Roughly 400 people attended a demonstration in Ramallah’s Manara square this afternoon calling on Palestinians to end division within the society under occupation. The demonstration was organized by PNGO (The Palestinian NGO network). While the demonstration was not held under the banner of solidarity with Egyptian and Tunisian uprisings, it is clear that the uprisings are starting to have an effect on the Palestinian street. Demonstrators specifically called on PA President Abbas and Hamas leader Haniya to end factionalism and division in Palestinian society.
The Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, the longest military occupation in modern history, has deliberately attacked Palestinian unity as a method of control. Israeli authorities have encouraged factionalism, disunity and even civil war by supporting elements (such as Hamas in the early days of the group) which create division. In this paradigm, the Palestinian Authority can easily be understood as an effective instrument of Israeli Occupation and control.
This afternoon’s demonstration in Ramallah is proof that Palestinians are riding the tide of ‘reshaping’ democracy in the Arab World. Palestinian unity is a fundamental issue for emergence of a legitimate Palestinian democracy. This prospective democracy could provide a unified form of resistance which would make the case for continued Israeli control of Palestinian society even more difficult for the governments of Israel and the United States. More demonstrations calling for Palestinian unity are planned for Palestinian cities throughout the West Bank.