Anarchist/capitalist/nationalist “cooperation” at Bil’in
I’ve written before about protests against the Separation Wall Israel is building at Bil’in in the West Bank. Ilan Shalif of Anarchists Against the Wall offers a perspective on West Bank organizing not ordinarily presented. An excerpt:
Over the past two days, we held an international conference in Bil’in about and in solidarity with the struggle against the fence. It was organized by the Bil’in joint project of struggle against the fence, which for the last 12 months has been carried on by the local popular committee together with the Anarchist Against The Wall initiative. The ruling Fatah leadership has not promoted popular non-violent direct action and struggle against the fence, even with the upsurge in it since Israeli anarchists became involved. They had many obvious reasons for not doing so. However, little by little, they have got involved in it, even to the extent of trying to co-opt it. Indeed, just before the shift of power within the Palestinian capitalist elite, several dignitaries participated in certain ways, for example by joining in some of the weekly Friday demonstrations.The efforts of the Palestinian elite to profit from the popular struggle against the separation fence in general, and more so in Bil’in, have gradually been mounting. They have sent dignitaries to the large demonstrations and once even held a session of their “government” in Bil’in, even though it was not their initiative and in spite of the well-known fact that it is a joint project by local committees and Israeli anarchists. In one case, a high ranking official went so far as to issue a formal letter of support to the AATW… and surprise surprise, even the local Hamas people and their regional leadership failed to keep their distance and joined in the Friday demos.
