The Left must confront this basic fact. One cannot claim solidarity with Palestine and dismiss, overlook, or exclude Hamas.
Dismissing resistance to colonialism as terrorism deprives Palestinians of the basic right of political organization, and portrays Palestinian action as violent nihilism.
As Palestinian factions met in Cairo for supposed unity talks, intra-Palestinian strife continued both in Palestine and southern Lebanon, as the PA continued to crack down on armed resistance.
As the ruling power in Gaza, Hamas has had to balance its governmental responsibilities with its commitment to resistance. It has done so by delegating resistance to other factions and adopting the “unity of fields” strategy.
The Israel Policy Forum, an Israel lobby group, hosted Israeli reserve Colonel Michael Milshtein, a former expert on Palestinians in Israeli Military Intelligence, to spout anti-Palestinian comments.
The only possible outcome of the recent Israeli airstrikes on residential sites in Gaza was a massacre, but Israel conducted them anyway. The delayed response from resistance factions might signal new resistance tactics.
Khader Adnan’s hunger strike protesting his imprisonment by Israel has surpassed 80 days and his life is in danger. “This time is different, he is feeling the toll that previous hunger strikes have had on him,” says his wife Randa Moussa.
The recent crackdown on worshipers at the Al-Aqsa compound has confirmed the fears of many in Gaza: the Netanyahu government is provoking Palestinians as a pretext to launch another war.
Nablus is mourning the loss of loved ones following an Israeli army invasion that killed 11 people. “Loss is difficult as it is,” says newly widowed Umm Muhammad. “Loss because of the bullets of this ugly regime is indescribable.”