Palestinian uprising has eclipsed resistance movements’ rhetoric

In further proof that the current Palestinian uprising has overshadowed Palestinian resistance factions, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have recently reasserted their rhetorical hypothesis that the movements would join the current resistance “if the occupation continues to execute Palestinians”.

According to reports by Ma’an news agency, the declarations by both factions were made during a rally in Gaza City, organised in support of Palestinians resisting Israeli state and settler colonial violence in the West Bank.

Islamic Jihad leader Khaled Al-Batsh declared: “Al-Quds Brigades and Al-Qassam Brigades won’t accept that only one side bleeds.” Hamas official Ismail Radwan insisted that the Palestinian people can “count upon Palestinian resistance factions to deter the occupation”.

So far, the Palestinian Authority has fluctuated between outbursts of professed – although dubious – support for the current uprising, while relying upon the security coordination agreement with Israel in order to oppress the Palestinian population.

Of all factions, the PA finds itself in a position where it can assert its authority in conjunction with Israel, yet harbours the realisation that its actions will not serve as a deterrent. Palestinians have actively refuted the notion of representation and, in turn, shattered the illusion of negotiations. The international community’s persistence in warped diplomatic efforts has, through the current resistance, been isolated.

Following a visit to Hebron yesterday, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov stated: “A complete generation has lost hope in peace and in the two-state solution and it is our responsibility to bring hope to Palestinians through working with all sides to reduce the current violence.”

By now, the dissonance between the concepts of “international community” and “responsibility” should be evident for all – Mladenov’s statement is another example of the normalisation of violence that seeks to ignore the ramifications of colonialism. The difference being that within the context of the current uprising, international rhetoric regarding responsibility is even further removed from reality. Like the PA, the international community prefers to feign denial of the new political process initiated by the masses in Palestine, independent of any faction claiming to represent or support Palestinians.

In recent comments, Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal stressed the importance of Palestinian unity and the necessity of terminating security coordination with Israel in order to enhance the success of the current Palestinian uprising. Meshaal also described the uprising as “a need for all of us”, seeming to emphasise the importance of Palestinian unity through resistance – which could have been implemented prior to the formation of the Palestinian unity government.

It is unclear, however, whether a common ideology can be developed between all Palestinian resistance factions. In recent years, Palestinian movements have either distanced themselves from the charters defining their aims, or else embarked upon different interpretations. Islamic Jihad and Hamas have so far opted for rhetorical action – joining or supporting the current uprising may well provoke another bloodbath authored by Israel in Gaza. However, the concept of unity between Palestinian resistance factions and the people necessitates considerable thought. The current uprising is thriving because Palestinians have returned to their historical narratives – something which resistance factions have ignored in their race for diplomatic endeavours.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.