Mount Royal University sociology professor Mark Muhannad Ayyash said Israel, “aided and abetted by the American empire, has sought to politically erase Palestine from the map.” .“Over the past few days, Palestinians have proved, once again, that they won’t easily give up their indigenous claim to and sovereignty over the land stolen from them,” said Ayyash in a Tuesday op-ed published in Al Jazeera. .Ayyash said he does not define sovereignty as authority to govern land in a narrow sense. Rather, he is speaking of an authority to govern that stems from the deep connection between a people and their ancestral land. .For decades, he said Palestinians have shown the violence Israel has inflicted on them on a daily basis. They documented Israeli state violence depriving them of their freedom and dignity and harassing and abusing them on a regular basis, violating international law. .Other countries responded by voicing their support for Israel. He said they aided and abetted it and encouraged it to intensify its efforts to expel Palestinians from their remaining lands and erase it from history and politics. .Palestinians tried diplomacy, political advocacy and unarmed and armed resistances and protests to get the world’s attention. They pleaded their case to anyone who listened, but all that effort has not improved their situation. .As Israel intensified its efforts to erase Palestine and Palestinians, he said they found themselves at a crossroads. .At this crossroads, he said Palestinians could try and plead their case from within their confines, obey Israel’s rules and hope a country with some humanity would intervene to stop its brutalization. Or they could start acting in a manner responding to this system in which this tragedy is played out in accordance within that system’s internal logic. .Looking at the states holding leadership positions in the global arena, he said it is clear they made it to the top through organized state violence. He added no state or actor in this position can gain enough authority and power to ensure its safety and dictate its will on the global community by speaking of higher ideals. .As such, he said mirroring the behaviour of the states oppressing Palestinians through acts of organized violence emerged as a rational way forward for them to succeed. .While the recent attacks on Israel might be viewed as liberating Palestine, he said that is not the case. Rather, these operations are meant to change the outlook and dynamics of the struggle. .Ayyash concluded by saying the most important point is Palestinians “will not be erased, and the majority of people in the region and many people in other regions of the world understand and support the just Palestinian struggle.”.“The people of Palestine will continue to refuse this fate of erasure that all these great powers have determined should be theirs,” he said. .“People from across the world will continue to see their struggles reflected in the Palestinian struggle, ensuring that Palestine as a political story, a political vision and as a revelation of the current political conditions and systems of power, will never be erased from the hearts and minds of people the world over.” .Ayyash followed up by saying as a scholar, he offers explanations of violence, not justifications of it. ."An example of justifications of violence are Joe Biden's comments which justify and enable the indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip," he said.."An example of explanations of violence is my piece." .He said only dishonest readers would see his op-ed as a justification of violence. .MRU President Tim Rahilly said Hamas' attack on Israel and horrifying effects on innocent people's lives is a major concern for the school community.."This has been particularly distressing for both Israeli and Palestinian community members — including students, faculty and staff, and those with direct ties to the region," said Rahilly.."We extend our sincere sympathies to all those affected by these terrible events." .Rahilly said MRU is committed to providing an environment that supports viewpoint diversity. He asked the community to approach any discussions around this issue with respect and sensitivity.
