Role of literature in Palestinian struggle
Beginning of Palestinian literature
Palestinian literature has a rich and diverse history that spans thousands of years, with
roots in oral traditions, poetry, and storytelling. Although Palestine has always held its
place of prominence for Arab Moslems and Christians alike, Jerusalem was not the
literary center that Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, or Beirut had been in the early decades
of the twentieth century.
Palestinian literature began to take shape as a distinct national movement, with
writers like Khalil al-Sakakini and Ibrahim al-Khuri exploring themes of identity,
nationalism, and social change in late 19th and start of 20th century .Palestinian
literature of this period remained sentimental, romantic and classical. Al-Asad
mentions a few patriotic poets whose poetry gained popularity. Among these are:
Mahmoud and Haroun Hashem Rashid. This poetry of the 1940s and 1950s describes
the Palestinian exodus, depicting also the disillusionment with Arab governments
and international justice. Naser el Din al-Asad reveals that most of the literature that
arose in Palestine focused on love poetry, historical and religious essays,
educational textbooks and translations.Al-Warith (The Heir in 1920.12 Set in Syria,
the novel tells the story of Astire, a young beautiful Jewish actress/singer, and Aziz,
a Syrian orphan who was raised by his uncle as the son/ heir he never had. The novel
attempts to probe the destructive love relationship between Astire and Aziz but fails
to go beyond the stereotypical attitudes of Arabs toward Jews. Another important
novel that gained popularity at this time is A Chicken’s Memoir (1943) by Ishaq Musa
al-Husaini (d. 1990). A parable on the by Palestinians were generally entertaining,
experimental and insubstantial as far as their aesthetic value or attraction of
readership. The predominant social message, which overrode the political
consciousness, characterized the literary output of this period
The displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba (catastrophe) led to a surge in
literary production, with writers like Ghassan Kanafani, Mahmoud Darwish, and
Fadwa Tuqan expressing the experiences of loss, longing, and resistance.
There are rich narrative forms in Arabic literary tradition, Jayyusi concedes, neither
the oral nor the written forms were inspirational in early stage of modern fiction
Palestinian poets of the 1930s and 1940s broke no new ground in terms of aesthetic
value or tonal and thematic expectations. Although a few poets rose to prominence,
only Ibrahim Tuqan could venture outside politics into the comic, the tragic and the
sarcastic. Yet his and other wait two decades or so for the emergence of what is now
referred to as the “Poetry of Resistance,” which would come to the fore in the period
following the 1967 War. Since the literary history of Palestine is interwoven with the
larger Arab tradition
Poetry of resistance
The poetry of resistance in Palestinian literature is a powerful expression of the struggle
for freedom, justice, and self-determination.
The poetry of resistance in Palestinian literature serves as a powerful expression of the
human spirit, asserting the right to exist, resist, and dream of a better future. After the
1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight, poetry was transformed into a vehicle for political
activism. From among those Palestinians who became Arab citizens of Israel and after
the passage of the Citizenship Law of 1952, a school of resistance poetry was born that
included poets like Mahmoud Darwish, Samih al-Qasim, and Tawfiq Zayyad. The work
of these poets was largely unknown to the wider Arab world for years because of the
lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Arab governments. The situation
changed after Ghassan Kanafani, another Palestinian writer in exile in Lebanon
published an anthology of their work in 1966.[17]Palestinian writing called for national
resistance and mobilized the masses to be steadfast in their resistance to the colonial
powers. Speaking of the common leitmotifs Palestinian (and Arab) poets address at this
juncture, Jabra suggests that the creative writing deals with “freedom, anxiety, protest,
struggle, social progress, individual salvation, rebellion, [and] heroism.”40 The
emergence in Palestine/Israel of what is now known as the “Poetry of Resistance” arose
to express the people’s desires and hopes and to inspire them in their struggle. “Identity
Card” by Mahmoud Darwish,considered by many the Palestinian national poem, is a
good example.
The main theme of poetry of resistance was Resistance to occupation and oppression,
Longing for homeland and return Celebration of Palestinian identity and culture,
Grief and mourning for losses, Hope and resilience
Notable poets:
• Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008): A leading figure in Palestinian poetry, known for
his powerful and evocative works like “Identity Card” and “State of Siege”.
• Ghassan Kanafani (1936-1972): A poet, novelist, and political activist who wrote
about the Palestinian struggle and exile.
• Fadwa Tuqan (1917-2003): A pioneering female poet who explored themes of
love, family, and resistance.
• Samih al-Qasim (1939-2014): A poet and activist who wrote about the Palestinian
struggle and the human condition.
• Dareen Tatour (b. 1982): A contemporary poet and activist who was imprisoned
for her poetry and activism.
Major Palestinian literary work
Leading poets who remained in Palestine after 1948 speak of the alienation they feel
toward the use of classical Arabic, polished language and proper subjects for poetry. Since
the 1960s, they have opted for the language of simple folk to render a realistic picture of
Palestinian lives and desires under Israeli rule. The following lines by Samih al-Qasim
exemplify his negative stance toward the classical
Identity Card” by Mahmoud Darwish, considered by many the Palestinian national poem, is
a good example. The poem “Identity Card” is about a Palestinian man explaining his identity
to an Israeli official (it is implied they are at a security checkpoint). In his description, he
describes his family, work situation, and history, lamenting the loss of his homeland. While
the speaker is frustrated about the state of his identity in what was his home, he asserts
that he has no hate in his heart.
Write down!
I am an Arab
And my identity card number is fifty thousand
I have eight children
And the ninth will come after a summer
Will you be angry?
Write down!
I am an Arab
Employed with fellow workers at a quarry
I have eight children
I get them bread
Garments and books from the rocks…
I do not supplicate charity at your doors
Nor do I belittle myself at the footsteps of your chamber
So will you be angry?
This poem conveys many themes to audience including identity, the importance
of ancestry and history, home, hatred, and humanity. The most prominent of
these themes is humanity, and by extension, the desire by all people to be given
basic human respect.
Writers who write out of the refugee camps have had a different experience from
those who remained inside Palestine/Israel. For instance Fawaz Turki, who grew up
in Lebanon, speaks of the psychological impact of growing up as a Palestinian
refugee. The experience, he says, has “ravished Palestinian being”: “It ravished the
law and the order of the reality that we saw around us. It defeated some of us. It
reduced, distorted and alienated others.”
The poem “Beirut” captures Turki’s bitter memories of the Lebanese capital where,
as a child, he would roam the streets selling chicklets (chewing gum):
Beirut is a dead rat / lying motionless / in the pocket of the Third World speaking with a
heavy French accent as she pronounces her Arabic ownhood. / In the
river beds of affluence the waters have dried up / and disinherited selfhood
/ walks in rags looking for a Western wedding to attend / At night she goes to the casino
to place her bets on the roulette table / using a fistful of classified ads from France Soir
/ At night she returns home, / to her pocket, and the darkness frightens her / as she
drives / on Artificial Road where the mirage of a mule appears / and she runs her car off
a cliff
Fadwa Tuqan’s A Mountainous Journey, An Autobiography (1985)55 is a good illustration of
the experimentation . Tuqan’s narrative integrates the coming of age motif with the
communal national consciousness, merging the personal and the public identity. Notably,
the journey of the witnessnarrator of young Fadwa begins with the inner quest for freedom
and independence rather than the outer struggle for a nation-state. Tuqan relates how she
battles with family, city, literary tradition and foreign occupation to name her identity as a
poet and a spokesperson for her Palestinian community. Additionally, Tuqan’s
autobiography, presented as lived experience, records and analyzes the forces that were
behind the continued defeats of the Palestinian people. Her documentation of the weakness
and betrayal of “the politics of the notables and the repression of the Palestinian national
cause by Hashemite Jordan is unprecedented in the literature .Palestinians in the Diaspora—
Gaza, the West Bank, the Arab world and other parts of the world— have suffered exile and
dispossession. The sensibility of Palestinian writers has been shaped by one or more of the
following factors: settler colonialism, refugee camps, military occupation and labor
exploitation. Whereas the historical outcome has been total denial of Palestinian existence
as a people and the establishment of another state on their homeland,
Palestine cinema as a resistance
Film has played a role in Palestinian society in several ways, including:
Early beginnings
The first known motion film footage in Palestine was shot in 1897 by the Lumière filmmaker
Jean Alexandre Louis Promio in Jerusalem and Jaffa. Foreign photographers were the main
force behind setting up filmmaking in Palestine in the late 1890s and 1900s, which paved
the way for local initiatives after independence.
The Nakba
The 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight, known as the Nakba in Arabic, had a devastating
effect on Palestinian society, including its film industry. For almost two decades,
filmmaking efforts nearly ceased due to the need for infrastructure, finance, and
professional crews. During this time, some Palestinians worked in film production in
neighboring countries, such as Jordan.
Political cinema
Palestinian cinema emerged during the political cinema movements of the late 1960s and
early 1970s. It was a modest but institutionalized film effort within the national liberation
campaign of a stateless people. Palestinian cinema identity is more than just a cultural or
political signifier, and it involves solidarity with the Palestinian predicament and the
humanitarian dimensions that grew out of it. It is a choice to identify with a cause of justice
that transcends boundaries. Here are some of the Notable films
Divine Intervention” (2002) by Elia Suleiman: A critically acclaimed film exploring
Palestinian life under occupation.
- “Paradise Now” (2005) by Hany Abu-Assad: A powerful portrayal of two
Palestinian men preparing for a suicide bombing.
- “Waltz with Bashir” (2008) by Ari Folman: An animated documentary
exploring the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre.
- “5 Broken Cameras” (2011) by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi: A documentary
chronicling nonviolent resistance in Bil’in.
- “Omar” (2013) by Hany Abu-Assad: A thriller exploring the complexities of
Palestinian life under occupation.
Representation and emancipation
Palestinian filmmakers have used their political engagement and stylistic and aesthetic
choices to build narratives that dismantle Palestinian stereotyping, energize resistance,
and respond to new global audiences.Palestinian cinema has emerged as a powerful tool
of resistance, offering a unique perspective on the Palestinian experience and challenging
dominant narratives. Some of the filmmakers used cinema as a resistance
Elia Suleiman: Known for his unique, poetic style and exploration of Palestinian identity.
- Hany Abu-Assad: Acclaimed for his thought-provoking, nuanced portrayals of
Palestinian life.
- Annemarie Jacir: A pioneering female filmmaker exploring themes of exile, identity, and
belonging.
Palestinian cinema serves as a powerful form of resistance, offering a platform for self-
expression, challenging dominant narratives, and preserving Palestinian culture and
identity.
