My Palestinian Sisters and Brothers, We Need a New Version of the Palestinian Resistance
A girl in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza last week. Hamas never planned to project the Palestinians
I regret having to say that the dominant Palestinian discourse silences any internal political criticism of Hamas. It argues that “now is not the time” for criticizing the movement that stands alone at the front of the struggle against the occupation.
According to this outlook, for now we must toe the line with Hamas’ murderous Islamist ideology that denies the secular national Palestinian narrative that represents most Palestinians both inside and outside Gaza.
The few who have dared to criticize the movement, its actions and the consequences of October 7 on Gaza are always answered with the slogan that Hamas has emptied of all meaning: “We have the right to resist!” These words are still seen as the ultimate answer to every ethical, moral and political question undermining Hamas’ superficial version of resistance. It’s as if “We have the right to resist” isn’t just a temporary measure but a divine commandment.
Before I discuss the shallowness of the debate on resistance caused by Hamas, it’s important for me to note that I don’t dispute our right as Palestinians to object to the occupation, a right that is enshrined in international law. But I do dispute the definition, meaning and methods that Hamas has forced on the Palestinian national narrative and the generations that have followed it blindly.
It’s still worth mentioning that criticism of Hamas does not absolve Israel of its responsibility for the annihilation of Gaza. But “We have the right to resist!” in the Hamas version sees the genocide, the destruction, the wiping out of entire families in Gaza as a necessary and predictable price on the road to the longed-for national liberation.
According to this version, all the loss and destruction are bringing us Palestinians closer to our goals. And the more massive and tragic the losses and sacrifices are, the greater are the chances for national liberation. According to this version, the genocide taking place in Gaza has put us just two steps from liberation.