Revisiting the Palestinian Intifada

 

The consequences that led to the first Palestinian Intifada are not confined to some countable incidents rather it covers a broad spectrum of Israeli actions. Its roots go back to a chain of events which eventually resulted into the first Intifada- an Arabic noun for ‘Uprising’. 

Palestinians were outraged over first Lebanon War in 1982 but their outrage was confined to their burning hearts only. Moreover illegal expansion of Israeli settlements was driving Palestinians crazy to oppose the direct and indirect ways of oppression by Israeli military but these Palestinians could not figure out the right platform and an appropriate opportunity to unveil their indignation

On 8th December 1987 an IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) truck collided with a car carrying four Palestinians, killing all of them. Palestinians fathom this incident to be a pre-planned murder of civilians to avenge the death of an Israeli Jew murdered a day earlier in Gaza Strip- A claim Israel denies.  This yet to be solved mystery of deceased proved to be the trigger point for the first Intifada. 

On December 9, 1987, a series of demonstrations and marches across the Gaza strip and West Bank erupted in response to the perceived overwhelming brutality of the Israeli forces over Palestinians. People gathered in masses and agitated demanding justice. The soul of this series of demonstrations demanded self-determination and establishing an Independent state of Palestine by putting an end to Jewish illegal occupation, and expanded illegal settlements.

People extended their solidarity across borders of both regions (West Bank and Gaza Strip) by different means such as by withdrawing themselves from paying taxes to Israel and refusing to drive Palestinian cars with Israeli issued licenses. Civil disobedience worked in a way that Palestinian low wage daily workers who served Israelis refused to work for Jews and Palestinian policemen who were deputed at Gaza Strip and West Bank according to the ranks assigned by Israel decided to resign their jobs.

On economic fronts, the Intifada acted by boycotting Israeli products and conducting strikes in Israeli commercial markets. Though Israeli military was successful in force opening and force shutting of certain shops but overall the entire resistance in all other fronts summed up in significant and negative impact on the economy of Israel initially. 

Israel countered these predicaments by extending curfews, shutting educational institutions, banning international telephone calls and imposing closure over Palestinian media. By arresting thousands of prominent protestors, Israel thought that they might rupture the backbone of entire movement but time and again Israelis were proved to be wrong because Palestinians came out with great alternatives of every restriction imposed by Israel. 

To articulate their political demands among their own people Palestinians arranged their own illegal press and used it for expressing their political demands by publishing leaflet communiqués (bayanaat) and distributed them at night.  These illegitimate press products were smuggled in whatever way possible to avoid Israeli seizure. These press papers widely portrayed unarmed women and little children standing tall against heavily armed IDF, typically reflecting an anti- Israel campaign. Massive protests across the geography managed to gather attention of International media and hence carrying their campaign beyond their borders.  As an alternative for educational institutions, Palestinian teachers commenced gathering their pupils wherever possible and kept on teaching them unofficially. They inaugurated their self-made classrooms on roadsides, in a plot or wherever they found enough space within the Palestinian territory. 

Concerning protest sites, the Israeli government gave full authority to IDF to do anything to bring the movement to a halt by whatever means they may wish for. Soldiers were free to break bones of protestors, use tear gas shells, rubber bullets, live ammunition, or any other sort of weapons against the unarmed protestors. The troops were ordered to seize or even knock down properties owned by Palestinians. Following the authorities provided to the IDF, they arrested hundreds of thousands of Palestinians without trial. 

Upheaval broke out many a times between the IDF and protestors during initial months of Intifada. Protestors retaliated to fatal brutalities of soldiers by pelting stones and sometimes Molotov Cocktails over army men and illegal settlers. At some places the protestors burnt tires and barricades in order to show their discontent. This resulted in bloodshed being occurred mostly on Palestinian side of the barricade but it is also an undeniable fact that many Jews also lost their lives as a consequence of this revolution. Precisely, the death ratio was slightly more than 3:1 Palestinians and Israelis respectively. 

All this continued for 3 long years and it became a routine on that piece of land.  Although neither of the parties was ready to retreat but there was barely any outcome to be seen. 

Palestinians carried out their campaign pretty beautifully but to conclude it, they needed a change or probably some foreign intervention would have helped.  A group within the Palestinians supported negotiations while another categorically rejected peace talks but the former group suppressed the latter and they ended up creating concessions through the Madrid conference in 1991. A series of meetings with International delegation followed by the Madrid conference were concluded by the signing of Oslo Accord (I) in September 1993. 

The spotlight of this accord focused on birth of Palestinian interim self-government and Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Another significant clause of this agreement spoke about the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza strip and West Bank. Rest of the issues was to be negotiated later. 

Written and edited by Shumaila Naaz Rizvi, currently pursuing West Asian Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. 

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