‘It is now time for the Palestinians to speak as one’

SIXTY-ONE years after the founding of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the vision of unity among the nation’s political forces remains painfully out of reach. Deep internal divisions weaken the struggle for freedom.

- DR RENEVA FOURIE

PALESTINIAN Liberation Organization chairperson Yasser Arafat, left, confers with then ANC president Nelson Mandela during a session of the 29th Organisation of African Unity conference in Cairo on June 29, 1993. International solidarity is indispensable, but it cannot substitute Palestinian cohesion, says the writer.

(AFP)

Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the smaller parties, independents and youth formations all claim to serve the same cause, yet seldom act in unison.

At a time of immense suffering, when more than 67000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, 2023, and as the global movement for Palestinian freedom gathers unprecedented momentum, this disunity has become the Achilles heel of their national struggle.

The eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly placed the Palestinian question firmly at the centre of global debate. A significant resolution enabled Palestine to address the assembly despite attempts by the US to obstruct its participation. The secretary-general condemned the killing of civilians and the blocking of humanitarian aid.

There were powerful calls for a ceasefire, for relief to reach the besieged, for an end to the devastation in Gaza, and for a just political settlement. Many member states reaffirmed their support for a two-state solution and extended recognition to the state of Palestine.

These developments reflect the growing international solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Yet this solidarity cannot be fully harnessed while there is no unified Palestinian leadership capable of channelling global support into political power.

The Palestinian Authority continues to advocate for a diplomatic path, though its legitimacy is questioned by many Palestinians who feel that decades of negotiation have produced little change.