August 27, 2004 ☼ Foreign Affairs
This is an archived blog post from The Acorn.
Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson addressed a public meeting in Ramallah urging the Palestinians to stop their violent intifada and take the path of non-violence in their struggle against Israel. The conflict between Palestinians and Israelis is one place where Gandhi’s strategy of a non-violent struggle is likely to work. Israel is a democracy, with rule of law and a functioning civil society; and its people are not likely to allow its government to brutalise peaceful protestors.
Non-violence is a winning strategy against civilised aggressors but it requires the struggler to have conviction and resolve. That sadly, has been very much in short supply among the Palestinian leadership. Gandhi’s word may not get very far in today’s Ramallah.
But others, like 15-year-old Mahmoud Suleiman, said they doubted non-violence could win Palestinians a state, even as they welcomed Gandhi.
“It won’t work,” he said. “There must be both armed and peaceful resistance, and armed resistance is more important. [Gulfnews]
Related Link: Reuben Abraham’s thoughts on Gandhi and the Middle East
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