Dr Bilawal Kamran
The Palestinian struggle has long been emblematic of resistance against overwhelming odds, with the oppressed refusing to accept their fate quietly. Pushed to the brink, the Palestinians have fought back—resisting not only occupation but the systemic violence that has been inflicted upon them for generations. While the West, particularly Zionists, have crafted narratives of their superiority and entitlement, Palestinians have chosen a path of defiance, opting to die on their own land rather than accept offers like the Haavara Agreement, which sought to force them to flee, or “Bakshish” (charitable handouts) suggested by Roosevelt during his misguided meetings with Zionist leaders. For Palestinians, these offers represented not salvation, but humiliation and displacement.
The iconic image of the Palestinians as refugees or victims of violence has often been obscured by Western rhetoric, which has portrayed Arabs, particularly Palestinians, in simplistic and distorted terms. The Hashemite monarchy and its involvement in early negotiations with the West helped perpetuate the stereotype of the passive Arab, one who submits to imperial powers. This distorted narrative has, however, been proven wrong by the unyielding resistance of the Palestinian people.
Resistance is contagious. Once it ignites, it spreads rapidly. This has been seen in various struggles, from Algeria and Vietnam to Palestine today. As revolutionary theorist Rosa Luxemburg noted, “The masses are in reality their own leaders, dialectically creating their own development process.” Resistance against oppression fuels its own momentum, as people begin to realize their collective power. The oppressed no longer accept their subjugation; instead, they strike back, no longer willing to wait for a savior or a negotiator.
A recurring theme in conflicts where the oppressed rise up is the call for negotiation. However, as the Palestinian experience shows, negotiation is often a tactic of the oppressor. When an oppressor like Israel knows nothing but violence, how can there be a meaningful negotiation? Ghassan Kanafani, a Palestinian intellectual and writer, argued that there can be no negotiation between an oppressor who uses violence as a tool of power and the oppressed who can no longer bear the brutality. In this context, the term “negotiation” has often been wielded as a weapon by the oppressor, offering concessions not to resolve the conflict, but to stall and buy time while the balance of power shifts.
Throughout history, the resolution of imperial conflicts—from the French Revolution to the Algerian War, and from the Russian Revolution to the Vietnam War—has been marked not by negotiations but by the defeat of the colonial or imperial powers. The final “negotiations” in these cases often served only to provide a face-saving exit for the colonizers. The same logic applies to Palestine today. The overwhelming resistance of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, has forced Israel to pause its genocidal campaign, though the efforts of negotiators such as Qatar’s initiatives have largely failed. The ability of the Palestinians to hold their ground and challenge the power structures of the United States and Israel has disrupted the hegemonic narrative that has long dominated the region.
The 9/11 attacks, widely believed to have been orchestrated by radical Islamists, were used as an excuse to wage war on several Arab states. The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was largely driven by Israeli interests, as outlined by authors such as John Mearsheimer in The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. This period also saw the rise of Islamophobia—a manufactured hysteria meant to stigmatize Muslims, particularly Palestinians, as terrorists. Edward Said’s powerful observation, “Say the word ‘terror’ and a man wearing a keffiyeh and mask and carrying a Kalashnikov immediately leaps before one’s eyes,” reflects the weaponization of fear and stereotype in Western discourse.
In the face of this, Palestinians have endured constant dehumanization. Palestinian refugees have been replaced in Western imagination by an image of armed militants, though in reality, many Palestinians live in desperate conditions, struggling to survive in refugee camps and under siege. The violence perpetrated against Palestinians is often justified or ignored by the West, while their resistance is demonized and framed as terrorism. As Frantz Fanon famously argued, the oppressed must eventually rise up in the face of unbearable conditions, and the world is forced to confront their struggle.
In the case of Gaza, where the Israeli military’s actions have led to the deaths of over 200,000 civilians, the resilience of the Palestinian people has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite the genocide and continuous bombardment, Palestinians continue to resist, standing tall against the brutal forces arrayed against them. The horrific death toll, particularly among children, has not broken their resolve. In fact, it has only strengthened their commitment to fighting for their land, their dignity, and their future.
The events in Gaza have revealed the true nature of Western civilization: a system that promotes oppression and submission while masking itself under the guise of “freedom” and “democracy.” As revolutionary thinkers like Herbert Marcuse have argued, the ruling classes will always use violence to protect the status quo, framing the actions of the oppressed as “illegitimate” while justifying their own brutal tactics. The hypocrisy is clear—when the oppressed fight back, their resistance is labeled as violence, yet the violence of the state is normalized.
This pattern is not confined to the Middle East. The global protests in support of Palestine have also shown the power of solidarity movements around the world. From university campuses in the U.S. to the streets of Europe, the Palestinian cause has sparked a new wave of activism. Yet, these protests are met with state violence and repression. The police crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations, often branded as “illegal” or “violent,” highlights the double standards at play in global politics. As Marcuse notes, the ruling powers consistently label the actions of the oppressed as violence, while their own use of force is justified.
The struggle for Palestinian liberation is not only a fight for the people of Gaza, but a fight for all oppressed people globally. The outcome of this struggle will reverberate far beyond the Middle East. The Palestinians, despite being subjected to unimaginable suffering, have demonstrated a resilience that serves as an inspiration to oppressed communities worldwide. The lesson of Gaza is clear: the powerful should never underestimate the strength of those who have nothing left to lose.
The Palestinians’ resistance is not just about survival; it is about reclaiming dignity and asserting their humanity. They have shown the world that even in the face of overwhelming power, they will not surrender. As they fight against imperialism, Zionism, and global indifference, their struggle has become a beacon for all those who seek freedom from oppression.
History will judge the oppressors, just as it has judged colonial powers before them. As the Palestinian people continue to fight for their land and their rights, they are not only challenging the Zionist state but also pushing back against the very structures of global imperialism that have allowed such injustice to continue. Their resistance is a testament to the enduring spirit of those who refuse to be silenced or erased. The fight for Palestine is the fight for justice, and it is a fight that the world cannot afford to ignore.
