Op-Ed by Dennis Palmer
The claim of the imperialists in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people boils down to their slogan “destroy Hamas.” This objective is both impossible and pointless. Hamas cannot be destroyed with bombardment and displacement, as it has roots among the Palestinian people—killing all active members would simply mean new members from their support base would emerge. Organizations of Palestinian resistance form from the conditions in which Palestinian people are forced to live. In the event that this objective were somehow met, it is certain that another organization, equally or even more unacceptable to imperialism and Zionism, would form immediately. Imperialism pretends to have a short memory in regard to how the many Palestinian resistance organizations which were “destroyed” regrouped and reformed under new banners. The claim that the state of Israel mainly on behalf of US imperialism has to destroy Hamas is utter fantasy. What they mean is destroy and displace the Palestinian people; Hamas is just a stand in for their true objective—genocide.
Al Aqsa Flood, the event which rallied Israel and their imperialist masters to issue their plan to “destroy Hamas” was not exclusively or only the action of Hamas. The armed counter offensive of the Palestinians was a leap in the resistance carried out by no less that 14 armed groups. By shifting the discussion only to Hamas, the imperialists seek to sway public opinion on the basis of opposition to religious fundamentalism. The issue is far more complex than this. Every time a leftist chooses to spend their energy on politically attacking the armed groups at this time, it is opportune for imperialism and assists in its interests.
The politically advanced left can grasp that there is a principal and secondary contradiction at play; on the one hand the resistance to Zionism and imperialism, and on the other hand the shortcomings of the armed organizations politically. In this sense, organizations which have their reactionary and revisionist aspects in the current conditions have the principal aspect of fighting on the front lines against Zionism and imperialism, mainly US imperialism.
On the question of anti-imperialist violence, the enemy will continue to cry about civilian casualties and the taking of civilian prisoners. What they do not mention is that when you hold a dance party outside the fence of the world’s largest concentration camp, you can expect that the prisoners’ rebellion might overflow and bring the hell inflicted on them to the party. It is unthinkable that anyone of good character would side with those in the festival and not those in chains. This is the demarcation. Israel simply will not be awarded the right of revelry and the right of genocide. Genocide should ruin festivity, or as Malcolm X might say, chickens come home to roost.
In an anti-colonial war such as the one being waged by the Palestinian armed groups, violence overflows because it has to put an end to the theme park-like festivities of the colony. The same went in Algeria where the European Quarters were given no peace. Palestinian land cannot and should not be enjoyed by anyone as long as the Palestinian people have no rights to it and are forced to live as prisoners.
photo: Al-Qassam Brigades fighters, Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency
