Palestinians need a political reset

There is absolutely no doubt that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exploited the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorism to advance his long-term agenda to destroy any chances of peace with the Palestinians. His war on the Gaza Strip has resulted in the worst massacre of Palestinians since the Nakba of 1948.

Netanyahu and his extremist predecessors, such as the late Ariel Sharon, have continued the terrorism that was started in Palestine in the 1920s by Jewish extremists under the banner of Zionism.

But instead of being smart by pursuing a strategic response to defeat these Zionist extremists and their racist violence, Palestinians have too often allowed their emotions to control their actions. This has exposed the just Palestinian cause to Western animosity, driven by media bias.

One journalist who contributed to this narrative was the American Freda Kirchwey, the editor of The Nation magazine from 1933 to 1955. During her editorship, The Nation falsely portrayed Arabs and Muslims as the drivers of violence in Palestine, while closing its eyes to the Jewish attacks of the 1940s.

The Arab world had very little influence over the Western media, which dominated public information. The racist portrayal of the Arab world to disguise the violence of the new state of Israel was broadened into all aspects of communications, including the publishing world.

This was a strategic, unemotional plan that was embraced by Israelis, Jews and Christian Americans, who viewed the Palestine conflict as a modern-day revival of the Christian-led Crusades against the Muslim “hordes.” Such Islamophobia in the West continues to this day, although now it is veiled by more diplomatic expressions and less confrontational rhetoric.

Instead of understanding this historical dynamic, the Arab and Islamic worlds and pro-Palestinian activists tend to embrace a policy of anger and outrage. This has resulted in several wars that have only weakened the image of the just cause of the Palestinians.

The Arab and Islamic worlds and pro-Palestinian activists tend to embrace a policy of anger and outrage

Ray Hanania

Anger also led to the rise of an evil hatred embodied by the violence of Hamas, which in 1994 launched a campaign of suicide bombings against Israeli targets, both military and civilian. This wave of suicide bombings undermined confidence in the Oslo I Accord signed the year before by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. As hopes of peace deteriorated, a disciple of Likud’s rising star at the time, Netanyahu, assassinated Rabin and threw the entire process into cardiac arrest.

I attended the White House ceremony at which Rabin and Arafat signed the Oslo I Accord. But it was just too much for the extremists in Israel and the pro-Israel movement to accept. Hamas walked right into the hands of the Sharon and Netanyahu fanatics, giving them exactly what they needed to tear the Oslo Accords to pieces and advance the absorption of the lands occupied in the 1967 war.

However, despite the damage caused by the pro-Israel manipulation of the truth, Palestinians can reverse this decimation of their image.

Palestinians need to accept that Israel is and will always be more powerful militarily. It can also better disguise its violence by using distortions of international law and media bias. The proper response is to reject all forms of violence, contain one’s anger and pursue legal challenges to Israel’s violations of international law.

Mahatma Gandhi, the anti-colonialist peace activist, did that when confronting widespread British oppression in India. He turned the other cheek in the face of British violence and resisted any desire for revenge attacks.

Palestinians need to make a clean break from Hamas and define a new leadership, even in the face of Israel’s brutal violence

Ray Hanania

Palestinians need to make a clean break from Hamas and define a new leadership, even in the face of Israel’s brutal violence. They cannot wait until Israel’s carnage is concluded, because it will not be concluded any time soon.

They need to commit to an entirely nonviolent response to Israel and the growing anti-Palestine movement in America. The horrible Gaza genocide naturally fuels pain, suffering and anger, but these emotions need to be contained in order to effectively neutralize Israel’s fanaticism and its increasing violence. An eye-for-an-eye response will not work amid today’s trauma.

Palestinians need to show the strength of their compassion for all human beings — Christians, Muslims and Jews alike — in every expression and in every action. To do otherwise only gives Israel a platform to ratchet up its violent oppression.

• Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at www.Hanania.com. X: @RayHanania