Commentary
Palestinians Mark the Second Anniversary of the Intifada
Tens of thousands of Palestinians marked the second anniversary of the Intifada on September 28, despite Israeli military actions which killed at least two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and wounded others. In the West Bank, Palestinians defied bullets, tear gas and curfews to celebrate and mark the occasion with dozens of small demonstrations and rallies, many beginning the evening of September 27. And in Gaza City, an estimated 50,000 people marched, calling for an end to the occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Yasser Arafat, besieged by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), his Ramallah headquarters reduced to rubble, spoke to the protestors by telephone, declaring that the Palestinian people would never give up their fight for a state.
This second Palestinian Intifada broke out after then opposition leader Ariel Sharon, flanked by hundreds of heavily armed police and military personnel, visited a site in Jerusalem considered holy by both Muslims and Jews. Sharon's visit, intended to provoke, was organized at precisely the same time that observant Muslims living in the area would gather for regular religious observances. While the uprising began that day, Sharon's visit was simply the last straw. Despite all the promises made during the peace process, the Palestinian people continued to face the routine humiliations that are an integral part of Israeli occupation.
Today, life for the Palestinians has become even more unbearable. Under the pretext of preventing suicide bombings, Sharon's government has imposed crippling curfews on cities throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip since May 2002, bringing daily life to a halt for the three million Palestinians who live under occupation.
And for the second time in a few months, Arafat is under siege in what many perceive is a diversionary tactic undertaken by Sharon's government. At the height of the suicide bombing campaign against Israeli, Sharon declared he wouldn't negotiate with the Palestinians without "seven days of peace". His decision to surround Arafat's compound followed a six-week period without a single suicide bombing while attacks against suspected Palestinian militants continued unabated. Earlier, Sharon sabotaged another chance at peace by bombing a Gaza City apartment building, and killing several civilians in the process, to assassinate a Hamas military leader hours after Hamas offered a conditional end to suicide attacks for the resumption of peace talks.
Even the U.S. has had difficulty explaining away the most recent siege of Arafat, abstaining on (instead of vetoing) UN Resolution 1435, passed 14-0 by the Security Council on September 24. The resolution calls on Israel to "immediately cease measures in and around Ramallah, including the destruction of Palestinian civilian and security infrastructure", and calls for an "immediate end" to the siege of Arafat's headquarters.
Israel, as it has done so many times before, has simply ignored the resolution. But Sharon finds himself in a difficult situation. Despite his hawkish pledges to bring Israelis peace and security, he has achieved neither. He faces challenges from within his own party, Likud, and from other members of his coalition government. The Americans' desire for calm in the Middle East as they try desperately to build support for an attack on Iraq means Sharon is increasingly isolated internationally. But Sharon's biggest challenge comes from the Palestinian people themselves. Despite all attempts to destroy their spirit, the Palestinians remain united in their determination to end the occupation and establish an independent state.