Resistance of the weak-Gaza burning
I started the day thinking about something else… I realized that I was no longer putting myself in the shoes of that Gazan girl while she is going through a moment between the world of sleep and the world of the awake. Last few weeks, I would imagine myself at that moment when realization rushes back. At the moment when she would know that she was 160 cm when was driven into the Shifa’s hospital, but became only 80 cms when she woke up… she does not want to acknowledge it. So she pretends that something isn’t happening when it is.
Today, I realized that I am moving into the next chapter, but the Gaza chapter left an empty space in my life. This makes me wonder about those guys and girls who spent last 7 weeks of their lives with us in the warehouse… I wonder how they feel about suddenly having a lot of time on their plate, but even more, I wonder about their reasons for spending those chunks of their days at the warehouse? What pushed them to drive all the way to Al Qastal to work there?
I guess these questions made me think of a book I read while I was finishing my MA… at that time I was completely taken with it… it is called weapons of the weak by a thinker called Scott. I have previously written about it… but here I find myself thinking about it again. The theory in this book is that human beings revolt against the inequality and injustice of life by every day hidden forms of resistance when they can’t do much to change their realities.
I always felt that inordinate attention has been paid to open resistance, and too little to ordinary, everyday forms of resistance and their symbolic and ideological underpinnings.
I completely believe that resistence was one of the reasons these youngsters came. By showing up day and day out there,
by challenging the weather, defying the cold, rebelling against parents and ignoring the Israeli changing rules on daily basis, these youngsters resisted the tyranny of Israel and the hypocrisy of the world… it would have been much easier to sit in an argeeleh place frustrated, or to simply stop caring…but the freedom of the human spirit is beyond our comprehension. These youngsters kept on returning against all the odds!
For the second time around, I realize that the concept of absolute power will never exist, because no matter what, human beings are free… and as long as we have an intangible spirit and an unidentifiable instinct… no one entity can achieve absolute power…
The post draw a smile on my face and am out of words .. and I do not think am the right person to comment since i had no chance to go to the warehouse and participate due to some circumstances!
Have a good day my good friend
Cheers
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Thank you samah for your kind words
of course you are the righ person to comment… next time you will be with us… no worris 
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Mariam, I would not have thought that helping to send donated food and clothes was a form of resistance, but maybe you are right.
I have an idea for you. Why don’t you contact the people who worked in the warehouse and interview them about their personal reasons for coming to help, what they feel they accomplished, and their hopes for the future? Maybe you could arrange a forum and invite everyone involved. It would be a good way to strengthen relationships and friendships that were formed during those busy seven weeks.
I heard some bad news concerning the upcoming Israeli elections. I heard that the Likud party is leading in the polls. I think it will be a tragedy if they win the election. They will only continue the same repressive policies of the past decades. They have no wish to make any concessions to Palestinians. They have no desire for peace. They only want to steal more land for settlers.
I still think the only real hope is for moderate Israelis to join together with Israeli Arabs.
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Madas Reply:
February 9th, 2009 at 08:50
hey,
That is a great idea… maybe i would work on it… i will see what can be done.
by the way, i am really happy to see that there is some awareness in the USA… even if it is the form of the comments of one person aka. you!
the thing is i know that in the USA people dont know… they are not allowed to know, look at what happened with the BBC… it is truly sad!
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Anyone who helped out or even had intentions of doing good cause,I consider a friend of mine.
Agreed with comments,the media of nations has always controlled what they want people to see and believe, but the internet and the new world opening up all together is making it a tougher job for them now,soon all the bogus information fed to people will backfire on those who thought they could control the minds and wills.
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