starvation, the resurgence of polio after almost two decades, and a rise in infectious diseases have compounded the crisis, exacerbated by the collapse of the healthcare system. Throughout the war, almost all residents of Gaza have been displaced at least once, with many experiencing multiple displacements. Approximately 80 per cent of Gaza’s structures have suffered partial or total damage.

These immense human losses and structural devastation represent an “exorbitant cost” juxtaposed against the “limited gains” attained by the Palestinian cause. Al-Ramli said that, “much like Fatah, Hamas is one of the Palestinian groups, not representing all of Palestine. The fate of Hamas is part of the arrangements for the day after. But more important is the fate of Gaza, being the city that sustained the most damage in all of the Palestinian cause. There are those who oppose Hamas and its attack of 7 October, including those who suffered as a result of the war. However, there are many voices that support Hamas, although their numbers are dwindling by the day,” Al-Ramli noted.

Al-Ramli believes that “support or opposition to Hamas in Gaza hinges on the magnitude of losses each individual or group has sustained. This will make Hamas’ rule in Gaza challenging, complicated, and unpredicted.” By contrast, “Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be irreplaceable for the majority of Israeli voters. If he wins in the coming elections, this will be a daunting scenario for Palestinians who are not united, unlike the Israelis who are supported by steadfast leadership and unlimited American backing.”

The future of Hamas remains uncertain, with perceptions about them ranging from “resistance heroes” to “a group lacking comprehension of the way of the world” or “terrorists”. Regardless of their labelling, Hamas’ future is becoming more unpredictable by the day. Above all, this is a war the trajectory of which remains vague: will there be more escalating tensions on the Hizbullah front or will a ceasefire in the Strip be reached?

* A version of this article appears in print in the 10 October, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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