The Socialist Party has often faced criticism from liberals and the left for our reluctance to support Palestinan nationalism and the creation of a Palestinian state. Our opposition to the idea of a “Palestinian nation” is because a Palestinian state would be a capitalist state. Instead, the World Socialist Movement offers a “no-state” solution as the only one that can ever give the region lasting peace.
With the establishment of recognised "self-rule" in Palestine many hoped that things would be for the better. Yet the first thing that Palestinian leaders did was to establish a standing police force and army, not only for the purpose of defending their border, but as a force to preserve the local Palestinian elite against potential class conflict. The war against Israel provides an ideal opportunity and excuse to suppress democratic rights to maintain their position as the ruling class.
According to the Washington Post, albeit not the most unbiased source, in recent months, Hamas has cracked down on dissidents, women and online activists. It has arrested journalists, banned a social media conference and jailed several bloggers. Hamas has many modern apparatuses to censor the Internet and telephone systems. Under Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank mirrors Hamas’s authoritarianism. Slander of high-ranking officials, including the president, is illegal and punishable by up to two years in prison.
A university lecturer and single mother of two, Ismat Abdul-Khaleq, was arrested in the West Bank for criticizing Abbas on Facebook where she advocated dismantling the Palestinian Authority and called Abbas a “fascist.”
George Canawati, director of Radio Bethlehem 2000 , was arrested in September over a Facebook post that criticized Bethlehem’s health department.
Mamdouh Hamamreh, an employee of al-Quds TV, was detained last fall and charged with libel and slander against Abbas for allegedly posting on Facebook a picture of Abbas standing next to a photo of an actor who plays a traitor on a Syrian soap opera.
Journalist Rami Samara was held in February after criticizing Palestinian leaders on Facebook.
Tarek Khamis, was arrested by Palestinian forces after he posted criticism on Facebook of the recent Palestinian Authority crackdown.
Palestinian journalist Youssef al-Shayeb was jailed last month on allegations of defaming public officials after he reported on corruption among Palestinian diplomats.
“This is a totalitarian regime” Palestinian journalist Adel Samara wrote in an online forum. “What would happen when we fulfill our dream of having our own state? We will all be sitting with al-Shayeb” in prison."
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