Time for change

Perhaps it's time for us to get past these surface-level, one-dimensional notions. We need to redefine both the Palestinian people and our commitment to their cause.

Palestinians are engaged in a relentless struggle for survival, and their strength is not solely driven by love and desire; it's a response to the harsh reality imposed upon them – a suffering no one would willingly choose to endure.

Their forced migration from one place to another, and their continuous near-death escapes from constant bombardment, highlight a profound yearning for life, much like any other human being, and a deep-seated concern for the well-being of their loved ones, especially their children.

Like anyone subjected to the turmoil of war, Palestinians are driven by fear.

They are devastated by the collapse of their relatively stable, albeit modest, lives; the shattering of small dreams, and, most painfully, the loss of loved ones.

They long for a life that has now become a distant memory.

War is undoubtedly a nightmarish experience, and labelling those engulfed in its horrors as merely resilient is an oversimplification.

The brutal impact of war is not a matter of choice for any human being; it exacts a heavy toll, a burden carried by everyday individuals. Their belief in its necessity becomes irrelevant when witnessing the suffering of the people.

Harmful and reductive

There is also a prevailing perception that portrays Palestinians as helpless victims, commonly depicted in Western media as the highest form of empathy towards them.

At times, Palestinians are unfairly depicted as terrorists who, for unclear reasons, decide to harm Israelis. Such portrayals seem to be reserved for cultures that are deemed, by the West, to be marred with violence or hatred, often drawing connections to Islam, which only serves to exacerbate Islamophobia.

On the other hand, there is the portrayal of the compassionate Palestinian—a victim who bears the consequences of a conflict imposed upon them by a faction of extremists. Consequently, death becomes an inevitable reality for Palestinians.

A victim, in the truest sense, is an individual caught in a conflict or incident devoid of historical or political context. This could encompass someone present during a natural disaster, like an earthquake or aboard a ship that sinks.

However, there is a profound difference when considering individuals who fall victim to a war waged against them solely because they live on a certain land.

In this context, they become victims not by chance, but by virtue of their decision to show the most basic form of resistance: clinging to their homeland and asserting their right to lead a normal life upon it.

Caught between two extremes

The Palestinian people find themselves caught between these contrasting perceptions.

On one hand, they are seen as tough, fearless resistance fighters who heroically endure, sometimes overlooking human suffering and unfulfilled dreams due to their commitment to the cause.

On the other hand, there is the perception of Palestinians as victims, experiencing existential displacement, confronted with either extermination or deportation, which often overshadows the political and historical realities that underpin their struggle.

However, it's crucial to recognise that Palestinians today are individuals thrust into a fight for existence and survival due to geographical and historical circumstances. They are torn between their innate human desire for a normal life and the necessity to engage in conflict and resistance.

Heroes are often perceived as extraordinary figures somewhat distant from our own experiences. Simultaneously, victims are individuals for whom our ability to effect change is limited to offering sympathy and assistance.

To understand the unfolding events correctly, we must place them within their full context. We cannot absolve ourselves of responsibility just because there are resilient heroes in Palestine who may seem different from us.

Regional implications

Establishing a well-rounded definition of the Palestinian people also entails shaping the parameters of our connection to the Palestinian cause.

This connection goes beyond human emotions and concepts of justice that compel individuals from both the East and the West to express solidarity with it.

It is imperative not to deceive ourselves into believing that the Israeli machinery of cruelty will cease at the borders of Gaza or Palestine without far-reaching repercussions for the rest of us.

Perpetuating an idea of savagery, or a jungle-like image, has had clear consequences for our region. This peril extends beyond the geographic confines of Palestine.

Israel has never viewed Palestine in isolation from the broader framework of its cultural and regional context. It recognises that its survival hinges on asserting dominance, which is contingent upon the weaknesses of all political forces in our Arab region.

The Palestinians find themselves ensnared in a conflict not of their choosing. They do not actively seek roles of heroism that would, in turn, divest them of their humanity with its inherent desires, dreams, and vulnerability.

Nevertheless, this enduring conflict has spanned over seven decades due to their conscious decision to confront and resist the circumstances imposed upon them.

It is critical, therefore, not to perceive them solely as helpless victims or dehumanised heroes.

In navigating between these extremes, we must always strive to refrain from stripping them of their humanity or its historical context, which holds Palestine and its cause at its core.