The Voice of Resistance and Unity

Visitors to my site who are familiar with Palestinian politics may find artists here who have embraced a number of different factions or ideologies. My own view on this is that political ideology is only part of the picture and that an artist may be flawed in the political or social choices he/she makes without invalidating his/her artistic achievements.

Human beings are flawed after all and it is easy to make bad choices politically and socially in our lives, whether we are blinded by high principles or instincts of self-preservation.

Three or four decades from now, the great literature, art and music of Palestine will remain to inspire a new generation while the specific political platforms that the artists embraced may be forgotten. Great art is universal.

Whether an artist supported Fatah, PFLP, Hamas or any other political group or platform does not invalidate the fundamental message of Resistance, even if there are disagreements with specific goals. Even if the artist was or is deluded enough to support the 'two-state solution', he/she still may have created a message that transcends all of that and speaks to the world of PALESTINE and the ARAB NATION.

or do I subscribe to the strictest interpretationn of Islam that severely limits the scope of Art and Music. Allah SWT created Music and Art as part of the rich kaleidoscope of Beauty that leads us closer to the Divine. Art and Music can be a form of prayer as well as a resounding shout of Resistance against Injustice.

Do not tell the Mother of a Martyr of Palestine that the blood of her son or daughter was shed falsely or in vain. From the murky depths of the maze of politics in which specific leaders or members of organisations scheme for power, personal benefit or act as traitors comes the message to Resist the Occupation and to fight for the Homeland. Ordinary individuals seldom truly know what goes on behind the scenes. Even artists can be deluded as to the virtue of a leader or political group without themselves being corrupt. If they are corrupt or became corrupt at some point, does that completely invalidate whatever power or beauty is in their Art?

One can become disillusioned because of the flaws or betrayals of leaders and political parties or one can distill renewed purity of intent and purpose from the collective acts of Resistance and the Art that seeks to represent the Voice of the Homeland.

The blood of the Martyrs waters the soil of Resistance and the artists of the Arab Nation carry the torch of faith forward, despite any and every betrayal on the part of individual Leaders or political groups.

Look to the best of the Past and learn from all the betrayals but at the end of the day acknowledge that the Martyrs of Palestine and the Arab Nation are the symbols of an essential principle that transcends factionalism and differences in our ultimate vision of what government should or should not be. There is one Truth that cannot be denied: the foreign Occupation and those who finance and profit from it must be removed from the Arab Nation.

The goal of educating the West with respect to the truth about Palestine and the Arab Nation always has been a primary one for me. For those in the West who have been brainwashed by the Zionist propaganda, I believe that it is Art that can find the chink in that armour of ignorance and ultimately bring down the entire edifice of corruption that is so much at the foundation of mainstream Western media.

Beyond this, within the world of the Resistance, it is vital that we move beyond factionalism and embrace unity of purpose wherever possible if we ever hope to defeat the Occupation and bring justice to the Palestinian people. Art has the power to unify, to speak above the confusion and often treacherous maze of politics. Let us not be Sheep. Let us not bow to pressure from any group or organisation that dictates we cannot find inspiration elsewhere. Brand loyalty is NOT a positive principle where the Voice of Resistance is concerned.

If an individual requires fuel to power his/her vehicle for a journey that will bring liberation or freedom to the cause, is it more important to insist upon a specific brand or to MOVE FORWARD? Inaction leads too easily to defeatism. (I am speaking here solely of spiritual energy and not of the treacherous pitfalls of accepting foreign aid from governments that have their own agendas.) Find inspiration wherever you can and keep hope alive in your soul.

First and foremost, Palestine must be liberated from Occupation. Palestine is not merely the West Bank and Gaza. It is Galilee and the Golan Heights. It is Akka, Haifa and Jerusalem, every dunum, hectare or acre that is claimed by the Zionists. Whatever an individual's political affiliations, Palestine MUST be made whole and the refugees must be given the means to return to rebuild all that has been destroyed. Period.