FOR- Fellowship Magazine - A Nonviolent Approach to the Intifada

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January/February 2002

A Nonviolent Approach to the Intifada

by Raed Abusahlia

The myth says that a giant sent a letter threatening another competing giant in a neighboring land. When the latter received the message, he tore it up, cursed the sender, and rushed for revenge, the ground shaking under his feet. When the sender heard those footsteps, he was scared to death. His wife cooled him down and advised him to lie down in bed and hide. She would handle the matter using brain rather than muscle. She then covered him with a blanket, leaving out his huge feet. When the furious, roaring giant approached, she expressed her regret at the absence of her husband and begged the giant not to raise his voice so that her "son" would not wake up. When the giant looked and saw the protruding feet, he said to himself, "If this is the son, what must the father look like!" Frightened, he ran away.

I have not narrated this story at the outset with the intention of foiling the extraordinary efforts being exerted in resisting the occupation—although it is true that we are fighting a giant boasting of his strength. I have narrated it so as to put forward a new idea: that success is not based on the strength of muscles but on the strength of the brain and the strength of truth derived from rightfulness and UN resolutions. I will call this alternative approach "nonviolence." Nonviolence attempts to seek civil, nonviolent defensive means that enable the people to organize real resistance for averting any aggression instead of doubling condemnations that, experience has taught us, are useless and ineffective.

I call upon my Palestinian brothers and sisters to adopt the nonviolence strategy. It is based on the following clear principle: The Palestinian people, possessing the force of truth and UN resolutions, is stronger with stones than with arms, and still stronger with olive branches than with stones. Consequently it is essential to summon historical courage, lay down arms and stones, and raise again the olive branch that President Arafat raised in his famous speech in the United Nations in 1974 when he said, "I have come here carrying an olive branch in one hand and a gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand." Yes, the olive branch alone will be victorious!

I am very much convinced, for the following valid reasons, that this period necessitates choosing the olive branch strategy.

1. We adopted all violent means of resistance before the creation of Israel, during its creation, and after it, and until the present day. We have proved our courage and recorded a history of heroic acts. Unfortunately, we have lost all our battles. And the world has called us terrorists because we did not know how to convince it, in a civilized way, that we have rights to be acknowledged, that we are not the oppressors but the oppressed, and that we are not the executioner but the victim.

2. The world, despite a growing awareness, knowledge, and recognition of our rights, still does not support us enough. This is due to Israeli propaganda that distorts the image of the Arabs in the mass media, and due to the world’s sensitivity to any violent act we commit. The exaggerated violence practiced by Israel is condoned and acceptable, but resistance on our side is always rejected, condemned, and labeled as terror. We must use a new language that is understood by the whole world: the language of nonviolence. Think of the original force of the daily pictures carried by the press of children throwing stones at soldiers, and soldiers shooting at them. Now even pictures of shelling and detonations have become normal, while simple people daily pay a heavy price in terms of their lives and nerves.

3. The cycle of resistance and violence, and the corresponding exaggerated violence on the Israeli side, is a continuing and escalating vicious circle that cannot be stopped. It must be broken. The stubborn enemy does not understand that the sacrifices of a whole people for its freedom and independence are not terrorist acts. And the enemy will not give in because of its pride: it considers itself a superpower that cannot be defeated by children’s stones. So there must be an outlet from this stalemate. The purpose is not to spare the enemy from embarrassment, but to embarrass it with new techniques. We must not give it the justifications or pretexts to respond violently, since it cares about its image before the world. By proceeding this way, we will drive away occupation and preserve our dignity, as well.

4. The strongest and most important reason for a strategic turn to nonviolence is that the energy inherent in the crowds of people must be expressed somehow. Without employment it will procure more violence and escalation, and will thus become explosive and outrageous and difficult to be controlled. And its results cannot be predicted, because it is built on spontaneous individual or group emotions.

5. Finally, all sectors of society are affected by, suffer from, and participate in the Intifada activities. The participation of the vast majority is passive because it suffers silently and grumbles. But through the new peaceful way, everybody could be mobilized to participate actively in the efforts undertaken. The neighboring Arab and Islamic countries might be affected as well. I am positive that many foreigners and friends all over the world, even Israelis from peace movements who sympathize with our just cause, will be mobilized and will come to our rescue and will dare to actively participate in our activities without being labeled as terrorists.

I call upon the political, religious, and popular leadership to study this idea and develop it as soon as possible. It will be advisable to consult local and international specialists in this field, especially academics who have conducted relevant researches.

I end with a verse from the Bible: "Love your enemies and pray for those who hate you." For loving our enemies does not mean submission and weakness or relinquishment of our rights, but rather claiming those rights with the force of love.

I know very well that these strategic ideas require knowledge and understanding, education and preparation, time and leadership. But I also know that it is good to start now before it is too late and before more blood is shed.

Father Raed Abusahlia is a Palestinian priest and Chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. He is editor of Olive Branch, covering peace and justice issues from Jerusalem (http://www.lpj.org/Nonviolence/Raed/ Olive/Branch031101.htm).