Written by: Adnan Al-Sbaah

Breaking chains makes freedom. Peoples who do not have their own freedom and ability to shape their future, beliefs and convictions can never break from the modern adversities existing since the beginning of human societies. Incomplete freedom does not exist; for freedom is absolute and the lack of it turns into an act of harm to others. This includes the common ‘other’, national collective ‘other’, or the international ‘other’. It is not permissible to detract from freedom such as the freedom of belief and expression within the limits of respect for the other, the freedom of participation and the act of participating in building.

Only the freedom of participation in building is what establishes a true, living, lasting and effective affiliation to the collective joint structure. No one should be a part of a country or homeland that does not allow him/her to participate or does not give him/her the right to take part in this building process. Instead, they should insist on making him/her an enforcer of orders and regulations. Hence, the importance of periodic elections comes as one of the manifestations of the free expression of opinion and the exercise of the collective common right with the aim of establishing a common collective.

In Palestine, the issue of freedom occupies is very crucial because the homeland and the people are under different types of occupation. However, the commonality is that they are indeed targeted by the enemy who occupies the land and confiscates the freedoms of its people. It is understandable that the occupiers confiscate the freedoms of the people under occupation, but it absolutely unreasonable for the people to have their freedoms confiscated by a group, party or authority who are supposed to participate in building the path of tomorrow and stand together until freedom is reached. The path of freedom can only be tolerated by those who are free to open the paths of freedom. Unfortunately, the situation in Palestine does not indicate this at all. In addition to the arrests that affect outspoken citizens and political activists, matters became worse as a result of the death of the political activist, Nizar Banat. This could have turned into an opportunity for the authority to consider his death as catastrophic for the people and authority under occupation; especially since it came after the last-minute postponement of general elections. This was considered by the people and the world as a dangerous retreat from democracy in favor of absolute power, which was accompanied by various protests and the public’s demand to return to the elections as a necessary solution to all the people’s issues.

Instead of the Authority working to restore confidence with its people by taking many radical corrective measures, it found itself in a state of serious confusion. As a result, some sought a tribal solution, others searched for a solution by means of repression or by seeking an external solution. The state of power became weaker than ever and this was evident in the tribal incidents in the Governorates of Hebron, Nablus and Jenin. This unequivocally shows the Authority that freedom cannot be suppressed without consequences and freedom of expression will be replaced by freedom of violence and abuse of an authority. The tribal authority will be resorted to play its role. Arresting, banning gatherings by force and retracting laws such as the right of a public official to express his/her opinion by dismissing and punishing them placed the Authority in the crosshairs of the people and the world. It also became the focus of criticism.

The entire future of the Palestinian national cause depends on the issue of freedom. Therefore, the Authority’s reliance on security forces and tribal authority, the absence of freedoms, the retreat from the laws and regulations that guarantee them and its denial to sign many international agreements in this regard does not harm the people as much it is harming the Authority itself. They are now facing various forms of violence making its prestige and controlling ability very questionable to the people and to observers from all sides. However, mending these setbacks include public acknowledgement of mistakes and the implementation of radical reform measures to establish a civil society based on citizenship, democracy, pluralism, regular elections, the right of peaceful transfer of power and freedom of expression without harm. This is the only way the homeland and its people can be free. Only the free are able to construct freedom.

 

The opinions expressed in this article are the views of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Association or donor.