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Palestinian women and nonviolence
By Lucy Nusseibeh
The history of the involvement of Palestinian women in
nonviolent actions within the Palestinian national struggle is
almost as old as the struggle itself. As the Middle East and the
world as a whole act and react to the violence created by men,
the need for women's voices to be raised and to be
heard is greater than ever.
We are currently witnessing the most extreme violence of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict thus far, with battles raging all over
the West Bank and Gaza that often leave women and children
conflict between equals, the overwhelming
military and political power is with Israel, which - by controlling
the freedom of movement - controls every aspect of Palestinian
life. The result is a deep sense of humiliation felt by Palestinians
at the hands of the Israelis.
The context for Palestinians today is one of total despair. There is
a closure of minds and futures as well as roads, the economy is in
almost total collapse, and there is no sign of a turnaround, only
more of the same.
Many children no longer dream of anything other than
becoming "martyrs," and it is all that most women can do just to
cope - for themselves and for their families.
In this situation of siege and bomb attacks, with women and
children paying the heaviest price, such coping is itself an
assertion of nonviolence. Nonviolence in this situation is just
coping with the fear, devastation, poverty, humiliation, and
constant, all-pervasive tension to try to remain human.
Nonviolence in its classic sense involves transforming the
conscience of one's opponent through one's own moral agency
so that the opponent perceives that his actions are immoral
and will therefore stop them. When this doesn't not work,
outsiders (from another country) can play a role or the "mirror"
can be held at a different angle so that the opponent perceives
his actions differently.
Nonviolence can also be viewed more broadly as an assertion
of humanity and as the development of potential in spite of the
odds against it, since violence essentially cuts off potential. Just
as violence breeds hatred and leads to a vicious and inhuman
cycle, nonviolence can be used to break that cycle.
Nonviolence, therefore, is a form of assertiveness and
empowerment that enables people to stand up even in the
face of overwhelming violence and retain their humanity.
Palestinian women have used nonviolent approaches since the
very beginning of the conflict early in the last century. During
the British Mandate, for example, they organized petitions to the
British parliament. They also held a mass demonstration against
British and Zionist policy as early as 1920, and in 1929 held the
first Palestine Arab Women's Congress in Jerusalem that drew
over 200 delegates. That congress issued a revolutionary
declaration for women to leave aside their other duties and
"support their men in this
[national] cause."
The tragedy of 1948 was so overwhelming that, like now, women
were primarily engaged in just coping and keeping together
what they could of the bits and pieces of their shattered lives.
Simply maintaining their families and their Palestinian identity
was an assertion of active nonviolence.
The war of 1967, although equally overwhelming, gave new
energy to Palestinian women, who immediately came out in
force in demonstrations, sit-ins, and peaceful marches to protest
and raise awareness about the injustice of the Israeli
occupation. Committees were set up to support prisoners and
their families and, by the late 1970s, the four major Palestinian
factions were represented by four different women's
committees, in addition to the many charities set up to
empower and educate women to resist the occupation.
The high point of Palestinian women's involvement in nonviolent
activities was during the Intifada of 1987, as women took
prominent roles in leading demonstrations, setting up popular
relief committees as nonviolent alternatives to the constantly
encroaching Israeli system, and running both families and
institutions while Palestinian men were arrested in droves.
The current conflict is typified by men shooting and boys
throwing stones at Israeli tanks, yet the women's movements
have been absent and silent for a long time. At first, this was the
case with all movements, as the sudden and vicious nature of
the violence threw everyone into shock. Now, although
there are some nonviolent activities (such as marches), and
some organized protests and petitions from women's
organizations, only international involvement and media
coverage seem to make a difference. Even during the
Intifada of 1987, Israel was able to thwart nonviolent tactics in
ways that rendered them futile by turning nonviolent
demonstrations violent, preventing media coverage,
confiscating the property of those who refused to pay taxes,
and other means.
In today's environment, there has to be a different way to hold
up the mirror of morality in such a way that it might break the
cycle of violence. Women can be the key to this if they reach
out to each other across international boundaries. If women
from outside the Middle East come as international observers to
witness the plight of Palestinian women and talk about what
they see, perhaps their voices can be heard.
They may then be able to serve as the mirror for Israeli women
who could help vote into power a more conciliatory
government. Moreover, if the media were to focus on
Palestinian women far more than it does, and if women
become prominent in decision making and in conflict resolution
exercises, there is hope that women working together can bring
about the viable Palestinian state and just solution that has so
far eluded men.
The writer is the head of Middle East Nonviolence and
Democracy, a Jerusalem-based non-governmental organization.
Written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews)
Distributed by Common Ground News Service (CGNews)
This article was printed in Arabic in Al-Quds Daily, and in English in
Haaretz, The international Herald Tribune, The Beirut Daily Star,
and in other newspapers and news services around the world,
including Turkey.
By Lucy Nusseibeh
The history of the involvement of Palestinian women in
nonviolent actions within the Palestinian national struggle is
almost as old as the struggle itself. As the Middle East and the
world as a whole act and react to the violence created by men,
the need for women's voices to be raised and to be
heard is greater than ever.
We are currently witnessing the most extreme violence of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict thus far, with battles raging all over
the West Bank and Gaza that often leave women and children
conflict between equals, the overwhelming
military and political power is with Israel, which - by controlling
the freedom of movement - controls every aspect of Palestinian
life. The result is a deep sense of humiliation felt by Palestinians
at the hands of the Israelis.
The context for Palestinians today is one of total despair. There is
a closure of minds and futures as well as roads, the economy is in
almost total collapse, and there is no sign of a turnaround, only
more of the same.
Many children no longer dream of anything other than
becoming "martyrs," and it is all that most women can do just to
cope - for themselves and for their families.
In this situation of siege and bomb attacks, with women and
children paying the heaviest price, such coping is itself an
assertion of nonviolence. Nonviolence in this situation is just
coping with the fear, devastation, poverty, humiliation, and
constant, all-pervasive tension to try to remain human.
Nonviolence in its classic sense involves transforming the
conscience of one's opponent through one's own moral agency
so that the opponent perceives that his actions are immoral
and will therefore stop them. When this doesn't not work,
outsiders (from another country) can play a role or the "mirror"
can be held at a different angle so that the opponent perceives
his actions differently.
Nonviolence can also be viewed more broadly as an assertion
of humanity and as the development of potential in spite of the
odds against it, since violence essentially cuts off potential. Just
as violence breeds hatred and leads to a vicious and inhuman
cycle, nonviolence can be used to break that cycle.
Nonviolence, therefore, is a form of assertiveness and
empowerment that enables people to stand up even in the
face of overwhelming violence and retain their humanity.
Palestinian women have used nonviolent approaches since the
very beginning of the conflict early in the last century. During
the British Mandate, for example, they organized petitions to the
British parliament. They also held a mass demonstration against
British and Zionist policy as early as 1920, and in 1929 held the
first Palestine Arab Women's Congress in Jerusalem that drew
over 200 delegates. That congress issued a revolutionary
declaration for women to leave aside their other duties and
"support their men in this
[national] cause."
The tragedy of 1948 was so overwhelming that, like now, women
were primarily engaged in just coping and keeping together
what they could of the bits and pieces of their shattered lives.
Simply maintaining their families and their Palestinian identity
was an assertion of active nonviolence.
The war of 1967, although equally overwhelming, gave new
energy to Palestinian women, who immediately came out in
force in demonstrations, sit-ins, and peaceful marches to protest
and raise awareness about the injustice of the Israeli
occupation. Committees were set up to support prisoners and
their families and, by the late 1970s, the four major Palestinian
factions were represented by four different women's
committees, in addition to the many charities set up to
empower and educate women to resist the occupation.
The high point of Palestinian women's involvement in nonviolent
activities was during the Intifada of 1987, as women took
prominent roles in leading demonstrations, setting up popular
relief committees as nonviolent alternatives to the constantly
encroaching Israeli system, and running both families and
institutions while Palestinian men were arrested in droves.
The current conflict is typified by men shooting and boys
throwing stones at Israeli tanks, yet the women's movements
have been absent and silent for a long time. At first, this was the
case with all movements, as the sudden and vicious nature of
the violence threw everyone into shock. Now, although
there are some nonviolent activities (such as marches), and
some organized protests and petitions from women's
organizations, only international involvement and media
coverage seem to make a difference. Even during the
Intifada of 1987, Israel was able to thwart nonviolent tactics in
ways that rendered them futile by turning nonviolent
demonstrations violent, preventing media coverage,
confiscating the property of those who refused to pay taxes,
and other means.
In today's environment, there has to be a different way to hold
up the mirror of morality in such a way that it might break the
cycle of violence. Women can be the key to this if they reach
out to each other across international boundaries. If women
from outside the Middle East come as international observers to
witness the plight of Palestinian women and talk about what
they see, perhaps their voices can be heard.
They may then be able to serve as the mirror for Israeli women
who could help vote into power a more conciliatory
government. Moreover, if the media were to focus on
Palestinian women far more than it does, and if women
become prominent in decision making and in conflict resolution
exercises, there is hope that women working together can bring
about the viable Palestinian state and just solution that has so
far eluded men.
The writer is the head of Middle East Nonviolence and
Democracy, a Jerusalem-based non-governmental organization.
Written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews)
Distributed by Common Ground News Service (CGNews)
This article was printed in Arabic in Al-Quds Daily, and in English in
Haaretz, The international Herald Tribune, The Beirut Daily Star,
and in other newspapers and news services around the world,
including Turkey.
