Since the latest Israeli airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, which have killed hundreds of Hamas fighters and dozens of civilians, parts of the British Left have been attending (and calling for) solidarity demonstrations where many protestors carry the Palestinian flag, while some burn the flag of Israel.
The text below, first published on Israel Indymedia, argues against all kinds of nationalism.
The text below, first published on Israel Indymedia, argues against all kinds of nationalism.
An attempt to present an internationalist perspective on the current situation, using Saturday's upcoming demonstration as an example.
Most people in Israel will remember one thing about the protest later today (Sat 3/1/2009): that the organizers went to the Supreme Court in order to make sure they are allowed to present a Palestinian flag.
Now, I am in favor of anyone being able to present any kind of flag or no flag at any time. But one should ask what purpose a Palestinian (former PLO) flag would serve.
This protest is allegedly aimed at stopping the attack on Gaza. What does the Palestinian flag have to do with that? One would reply: "well, it represents support for the Palestinian resistance." To that I would have to further ask: what Palestinian resistance? Most sensible Palestinians in Gaza would like to get the hell out of the bombing area, not resist being bombed. What does it even mean to resist being bombed? Wave your hand against the incoming fighters?
This flag represents Palestinian nationalism, in the same way that the Israeli flag represents Israeli nationalism. Now, most readers of this website would probably associate Israeli nationalism with violence, oppression, and a thin veil covering up the rule of capitalists over our country. Why doesn't the same apply to Palestinian nationalism?
As we speak, Palestinians in the West Bank are being brutally oppressed and restrained, Palestinians who wish to protest against this same war. Why? Because the Palestinian Authority will not hear criticism, and will not step away from its only raison d'etre, being a subcontractor of Israeli control over the Occupied Territories.
Just months ago, these same Hamas leaders who are now hiding in bunkers and safehouses and recording messages of resistance to "their" people were refusing pay to teachers, wrecking Palestinian trade unions, killing innocent Palestinians in the streets as they fought their Fatah competitors, and shooting rockets at random civilian targets, in lieu of actual attempts at bettering the lives of hard-working and unemployed Palestinians.
While we are protesting the brutal bombing of Gaza by Israeli nationalism, we have to remember that Palestinian nationalism is merely less powerful, not less brutal. Unfortunately, this flag incident just plays into the hand of nationalism as an ideal, making it easier to dismiss dissent against the government as automatic support for "the enemy".
Of course, to be cynical, there is a very good reason why this fiasco came about. This protest, organized by the Israeli Communist Party's front Hadash, comes a day before the official launching of this party's election campaign. And Hadash needs to pander to its Palestinian nationalist base inside the Green Line in order to maintain its electoral power in the next elections against the Secular Nationalists (Al-Tajmua3) and the Muslim Movement. And this, again, plays into nationalism's hand, and ultimately, into the capitalists` hand.
This will only result in repeating cycles of violence, that will not end until it is realized that these nationalisms are there to cloud our judgment and to prevent us from focusing on the real issue, namely, that we are being sent to kill and die, and compete in the service of people who do not serve our interests, but their own. And that goes for both Israelis and Palestinians. Untie the Gordian knot of nationalism, and we will be on our way to have better lives for all.
Related
*
http://en.internationalism.org/icconline/2009/01/gaza
Most people in Israel will remember one thing about the protest later today (Sat 3/1/2009): that the organizers went to the Supreme Court in order to make sure they are allowed to present a Palestinian flag.
Now, I am in favor of anyone being able to present any kind of flag or no flag at any time. But one should ask what purpose a Palestinian (former PLO) flag would serve.
This protest is allegedly aimed at stopping the attack on Gaza. What does the Palestinian flag have to do with that? One would reply: "well, it represents support for the Palestinian resistance." To that I would have to further ask: what Palestinian resistance? Most sensible Palestinians in Gaza would like to get the hell out of the bombing area, not resist being bombed. What does it even mean to resist being bombed? Wave your hand against the incoming fighters?
This flag represents Palestinian nationalism, in the same way that the Israeli flag represents Israeli nationalism. Now, most readers of this website would probably associate Israeli nationalism with violence, oppression, and a thin veil covering up the rule of capitalists over our country. Why doesn't the same apply to Palestinian nationalism?
As we speak, Palestinians in the West Bank are being brutally oppressed and restrained, Palestinians who wish to protest against this same war. Why? Because the Palestinian Authority will not hear criticism, and will not step away from its only raison d'etre, being a subcontractor of Israeli control over the Occupied Territories.
Just months ago, these same Hamas leaders who are now hiding in bunkers and safehouses and recording messages of resistance to "their" people were refusing pay to teachers, wrecking Palestinian trade unions, killing innocent Palestinians in the streets as they fought their Fatah competitors, and shooting rockets at random civilian targets, in lieu of actual attempts at bettering the lives of hard-working and unemployed Palestinians.
While we are protesting the brutal bombing of Gaza by Israeli nationalism, we have to remember that Palestinian nationalism is merely less powerful, not less brutal. Unfortunately, this flag incident just plays into the hand of nationalism as an ideal, making it easier to dismiss dissent against the government as automatic support for "the enemy".
Of course, to be cynical, there is a very good reason why this fiasco came about. This protest, organized by the Israeli Communist Party's front Hadash, comes a day before the official launching of this party's election campaign. And Hadash needs to pander to its Palestinian nationalist base inside the Green Line in order to maintain its electoral power in the next elections against the Secular Nationalists (Al-Tajmua3) and the Muslim Movement. And this, again, plays into nationalism's hand, and ultimately, into the capitalists` hand.
This will only result in repeating cycles of violence, that will not end until it is realized that these nationalisms are there to cloud our judgment and to prevent us from focusing on the real issue, namely, that we are being sent to kill and die, and compete in the service of people who do not serve our interests, but their own. And that goes for both Israelis and Palestinians. Untie the Gordian knot of nationalism, and we will be on our way to have better lives for all.
Related
*
http://en.internationalism.org/icconline/2009/01/gaza
Comments
Hide the following 13 comments
Great response from israel imc
03.01.2009 13:11
@narchist
The israeli working class
03.01.2009 13:34
All we need is for the israeli working class to disown its government, turn its back on israel as a nation and leave the blighted area en masse, yes?
ethel
Idiotic?
03.01.2009 15:19
a) seeking it's own non-existence
b) leaving its country
c) placing its own interests below those of YOUR "socialist revolution"
Now there is nothing wrong per se for you to argue that tribal peoples sould give up on their tribal interests and survival of their existence as a tribe and instead dissolve themselves into the "class struggle" of "workers" vs "capitalists". But unless you express this across the board there is a rather strong danger you get misunderstood. In other words, if I ONLY hear you say this about the Jews, if I don't see you come right out and equally attack the tribalism of other people, then I disbelieve in your sincerity.
So let me hear you attack all the efforts by the American Indian tribes to retain/regain what they can of their land and sovereignty -- how they should abandon their tribalism and dissolve into the general workign class struggle. THEN I'll believe you aren't simply an antisemite pretending to argue from politics.
MDN
Well said MDN
03.01.2009 15:57
Why the duplicity? why the obsession with Israel?
DB
Well said MDN
03.01.2009 15:57
Why the duplicity? why the obsession with Israel?
DB
Internationalism
03.01.2009 19:30
This statement from Israel IMC is excellent, a spot on counter-argument to the vicarious Palestinian nationalism that you get all over sites like this. Solidarity with actual people, not abstract, cross-class national identities!
Django
Obsession with Israel
03.01.2009 19:45
NK
Sounds like Clever Trevor
03.01.2009 22:11
Your obviously quite bright why waste your time writing bullshit like this ?
People do not choose to be born in any particular country and they certainly don't choose to
be conditioned into being patriotic. It serves the folks in power it always has and it always will.
You speak about the left as though you believe it really exists when in fact it's just an excuse for the western bourgiose middle classes not to ease their collective guilty conscience for living off the backs of third world countries. Your just another time wasting distraction from the real issues.
Zadok
WTF - where's the class analysis!?
04.01.2009 03:09
Let's look at the opening sentence again:
"Since the latest Israeli airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza, which have killed hundreds of Hamas fighters and dozens of civilians, parts of the British Left have been attending (and calling for) solidarity demonstrations where many protestors carry the Palestinian flag, while some burn the flag of Israel"
From a class perspective maybe it should read;
The Israeli state has once again attacked areas known as Palestine indiscriminately killing and injuring hundreds of workers and ordinary working class people. Parts of the British left have been attending (and calling for) solidarity demonstrations for the Palestinian working class against the brutality of the Israeli ruling class.
What the fuck flags have to do with anything?
Plus we're given a vivid and detailed run down on how Hamas leaders have been behaving towards their own people over the last few months, yet no mention of Israeli leaders and their behaviour; indeed it's all glossed over and explained away by the rather abstract "Israeli nationalism". That fact that class struggle anarchists seem keen to voice their approval of the imc statement shows how fucked up class struggle politics are in this country.
The icc article linked to in the opening piece is far superior both in content, background and class analysis. The imc statment sounds like kids arguing the toss in the student bar.
Class Struggle
Response to MDN
04.01.2009 17:17
I haven't mentioned jews, not once. I support the endeavors of the isreali working class to overthrow both the state and the israeli ruling class (indeed i would support any such endeavor in any country). If and when Paletine becomes a functioning nation state, with a fully formed ruling/capitalist class, i would fully endorse and support the palestinian working class in overthrowing its leaders.
You sound like a zionist apologist, as much as israeli imc sound like gutless liberals.
"The working class has no country".
Neither does it have a religion.
ethel
That's what worries Israel IMC?
04.01.2009 19:50
Daniel
Re-post
05.01.2009 08:48
Antifascist
Palestnian flag
05.01.2009 08:52
Zahid