Our Vision for Liberation; Engaged Palestinian Leaders & Intellectuals Speak Out
Editors: Ramzy Baroud and Ilan Pappe
Clarity Press Inc. £21.99

A NEW era of struggle has dawned in Palestine with the events of the Unity Intifada in May 2021.

Protests against the forcible expulsion of eight families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Jerusalem, the subsequent storming of protesters at the al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces armed with rubber bullets and stun grenades, then 10 days of Israeli bombardment of Gaza killing 248 Palestinians all culminated in a nationwide general strike.

The Unity Intifada thus represents a qualitative change in the history of Palestinian struggle for liberation and the right to return, with hitherto disparate groups from Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians with Israeli passports and Bedouin from the Negev renewing a shared narrative of struggle which had long fallen by the wayside.
 
Baroud makes the point that in past years the development of a united Palestinian political strategy has been hampered by several factors: the nature of the Israeli colonial project, the factionalism within Palestinian political groups and their self-serving leadership, the corruption of rulers of some Arab states plus muddled Western ideologies.

Now the time has come for Palestinians to speak for themselves and this book forms part of that process; a starting point for a united Palestinian discourse leading to co-ordinated, unified resistance.

The book’s aim is to promote a vision for the future which has been created by Palestinians themselves, putting them at the forefront of debate and decision-making.

Of particular interest to non-Palestinians in solidarity movements is Pappe’s article on the history of international solidarity with Palestine. He urges supporters to listen to liberation movements to find out what their needs are, rather than preach to them what they should do.

As Baroud points out in his preface, many supporters in the wider solidarity movement make the mistake of speaking for the Palestinian people because there has been no clear, central Palestinian strategy to endorse, thus emphasising the need for a representative Palestinian leadership.

There is a subtle message about solidarity embedded in the book as all the contributions are from Palestinians and all the endorsements are from non-Palestinians — such as Angela Davis, Ronnie Kasrils and Roger Waters.

The book is an anthology of essays and personal testimonies from 30 contributors writing about their particular field of engagement in the struggle, including international law, archaeology, the diaspora, the media, the arts and prisoners.  

These are diverse accounts, some with very interesting personal stories to tell; all demonstrating huge commitment to their people.

One recurring theme is the growing support for a one-state solution, particularly among young people (and 50 per cent of Palestinians are under 18).

One message, abundantly clear from all contributors, is that no matter how much ethnic cleansing, dispossession or imprisonment and torture takes place their deeply rooted Palestinian identity cannot be erased. Instead, their determination to gain their freedom is strengthened.

The contributions are arranged in four sections each with a different emphasis. The individual accounts are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, eventually building into a clear picture, revealing the history of the Palestinian people and their hopes and demands for the future.

The editors, two of the most distinguished writers on Palestine, are to be congratulated on this book whose positive message and clear-eyed sense of purpose make it an inspirational read.