By Over the course of the past few weeks, thousands of Palestinian youth have been protesting against Israeli forces and settlers all around the occupied territories, leading many to believe the Third Intifada is around the corner. Per usual when the violence escalates, the same narrative is perpetuated in Western media – ruthless Palestinian terrorists are attacking innocent settlers, resisting Israeli soldiers, and disturbing the peace of the “only democracy in the Middle East.” What is not covered is the presence of Palestinian women participating in the resistance, a presence integral to the ongoing struggle against the occupation and one that emerged with the first Jewish settlement ever built, towards the end of the twentieth century.
“The free women of Palestine are washing the Arab’s shame with stone”
Major news agencies around the West Bank and Gaza are reporting on and applauding the large presence of women in the protests taking place, mostly in the al-Bireh municipality, adjacent to the major city of Ramallah. Most of the women are college students from local universities where they normally partake in political activism on campus to protest against the occupation. The online conversation in Palestine surrounding these women’s efforts is one of respect and admiration. They are not simply assisting their male counterparts, but leading their own movement to prove their heroism and their desire to fight for their homeland.
“The free women of Palestine are washing the Arab’s shame with stone” – tweeted a Palestinian man from Gaza – Twitter User Mahmoud
Another Gazan man tweeted – “The days when the women stand in the kitchen are over” with the popular hashtag #SisterofHeroism.
The presence of young and old Palestinian women in the resistance proves that the occupation affects people of every sex and age. This movement does not only consist of the angry, barbaric Palestinian men depicted in Western media. Women are at the front lines masked with the kuffiya, a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, as well as the Palestinian flag, while holding up signs reading “Homeland is not restricted to a particular gender.”
This historical female participation in the Palestinian national struggle dispels many stereotypes of Arab women, particularly Arab Muslim women, being voiceless and oppressed. Are they oppressed? Yes. They are victims of a 67-year-old ethnic cleansing, and a 48-year-old occupation. While the Western feminist conversation on Arab Muslim women is one of “saving” them from Islam, the veil, or Arab culture, the occupation is a REAL problem that Palestinians need saving from – and these women are saving themselves. They are defining their own liberation. The social, legal, and economic forces that oppress women in Palestinian society are not mutually exclusive of the Israeli occupation; they are first and foremost victims of apartheid.
Israeli propaganda loves to celebrate the presence of women in the Israeli Defense Forces under the guise of being feminist; both men and women are required to serve at the age of 18. But there is nothing feminist about women participating in such an oppressive and violent system that abuses and humiliates Palestinians and that has proven more and more racist to non-Jews in their “democracy.” Male and female Israeli soldiers routinely demolish Palestinian homes, confiscate their land, systematically violate their human rights, and kill innocent civilians. The lengths that Israeli policy goes to to dominate Palestinians goes far beyond taking land and using force; all Palestinians, young and old, male and female, are collectively resisting their occupiers.
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Written by Anonymous
Image via Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3OYjKZ2Cu8
don’t worry, these little girls will take up the fight.
Don,t worry Israeli children will also send their love soon muahhh… I am getting tired of this nonsense. But as they say you sow what you reap. Lets see what Israels next generation harvest would be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mO8CWSam2o
they will send their love to whom?
what nonsense?
you will know them by their fruits.
so why didn’t the Palestinians take resolution 1881 in the 40s?
did you see the video of the woman pull a knife from her purse to stab the jew?
I think your cartoon is an inspiration to some?
It’s important for women to join the opposition movement and struggle against a crushing occupation. However…shouldn’t they try to tackle this ongoing conflict with a different approach than their male counterparts have chosen for the last 68 years? Inspire another way of dealing with grief, intimidation and brutal repression? I’m not saying that the men didn’t try it before…but sometimes, a different leadership can help change perceptions. Anyway, are you sure Muslimgirl should promote the idea of women using knifes and cocktail Molotov as legitimate means of protest? If not, I suggest that you change this article’s picture.
Meanwhile, 6-year old girls marrying elderly men, Honour Killings, chaining retarded kids and Sex Slavery is still alive and well amongst Palestinians. Keep spinning fantasies about women at Ramallah DCO though, that is much more important. If you gave a crap about any Palestinians you would be posting about them starving to death by the hundreds, or being walled in by the Lebanese who by the way ban them by law from 28 occupations- used to be 81 but of course you are too busy cheering baby killers.