New directions for Palestinian leadership will be shaped by grassroots and nonprofit initiatives.
By Ben White
Al-Jazeera
"Cambridge, England - Despite the frozen 'peace process' - or perhaps in part because of it - there have been a number of interesting developments in the Palestinian political scene in recent years. This includes the emergence of new youth-based groups and actions, as well as a growth in coordination between Palestinians on both sides of the 'Green Line'. With this context in mind, a new initiative by BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights is instructive for the direction of the conversation amongst Palestinian activists. The Ongoing Nakba Education Centre (ONEC) was launched this month by the Bethlehem-based non-profit organisation, boasting a websiteand Education Centre. At the heart of the project is the participatory website which, in the words of BADIL's Rich Wiles, "uses multi-media tools to build a significant advocacy resource".
The site, which is still in an early stage of development, will depend on contributions in order to document stories of Palestinian displacement, using photographs, short films, audio recordings - and covering everything from "photo stories of demolitions" to "oral history interviews".The emphasis is on an ongoing project that, while obviously not being able to highlight every story, will grow as a resource that provides networking opportunities for Palestinians and non-
Palestinians working in the field. Nor is there any need to be a 'professional'; BADIL say they will take unedited media to turn into content for the site.Najwa Darwish, Director of BADIL, feels like there is something unique about the 'Ongoing Nakba' project.....
What these various activities have in common is a total disconnect with the strategies and discourse promoted by Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad of 'negotiations', 'reform' and 'economic peace'. The practical efforts on the ground, small as they might seem by themselves, are indicative of a broader paradigm shift that is taking place. These new directions are still only found at the level of the grassroots and not-for-profits, and it will take some time for it to impact at the level of political leadership. ONEC symbolises a shift that is well underway, one that can only breathe hope into the Palestinian struggle for decolonisation and equality."
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