Symbolic 'solidarity' is moral defeat: A Palestinian view

A recent article, 'Is international Palestine solidarity just a symbolic gesture?' published along with many others to coincide with the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, highlights the fact that real solidarity is not meant to be merely symbolic.

Sadly, this day, which falls on November 29 of every year has become precisely that: a symbolic demonstration of international solidarity that rarely translates to any meaningful action.

Frankly, this hollow form of "solidarity" has to stop, and should be replaced by something else entirely. When solidarity is only symbolic, it becomes an expression, not of camaraderie, but of intellectual and moral defeat.

But before we delve further into the subject, the very important and relevant history of this day must be acknowledged.

November 29: An ominous beginning

The history behind the date of November 29 is an ominous one, as Palestine was partitioned, unjustly, on this day in 1947.

There was no moral or legal basis for that partition, as communicated in UN resolution 181 (II) into a "Jewish State" and an "Arab State". Jewish immigrants were granted over 55 percent of the total size of historic Palestine and the "Arab State", which never materialised, was accorded the rest.

Jerusalem was to be given a special legal and political status, known in Latin as "corpus separatum", and was to be governed through an international regime.  

When solidarity is only symbolic, it becomes an expression, not of camaraderie, but of intellectual and moral defeat

A few months after that unwarranted partition, well-trained Zionist militias moved from several fronts to "secure" the borders of their promised state, only to take over half of what was designated for the future of the Palestinian state, leaving the indigenous Palestinian Arab population of that land with 22 percent of historic Palestine.

In June 1967, the Israeli army conquered whatever remained of Palestine. As a direct result of both military campaigns, millions of Palestinians became refugees.  

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was designated to be a day of solidarity almost exactly 30 years after the partition plan took place. It was announced in the United Nations resolution 32/40 B in December 1977. That resolution crowned thirty years of unmitigated failure on the part of the international community to aid in the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state.  

One cannot deny the role of the numerous friendly nations, mostly from the South, that stood by Palestine's side at every turn and, at times, faced the wrath of the US and western governments for their unfaltering solidarity.

However, the nature and the timing of the resolution were seen as mere tokens, a symbolic gesture at best, to show solidarity in words, and not action. 

That resolution crowned thirty years of unmitigated failure on the part of the international community to aid in the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state

According to a UN document providing background on the day of solidarity, the purpose of November 29 was traditionally to provide the "opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remained unresolved and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the General Assembly".

These rights include the right to self-determination without external interference, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to their homes and property from which they had been displaced.  

Little has been done in the last 39 years to implement any one of these rights, either partially or wholly

While the rights of the Palestinians highlighted above are just and unmistakable, little has been done in the last 39 years to implement any one of them, either partially or wholly.

Since the original partition resolution passed in 1947, and to this today, the Palestinian cause has been feeding on symbolism - symbolic solidarity, symbolic victories and so on. 

Indeed, since Palestine was first partitioned, then conquered, ethnically cleansed and militarily occupied, international solidarity has remained largely symbolic. Little has changed in nearly 70 years of this horrific and recurring tragedy. Palestinians remain in need of urgent and decisive action, not symbolic motions and resolutions.  

Whitewashing unelected leadership

Moreover, while the day is meant as a day of solidarity with the 'Palestinian people', it has served, at an official UN level, as a day of validating the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank, which neither has a popular nor legal, democratic mandate to represent the Palestinian people.

There are nearly 12 million Palestinians worldwide. While the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), arguably had a degree of moral claim as the representative of the Palestinian people, the rise of the PA in the West Bank following the signing of the Oslo accord in 1993, left most Palestinians without proper representation.  

Thanks to "security coordination" with Israel, the PA, at times, works with the Israel army to stifle Palestinian resistance in the West Bank. Its human rights violations of Palestinians are vast and well-documented. Moreover, the current PA President, Mahmoud Abbas, has been ruling with an expired mandate since 2009. Duly, his government was neither elected through proper elections nor a referendum. 

The Palestinian cause has been feeding on symbolism - symbolic solidarity and symbolic victories

However, every November 29 of every year, PA officials and diplomats fan out around the globe to speak about Palestinian victimisation, imploring international solidarity, while the PA is practically taking part in denying Palestinians their aspirations. 

These officials should spend the time, energy and resources necessary for unifying the political rank of their own people, and formulate a working strategy to attain their people's freedom.  

This criticism is not meant to undermine the significance of the day. However, to live up to the meaning of its designated title, the day must be repossessed, taken away from guarded diplomats with carefully-worded language, and given back to the people.

In fact, Palestinian solidarity is now a global phenomenon: This is the perfect opportunity to make November 29 a day of strategy and global action, led by civil societies across the world.  

New meaning of solidarity

A new narrative must take hold, in which the "question of Palestine" is not framed as if a "refugee problem" or a "humanitarian crisis" to be remedied with verbal solidarity and food aid, but as a pressing political crisis in which the injured party must be unconditionally supported. 

The PA is practically taking part in denying Palestinians their aspirations

By adopting a popular Palestinian narrative (not an official one), in which all Palestinians - Muslim or Christians, in Occupied Palestine or in "shattat" (diaspora) - are the centre of the story, a better understanding of Palestine and its people can be established, and true solidarity can be offered.  

Palestinians come from various political, ideological and religious backgrounds but are united by two main factors: their perpetuated suffering, and their continuing resolve and resistance.  

One major platform for their resistance, which strongly bonds Palestinians at home with those in shattat, is the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which pushes for accountability from those who make the Israeli domination over Palestine possible. It advocates for the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees, the end of occupation and equal rights for Palestinians who live in Israel.  

Any solidarity that deviates from the current aspirations of Palestinians - as articulated by their fighting women and men, by their prisoners on hunger strikes, by their students fighting for the right to education, by these resilient, but often neglected voices - is not true solidarity. 

For the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People to be truly meaningful, it must be reclaimed, by Palestinians and their friends all across the globe.

  

Dr. Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for over 20 years. He is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His books include "Searching Jenin", "The Second Palestinian Intifada" and his latest "My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story". His website is www.ramzybaroud.net

Follow him on Twitter: @RamzyBaroud

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of al-Araby al-Jadeed, its editorial board or staff.