Bassem Eid

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A Non-Violent Intifada?
With Bassam Eid
Executive Director, Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group
Tuesday, March 6, 2001;11 a.m. EST

In a recent New York Times Op-Ed piece, human rights activist Eid urged Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat change tactics the struggle to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

"Mr. Arafat must shift the focus of the uprising from armed resistance to unarmed, civil protest -- from clashes to demonstrations, as some prominent Palestinians have suggested," Eid wrote. "Nonviolent protest was the original character of the intifada. Although Mr. Sharon might still respond with bullets and tanks, unarmed resistance stands a better chance of influencing international and Israeli opinion, which is the only way to convince Mr. Sharon to return to the negotiating table."

The transcript follows.

Bassam Eid: Local Palestinians didn't respond to my article. They might not have read the article. However, many Palestinians from the United States sent me very positive reactions. Anyhow, I am so happy that so many people are sharing my ideas.

Oslo. Norway: Are you afraid of Arafat by calling for a non-violent approach?

Bassam Eid: Of course not. I am calling for non-violence as a principle, with no political interests. My position as a human rights activist is to continue calling for non-violence, and I am not seeking to be the friend of Arafat or his security forces. Both Arafat and the Israeli government signed the Oslo Agreements, and that Agreement is supposed to protect the rights of both nations. My main task as a human rights activist is to ensure that the rights of the Palestinians will indeed be preserved.

Jerusalem: Dear Mr. Eid,

Who among the prominent Palestinian leadership advocates non-violent protest instead of a violent intifada? And do you see this tactic as having any chance in the charged atmosphere of the current violence?

Bassam Eid: Two days ago, Bassam Abu Sharif, one of Arafat's advisors, clearly condemned the bombing attack in Netanya. The head of the Human Rights Committee at the Palestinian Legislative Council, Qadura Faris, also publicly condemned the violence on both sides. At this stage, violence still seems to be the only language employed by both sides. However, everybody is tired of violence, and if prominent voices on both sides start calling for non-violent resistance, it might give the Palestinian population an alternative way to express their anger and frustration at the ongoing occupation, by participating in civilian protests.

Reston, VA: What is taken by force can only be returned by force. Israel only respects might...That is what led them return the Sinai to Egypt, to leave Lebanon, and leave Nablus (what they call Schem). Are you saying America should have invited the British for a cup of tea to discuss its independence?

Bassam Eid: Did you know that the Israelis are also saying that "the only thing Palestinians respect is force"? No, it is not true that "what is taken by force can only be returned by force". We are into the second intifada now, and it's getting us nowhere. We are no longer in Abdul Nasser's time.

Los Angeles, Calif.: Having been in Biet Sahur and other Palestinian villages I am both encouraged by non-violent protestors (Palestinian center for rapprochement, alternative travel, etc.) and by the resilience of the people -- yet I was increasingly frustrated by the same Palestinians who did not address the violence that is carried out by Tanzim or Hamas -- instead it is overlooked and even justified. I understand that occupation is the first provocation of war -- but how can non-violent activists not deal with violence on ones own side. Can violence be justified in this situation?

Bassam Eid: It is the Israeli violence that increased so much the violence on the Palestinian side. Two days ago, when the Israeli army started shooting from the settlement of Psagot to the Palestinian neighborhood of al-Bireh, an Israeli missile entered into a house and killed a woman that was sitting there with her four children. I condemn violence on both sides, but I can understand the frustration and the anger of the Palestinian people that until now leads to the violence.

Sacha Klein: Why are can't the Palestinian people understand that if they stop all the violence, the Israeli government will then be willing to re-start the negotiation and re-open the city. To stop the violence is a pre-requisite to any form of talks.

Bassam Eid: We cannot stop the resistance against the occupation. Did you know that 2.5 million Palestinians have lived under general closure SINCE 1993? Even the Oslo Agreements did not help this situation. If the Palestinians will stop the violence on their side, I doubt whether the Israelis are not going to continue shooting people and shelling their houses.

Indianapolis, Ind.: I have heard many Palestinians say that this is the most hopeless their situation has ever been, including the hardships endured in the first Intifada. Tactically speaking, armed Palestinian resistance may serve to scare the settlers away, but seems unlikely to bring true freedom to those in the West Bank and Gaza who need it most -- the average working-class Palestinian. What needs to happen before Palestinians could band together for organized nonviolent resistance? Will I see this in my lifetime?

Bassam Eid: I think we need charismatic leaders who would enjoy the trust and respect of the Palestinian population. I believe that the Palestinian people are ready to receive the idea of non-violence, especially if they perceive it as effective. The best way to do this is by example; once a first action is organized and successful, the movement could gain a momentum of its own. Hopefully you will see this in your lifetime.

Triangle, Va.:

[edited] does the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] make real attempts at arrest in the occupied lands, as opposed to shooting a suspect?

Bassam Eid: In many cases, while the Israeli army would have been able to arrest suspects, people were simply shot. The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group has enough examples and evidence of such cases.

Gaithersburg,MD: Why should you expect The Palestinians to react to the Zionist occupation non-violently any more than the French resistance during the second world war? The overpowering influence of Israeli propaganda on the U.S. media would distort even a Ghandi style protest into a threat to the "Jewish Homeland."

Bassam Eid: I understand why the Palestinians are reacting to violence through violence. However, violence is leading us nowhere. I believe that a non-violent strategy on the Palestinian side would raise more sympathy for their cause, even in the American media.

Garden Grove, Calif.: The suicide bomber who was responsible for the bombing in Netanya was reported to have previously been imprisoned for terrorist acts and released as part of an agreement between Arafat and the Israeli government. He was reported to have signed a document noting his agreement not to return to his terrorist activities. Please comment.

Bassam Eid: The Oslo Agreements were implemented neither by the Israelis nor by the Palestinians. Other provisions in the agreement, for example, forbid Israel to "alter the status quo in the territories", i.e. to build further Jewish settlements. However, since 1993, the Jewish settlements in the occupied territories have expanded at a pace never seen before. I condemn any attack on civilians, whether Israelis or Palestinians, but I remind you that the Israeli army and settlers already killed over 400 Palestinians in the past 5 months.

Duluth MN.: Bassem Eid: I am wondering if you are familiar with the Jewish philosopher and theologian, Martin Buber? Often an advocate for the Palestinian way back in the mid-fifties?

You suggest a non-violent co-existence similar to what Buber believed and advocated, many years ago.

He was ostracized for quite some time, by many in the academic and political Jewish community because of his humane and progressive views.

Only recently has there been a return to his writings; his philosophy of co-existence and respect for the Palestinian point of view.

Bassam Eid: No, I have never read Martin Buber. But if he wrote about non-violence, his ideas must be very interesting. Thank you for your comment.

Eid Yabroud, Palestine: Suppose for a minute we convince the occupation forces to resume negotiations. Where will that get us? Will we exchange our obedience for their security? Will they ever return Jerusalem to us though negotiations?

Bassam Eid: I am not talking about obedience: I am talking about civilian DIS-obedience. We, the Palestinians, have the full right to continue our resistance against the occupation, to liberate our occupied territories and to declare our independent state. We can do so through non-violent resistance. It seems highly unlikely that the Palestinians will win a military victory over Israel. Eventually Israel will have to implement the UN resolutions 242 and 338.

Kalrstad, Sweden: Non-violence is a wonderful idea. How can the international community help?

Bassam Eid: The first thing the international community can do is to stop supporting Israel and the Palestinian Authority blindly. In the past five months, the international community has been very passive in my view. It seems to me that Europe prefers to let the United States deal with the current situation in the Middle East. Unbiased media coverage is also very important.

Houston, TX: Isn't it true that non-violence as a strategy will succeed only if the oppressing side has feelings of guilt over what it is doing and eventually repents? In this case, why should the Palestinians expect non-violence to work for them since it is apparent that the Jews of Israel have no desire to negotiate and would be perfectly content to keep the Palestinians locked up in their enclaves.

Bassam Eid: First of all, non-violence can work through two ways: by appealing to the conscience of the oppressors, and by getting the international community to exert pressure on the oppressors. But I am not convinced that the Jews of Israel have no feeling of guilt and no desire to negotiate. Non-violence can appeal to those people in the Israeli society who would potentially be in favor of the Palestinian cause. Some Israeli journalists like Gideon Levy or Amira Hass are still going around the Palestinian territories and try to present an objective perspective of the situation and the Palestinian suffering.

Washington DC: I lived in Bethlehem 5 years ago and saw the effects of the closures and Isreali policies up close. My question is why is it so difficult for the Palestinian people to find alternative leadership ? Arafat is not representing the true interests of his people and it appears that there are no other leaders willing to step forward and the Isrealis like it that way.

Thank you

Bassam Eid: Arafat will continue to be a symbol for the Palestinian people, even if the Palestinians find an alternative leadership. I believe that this intifada, if it will continue, will bring out a new leadership who might understand the Palestinian demands better than the current Palestinian Authority.

washingtonpost.com: Our time is up. Bassem Eid has generously spent more than the allotted hour answering questions. Our thanks to him and to everybody who sent in questions. Due to the great interest in Mr. Eid's ideas, we were not able to have all questions answered.