During a Political Symposium Organized by the PLO’s Department of Human Rights and Civil Society, in Cooperation with the Palestine Forum and Al-Quds University
Strengthening the Presence of Palestinian Thought and Narrative: A Necessity to Confront Zionist Ideology and Its Colonial Impacts
The PLO’s Department of Human Rights and Civil Society, in collaboration with the Palestine Forum and Al-Quds University, organized a political and intellectual symposium titled: “Palestinian Thought vs. Zionist Ideology and Its Colonial Impact.”
The event was held at the PLO headquarters in Ramallah and was attended by prominent political, academic, and cultural figures, with distinguished virtual participation via Zoom.
The symposium aimed to highlight the urgent need to revive and reaffirm Palestinian liberation thought in confronting Zionist ideology, which was established as a settler-colonial movement driven by racism and ethnic cleansing.
Deputy Head of the Department of Human Rights: Sustained Efforts and Legal Awareness Are Key to Prosecuting War Criminals
The symposium opened with a welcoming address by Mr. Qassem Awad, Deputy Head of the PLO’s Department of Human Rights and Civil Society. Speaking on behalf of Executive Committee member and Head of the Department, Ahmad Saeed Tamimi, Awad welcomed the attendees and emphasized the importance of systematic, cumulative efforts in confronting Zionist ideology at all levels—particularly in the legal arena, which he described as one of the core fronts in the struggle.
He emphasized that confronting Zionist ideology goes beyond historical and cultural aspects, it also involves legal, political, and media efforts. He called for strengthening the presence of Palestinian legal discourse in international forums and for systematically documenting the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people.
Awad conveyed President Mahmoud Abbas’s firm stance on the need to continue raising awareness, deepening knowledge, and advancing legal advocacy on all fronts. He stressed that these efforts are essential to holding Israeli occupation leaders accountable for war crimes and ensuring they do not escape justice—especially in light of the ongoing genocide, ethnic cleansing, and systematic settlement expansion targeting the Palestinian people.
Dr. Faisal Aranki: Western Support for Zionism Is Driven by Economic Interests Wrapped in Theology
Dr. Faisal Aranki, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, spoke at the symposium, offering a deep analytical reading of the roots of Western support for the Zionist project. He explained that the West did not support the establishment of Israel purely out of religious motives but instead used Christian Zionist theology as a cover for economic and colonial ambitions.
He stated: “The Zionist project was established in Palestine as a strategic interest for the West, disguised by a false religious narrative that falsely links heaven and earth to justify colonization and the systematic plundering of people’s resources.” He argued that the Anglo-Saxon mindset that dominates the West uses religion as a political tool—and politics, in turn, as a means to serve economic interests. He added that it is the responsibility of us Palestinians is to expose this false narrative and reveal it to the world—especially to Western societies that are misled by religious and media narratives portraying Israel as the victim, when in reality it is a colonial spearhead in the region.
Munib Al-Masri: Integrating the Palestinian Narrative into Curricula Is a Strategic Necessity
Speaking via Zoom, Munib Rashid Al-Masri, Chairman of the Palestine Forum, emphasized that confronting the Zionist project cannot be achieved without building a comprehensive system of national awareness—one that begins with education and extends to political, cultural, and social action. He stated, “No idea can stand up to another unless it is rooted in the collective consciousness—and that can only happen by integrating the Palestinian narrative into school and university curricula.”
Al-Masri added that rebuilding and reinforcing Palestinian awareness in the minds of future generations is the first line of defense in the struggle for existence. He stressed that Palestine cannot be preserved through slogans, but through minds deeply rooted in identity, history, and dignity. He also pointed out that Zionist narratives continue to permeate the curricula of many countries—including some in the Arab world—while the Palestinian narrative remains largely absent. He called for the adoption of a national program to revive Palestinian liberation thought, as part of a broader plan to rebuild the institutions of the PLO and strengthen its role in the struggle for awareness and sovereignty.
Mohammad Al-Shalaldeh: Zionism Is a Form of Racism, and We Must Reinstate Resolution 3379
For his part, Mohammad Al-Shalaldeh, professor of international law and former Palestinian Minister of Justice, addressed the legal dimension of confronting Zionist ideology. He emphasized that international law still offers tools that can be effectively used in this struggle.
He referred to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379, passed in 1975, which classified Zionism as a form of racism and racial discrimination. He stated, “Although this resolution was revoked in 1991, it remains an important moral and legal reference, and efforts should be made to reinstate it or, at the very least, to utilize its contents in international forums.” He also emphasized that the legal confrontation with the Israeli occupation must include activating all judicial and human rights mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, Human Rights Councils, and the United Nations’ treaty-based mechanisms. He also stressed the importance of supporting civil society organizations in documenting the Israeli violations and the importance of collaborating with international partners.
Salah Hudailia: Zionism Is an Idea Planted by Imperialist Power and Nurtured by Global Capitalism
In a profound intellectual analysis, Dr. Salah Hudailia, a lecturer at Al-Quds University, argued that Zionism is not merely a religious or national idea, but rather a comprehensive colonial construct designed to align with imperialist interests in the region.
He stated, “Zionism is not a name or a flag, but an idea planted by colonialism and nourished by Western money, until it grew and flourished at the expense of Palestinian land and people.” Pointing out that this project would not have succeeded without the deep alliance between global capitalism and the Western military establishment, which nurtured Israel as a colonial tool at the heart of the Arab world.
Hudailia called for dismantling this colonial intellectual structure and confronting it with a Palestinian liberation ideology based on an understanding of reality, a connection to history, and rooting our right as Palestinians in global consciousness. He emphasized that the real battle today is “a battle of awareness and identity, no less critical than the battle for land.”
Deputy Talab al-Sani’ stated that the establishment of Israel is our Nakba, which took place in 1948. He explained that Israel has prevented “the return marches” to the displaced occupied villages, which stand as witnesses to the crime and the Nakba. He further emphasized that it remains the greatest catastrophe in modern history, with 60% of Palestinians being displaced and 531 cities and villages destroyed.
Al-Sani’ added that the 150,000 Palestinians who held on to their land inside the 1948 occupied Palestinian Territories have grown to a population of 1.2 million today. He stressed that the struggle is over the narrative and the history, and that so-called State of Israel is a continuation of the Zionist project and part of the effort to reshape the Middle East.
President of Al-Quds University, Dr. Hanna Abd Al-Nour, stated that this symposium marks the beginning of a series of events in preparation for the recognition of the State of Palestine by a group of Western countries. He added that shaping the Palestinian thought to counter Zionist ideology is a major undertaking that requires tremendous effort, and affirmed that Al-Quds University is committed to this project as part of the broader goal of achieving Palestinian liberation and freedom from brutal Israeli occupation.
Abd Al-Nour noted that the experiences of prominent Palestinian national figures, who played various roles in amplifying the voice of Palestinian justice, serve as a foundation for moving forward with establishing a Palestinian Thought Center at Al-Quds University.
Ambassador Ziad Al-Majali, the first Jordanian ambassador to Palestine
In his remarks, former Jordanian ambassador to Palestine, Ziad Al-Majali, emphasized the importance of the points raised—particularly the need for early awareness through educational curricula that help the younger generation understand their reality, future, and the foundations of the conflict. He stressed that the new generation must know their rights, and that historical narrative is critically important. He added that the speakers had reached an important conclusion: the conflict is not a religious one, and Judaism is a religion—not a political movement. He emphasized the importance of not mixing Islam with political practice, as Islam is pure and sacred, while politics, at times, requires maneuvering in the language of interests—especially in a shifting world that often does not recognize the principle of justice.
He stated that Jordan will present a legal argument before the International Court of Justice, noting that advisory opinions, when accumulated, help build a broader framework of legal and conceptual principles. He stressed the importance of engaging with these issues, pointing out that today, anyone with a mobile phone is essentially a news agency—capable of reaching the world and influencing public opinion in the UK, the U.S., and even within the so-called State of Israel. He noted that there are Jewish voices who are fed up with Zionist actions and believe that Israel’s current behavior is not in its own best interest. He stressed the importance of establishing an international Arab-Palestinian forum, emphasizing that it is essential to ensure that the positive shifts—unfortunately brought about by the bloodshed in Gaza—are not in vain. He underscored the need to build on these developments and use them to reshape the mindset of the younger generation. He emphasized that the time has come for the Arab world to strengthen internal relations and overcome division. He noted that enhancing Arab unity directly supports the Palestinian cause, and stressed that Jordan has always advocated for closer ties among Arab nations.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
The symposium concluded with the need to formulate a comprehensive Palestinian vision for the intellectual, legal, and political confrontation with the Zionist project. This includes the development of curricula, supporting academic research, and expanding cultural and legal alliances at the international level. It also called for building a national awareness strategy that starts in schools and extends to the digital and media spaces, in order to restore the Palestinian narrative as an opposing force to the colonial settler ideology.
