By Diana Buttu
The images were electrifying as hundreds of thousands of Tunisians and Egyptians took to the streets to overthrow their dictators after decades of repression. With protests soon following in other countries in the Arab world, commentators took to the airwaves pontificating about the reasons for the uprisings. The high youth unemployment rate was blamed, as was the general state of the respective economies and — of course — corruption. The pontificators conveniently ignored the elephant in the room: that the “stability” of the Middle East (largely for Israel’s benefit) came at the expense of freedom for the Arab people.
One by one, governments in the Arab world took notice and began the process of trying to quash dissent or silence its coverage. Even the current Palestinian leadership appeared to respond. It began with the government’s resignation. Naturally, a Facebook account soon followed in order to attract supporters and to give the impression of an unelected government listening to domestic concerns. The apex soon followed: after a series of protests nonsensically aimed at “forming” rather than “toppling” a government, Fateh and Hamas proudly announced that they were “reconciling” because of the “protests.”
“We heard your concerns,” proclaimed one Fateh member.
That was more than two months ago and, despite the warm talk of “reconciliation” the factions remain divided, unable to agree on absurdities such as who will “govern” Palestinian bantustans conveniently known as “Area A”.
But if the protests were aimed at ending internal division, why then two months after the proud declaration and five months after the government’s resignation, are there no more protests demanding reconciliation and accountability? Why does the Palestinian leadership feel so at ease in being unresponsive? (Even the Facebook page is only updated with pictures.)
Perhaps it is because the pressure that was initially exerted on these dictators has waned alongside waning coverage by the mainstream international media and selective coverage by Arabic satellite stations. Perhaps it is because talk of “statehood” and “recognition” and “UN membership” has replaced talk of “reconciliation.”
But perhaps the answer is still deeper: we are unmotivated because we don’t want to see another government that is simply going to maintain “control” over our lives, turning our country into what many human rights activists call a “police state” (with the irony of it not being a state at all) in order to collect more donor money. We don’t want to return to a failed negotiations process or turn into the same type of outsourced (and now toppled) regime that provides Israel with “security” at the expense of our freedom. No, Palestinians want more. We want freedom from a system that, for six decades, has served to oppress us, turn us into refugees into our own homeland and privileged one group at our expense. It is not a new government that will “govern” us that we are after, but a new strategy that will liberate us. This explains the lack of “spring” in Palestine.
Israel may be feeling a bit of comfort. It believes that the Arab spring has largely dodged it. And its immunity has raised its audacity. With no western government prepared to condemn Israel — it is, after all, an election year in the United States — Israel increasingly reveals its racism. New laws criminalizing boycotts emerge, old racist laws remain, more settlements get constructed and demands that Israel be recognized as a “Jewish state” increase; the list goes on.
But while some countries are either too intimidated to condemn Israel and other entities, such as Greece and the airline companies, are prepared to be used to carry out Israel’s deeds, public opinion is no longer on Israel’s side. And with this, Israel will soon see that the Arab spring has not ended, it has only just begun. No longer will Arab governments be able to repress democratic domestic demands for the sake of maintaining “control” (though they will continue to try) and soon, others will not remain silent in the face of Israel’s apartheid.
It may not be in the spring, or even in the fall, but our season is fast approaching.
Diana Buttu is a Palestinian human rights lawyer and former legal advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team. bitterlemons-international.org
