What the Palestinian's need is their own Mother Jones

I don't get it. The mistreatment of the Palestinians has been documented, filmed, discussed - it has even been shown live on the news. Yet, the pressure on Israel - both internally and externally - to change it's ways is almost negligible.

Why?

This quote (from, I believe, Abba Eban) says it best: "The Palestinians have never missed a chance to lose an opportunity." Truer words may never have been spoken. Why? I can answer in two words: "The Intifada." In a perfectly justifiable reaction against Israeli aggression, injustice, illegal annexation of land and the curious Israeli practice of expecting everyone except themselves to live up to every peace accord (sounds a bit like the US) - the Palestinians react by meeting the violence and injustice with their own violent acts in retaliation.

The participants in these acts have ranged from children throwing rocks (who are subsequently shot with ammo ranging from rubber bullets to live rounds) to adults who sacrifice themselves as suicide bombers.

Now, I am sure that the person(s) who proposed and planned these acts had in mind establishing a sort of "David & Goliath" scenario. And it is. You have kids throwing rocks and the IOF respond with gunfire and the the bulldozing of their homes. It is a simple plan and it would seem like it would even work. But it doesn't.

So where is the disconnect? Why has the World not rallied 'round the Palestinian Cause? Why is Israel still perceived as the "victim" of Palestinian "terror attacks" - as if driving down the street and having your car disintegrated by a missile launched via an attack helicopter isn't? Because however justified, these "responses" are either as a reaction to Israel's actions or as an act of self-defense, the Palestinians are inadvertently perpetuating the myth that they are a "problem" that must be "controlled." Continuing a violent dialogue with Israel provides an answer to a rhetorical question. That question is: "How does Israel protect itself from Palestinian attacks?" the real answer is that they don't need to protect themselves. They must simply continue to let the Palestinians attack them. It "proves" that it is Israel that needs the protection. Perception becomes reality.

What the Palestinians need is a West Bank/Gaza version of Mother Jones.

Think about it. During the years the United Mine Workers attempted to organize the mines, the capitalists played-up the notion that the very act of organizing workers was an attack on our society. That forming a combination to improve working conditions was bad at the least and illegal/un-American at worst. Violent acts against the company became an opportunity to garner positive public support for actions taken to crush the anarchists and law-breakers. Thus the world could be made safe for good, law-abiding citizens.

Then along came Mother Mary Jones. She realized that by leading the women in marches and protests she effectively tied the hands of the capitalists and their armies. Even then it was bad form to beat or shoot women - even if they likely are commies, anarchists or both. By using these tactics, Mother Jones was able to turn the tide of public opinion and therefore support for the actions of the capitalists.

Now, I realize that both the religion and the culture mitigate against this happening in Palestine. As Qur 'an instructs that women be protected if not sheltered and standard cultural norms also support that. A Mother Jones arising out of their midst seems unlikely. I am hopeful, though, that women will tire of watching the men screw things up by engaging in these acts of bravado that only seem to backfire.

Picture for a moment large groups of women blocking roads, impeding soldier's progress or walking through the Rafah Crossing en masse. What if thousands of women walked arm-in-arm up and down Gaza & the West Bank, checkpoints be damned? What would the IOF do? Shoot them? Imprison all of them? Think of woman after woman stepping up onto a soap box and denouncing the Occupation. As one is arrested another steps up and takes her place, and another, and another. Soon the jails would be overflowing in a scenario reminiscent of the Wobblies actions during their free speech protests. Think of Ehud Olmert trying to explain the "threat" posed by 20,000 women who now must be imprisoned. Think of Olmert trying to figure out where to imprison them. Think of Olmert trying to explain why the IOF used force to stop unarmed women from walking from one town to the next - or even across town. All that is needed is a sweet-looking little old woman to lead the way - and tell the soldiers to go to hell.

Non-violent protests worked for Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Violent protests only continue to feed the Perception Machine and allow the IOF to continue launching missiles at cars in populated areas or bulldoze homes to punish an entire family for the act of one or to shoot and kill rock-throwing children with "harmless" rubber bullets. We see these acts and say collectively "those terrorists deserve it. Look what they do to the Israeli's." Sure. My favorite "attack" is when Israel is assaulted by a "barrage" of Kassam rockets - not known for their accuracy.

I am sure your average Palestinian (or Lebanese) rocket-launcher is probably reciting to themselves: "I shot a rocket into the air, where it lands, I know not where" as they send one on it's way.

Mass peaceful resistance may be the only true "weapon" the Palestinian's have. I hope they choose to use it soon.