Knowledge as a tool for liberation: Three articles faithful to the Palestinian narrative

Knowledge as a tool for liberation: Economy and culture as violent colonialist tools project aimed to conduct an investigation of Israeli occupation to produce thoroughly examined information and knowledge faithful to the local Palestinian narrative.  Their investigation resulted in the publication of three articles that are available in English and Arabic on their website, Grassroots Al-Quds . Below are quotes from each article with a link to access the full text in English. 

Article 1: “Silicon Wadi”:How the Scheme to Take Over Jerusalem is Being Realized

“In Jerusalem, renovation plans are considered part of the “advancement” process lead by Israeli authorities. And in this case, the “advancement” takes no consideration to the needs of society. Instead, the process seeks the physical and urban displacement of Palestinians, or their “integration”. This project, in direct accordance with Zionist schemes, aims to lock a colonial belt around the city center and evacuate districts inside Jerusalem in order to establish colonial outposts in various forms, at the expense of Jerusalemites – all in aims of creating an urban space that, with its naturally constantly expanding lively center, ensures their exile further away”

Article 2: Policies on Settler Invasions of Al-Aqsa

“The role played by the occupation authorities exceeds that of only providing security and protection” to the settler groups, as the occupation state seeks to utilize their invasions to implement its ultimate policy of having total and actual control of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and imposing a most dangerous Zionist-Jewish identity that fuses Jewish beliefs with secular liberal ideologies; the end product is the contextualization of Jewish settler invasions into the concept of worship rights and religious freedom. The narrative has come as far as  the invaders considering themselves a vulnerable minority, and as victims who have been deprived of their right to practice their religious rituals.”

Article 3: Jerusalem’s Cultural Resilience against Israeli Efforts at Erasure

“With the early 2000s, the Israeli occupation authorities stepped up their closures of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, shutting down nine organizations between 2001 and 2002, including the Arab Studies Society. In 2009, 28 organizations were shut down in the city, including Orient House, whose activity, and that of other Palestinian institutions in the city, was barred through a law adopted by the Israeli Knesset in the wake of the Oslo agreements.1 Among the other institutions that were shut down that same year was a social and women’s affairs ministry directorate, the housing council, education directorate and Nidal center for community development”

Learn more about Grassroots Al-Quds and explore their resources here