Palestinian Political Discourse Inside Israel Faces Identity Crisis Post-Oct. 7
Palestinian political discourse within Israel's "48 territories" has re-emerged with renewed, albeit familiar, rhetoric following a period of silence after the recent Gaza war. This resurgence, particularly evident leading up to Israeli elections, appears to bypass the global re-evaluation of Zionism prompted by the conflict. A February 2024 position paper by Mtanes Shehadeh for the Mada al-Carmel center suggests that Palestinian parties in Israel have not revised their political assumptions, continuing pre-war strategies based on citizenship policies.
Simultaneously, fringe Israeli literature argues that the current "genocide" is not solely a right-wing phenomenon but a manifestation of existing Zionist ideology. These perspectives view October 7 as an activation of pre-existing elements, warning that "genocide" has become the new Israeli security paradigm, making a return to a "liberal Israeli center" unlikely. The article contends that the core issue with current Palestinian political discourse is not its opposition to the right, but its framing of Palestinian politics as a choice between the "genocidal right" and a "non-right" that has been more effective at legitimizing and normalizing genocide.
This approach, the article argues, denies the reality of a "new genocidal Israeli reality" and thus lacks a political future. The author posits that the "genocidal structure" has created a "structure of feeling" among Palestinians, a deep existential awareness of a closed Israeli horizon and a pervasive threat. This Palestinian "structure of feeling," though lacking a cohesive political discourse or organization, forms the foundation upon which any successful political project must be built. Ignoring or denying this reality, the article warns, will lead to political failure.
The article further critiques Palestinian citizenship policies that aim to rehabilitate the Israeli space and Israel itself, deeming them futile due to profound shifts in Palestinian "structure of feeling." This feeling, distinct from the political discourse, recognizes the existential threat posed by Israel, leaving no room for meaningful political maneuvering. The author draws on Raymond Williams' concept of "structure of feeling" to explain how the current historical moment, marked by "genocide," has produced a deep emotional and cognitive shift. This shift, if not politically harnessed, risks being wasted.
The "structure of feeling" in Palestinian society is characterized not just by fear, but by alienation and revulsion from the Israeli sphere, making rehabilitation efforts futile. The article criticizes Palestinian political strategies that ignore this sentiment, citing Mansour Abbas's approach as one of complete submission rather than genuine rehabilitation. The call for a "technical joint list" in elections, the article suggests, reflects a shared sense of a closed horizon and a "technical" differentiation between parties in the face of a genocidal reality, rather than genuine political conviction.
This "technical" approach and the illusion of rehabilitating a rights-based citizenship discourse are seen as leading to a political dead end. The article criticizes the political class for instrumentalizing this raw, survival-driven instinct into a meaningless political platform, thereby closing off avenues for genuine political action. The author concludes that the focus on rehabilitating the Israeli space is a waste of political energy, hindering the development of Palestinian-led initiatives and internal organization. The current political discourse, rooted in a pre-genocide framework, fails to acknowledge the profound shift in Palestinian consciousness and the potential for a new political imagination.
