GAZA, (PIC)
Since the large-scale Israeli invasion of Palestinian lands in 1948, supported by Britain and the Western alliance led by the United States, Israel has managed to establish a doctrine of “deterrence.” This doctrine is based on instilling fear in anyone who tries to challenge Israel militarily, politically, or economically. Israel reinforced this not only within the borders of occupied Palestinian territories but extended it across many Arab countries through both major and minor conflicts.
One of the most significant of these conflicts was the June 1967 war, in which Israel occupied Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Gaza, the West Bank in Palestine, and Syria’s Golan Heights.
A people’s culture
With this sweeping victory, Israel forged alliances on its own terms with those who submitted to it. This was evident in the positions of many Arab regimes and their formal armies, especially after the Camp David Accords. Conversely, Israel responded to those who resisted with brutality, committing massacres against those nations that had historical grievances with the occupying power. At the heart of this resistance was the Palestinian people, who have been suffering the horrors of occupation for decades. They have continuously organized revolts and formed various resistance factions, despite having only rudimentary resources compared to Israel’s unmatched military arsenal in the Middle East, along with its limitless Western support.
For nearly eight decades, the Israeli occupation has committed heinous crimes, violating all international laws and norms. Yet, it has never enjoyed true peace or stability, especially in the face of the resilient Palestinian people. Israel’s attempts to erode the foundations of resistance and create generations that crave security and forget their cause have consistently failed. Instead, every so often, Israel awakens to a new Palestinian uprising or a heroic act, reminding it that there is no safe haven for the occupier and that resilience is the prevailing culture of the proud Palestinian people, regardless of the challenges, pain, and wars they face.
Defeating the occupation’s goals
During the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle, one of the longest and most brutal confrontations in the history of the conflict with Israel, the occupation and its allies, as well as many observers, believed that the Palestinians would crumble under the intensity of the strikes. It was anticipated that the popular support for the resistance, which initiated the war, would collapse, as some viewed it as a reckless act that threw the Palestinian people into an uncertain future. However, reality unfolded as another chapter in the Palestinians’ remarkable history, with them astonishing the world with their steadfastness and their attachment to their land, preferring death over being displaced.
A full year of relentless bombing on homes and infrastructure in Gaza has resulted in the martyrdom of over 41,000 people and the injury of nearly 100,000 others. Gaza’s infrastructure and vital sectors have been completely destroyed, leaving it resembling a barren desert devoid of basic life necessities. Yet, its people remain, resilient and supportive of their resistance, in scenes that have driven the Israeli enemy to madness due to the failure of its plans.
Adaptation and the awakening of potential
Writer and researcher Ammar Ali Hassan points out that “if the resilience of the resistance lies in their ability to continue fighting with the same efficiency, then the resilience of the people is reflected in their swift adaptation to harsh conditions.” He explains that each individual, family, or household manages their daily lives in such a way that denies the occupier its goals of displacing Gaza’s residents or achieving a decisive victory over the resistance.
Hassan adds in an article on Al Jazeera network that the people of Gaza have demonstrated the extraordinary human ability to adapt to extreme pain. They’ve turned their challenges into opportunities, responded to adversity with strength, transformed hardship into triumph, and turned despair into hope. This has required them to manage their daily affairs as if each day was a full life in itself, acknowledging that paying a heavy price is an intrinsic part of their existence. They see their current situation not as a temporary exception but as a permanent life condition, accepting it as the “normal” life they must live since halting the fighting is not within their control.
Resilience as victory
Moroccan philosopher and thinker Taha Abdurrahman asserts that no matter the outcome of the devastating war waged by Israel on Gaza, the Palestinians’ steadfastness is itself a “victory.” He believes that by maintaining their resilience against the war machine, the people of Gaza “have accomplished what no one else in history has.”
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Abdurrahman stated that “the people of Gaza have shown the world how to live again. What is happening in Gaza is a revival of values that had died.” He sent a message to the people of Gaza, saying that “resilience is the most important thing, both for civilians and fighters alike. Regardless of the outcome (of the war), resilience is a sign of victory.”
He further explained, “The distinguished persons are often not found in masses, but rather in individuals or small groups, with others joining them according to their ability and strength. Leadership remains in the hands of a specific group under divine care.” Despite the catastrophic and inhumane conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza, they refuse to heed Israeli ministers’ calls for their displacement outside Gaza. Resistance factions, even after more than three months of war, continue to fire rockets at Israel and have killed Israeli soldiers and officers while destroying military equipment in daily skirmishes inside the Gaza Strip.
Multiple faces of Palestinian resilience
Palestinian resilience manifests in several ways. First, it shows in their ongoing resistance against the occupier, no matter the personal cost in lives, homes, and livelihoods. It also appears in their support for the resistance and rejection of deceptive political settlements. Furthermore, resilience is seen in their ability to live with crises, enduring with patience, and finding ways to cope with new challenges amid wars and blockades.
“We are steadfast like the mountains, shining like the stars, deeply rooted in this land.” These are the words of an elderly Palestinian man standing amidst the rubble of destroyed buildings in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. After months of long and harsh war, he quotes verses from the Quran promising victory, expressing optimism for the liberation of Jerusalem and the end of the occupation.
Defiance from the heart of adversity
One of the hallmarks of Palestinian defiance is that they do not show weakness to their enemy, even in the face of death, destruction, and displacement. Amid the wreckage, they chant for the resistance, challenging their killers despite the immense suffering and hardships, and the seemingly never-ending cycle of misery.
A Palestinian woman, barely able to stand under the remains of what was once her home, now reduced to a pile of rubble by Israeli bombs, still managed to send a message of defiance to the occupation leaders, saying: “Allah is with the resistance and its youth… we all sacrifice for the resistance… To hell with you, Israel.”
Spiritual resilience
The spiritual and faith-based dimension of Palestinian resilience also stands out. Many who have lost family members, homes, or entire communities have wiped away their tears, displaying remarkable composure. They call on others to remain patient, refraining from tears, awaiting the reward that Allah has promised for the patient and the martyrs in the afterlife.
“Don’t cry, man… we are all future martyrs.” These words did not come from a preacher or religious scholar but from a man in Gaza who had lost both his son and daughter in an Israeli airstrike. He intentionally invoked the honor Allah grants to the families of martyrs, his words and steadfastness becoming a model of patience and endurance for all those who face hardship.
