Palestine alone is not the compass; Palestine's armed resistance is.
Where you stand on the resistance reveals the depth of your humanity. So raise the standard, and normalize the inalienable right of Palestinians to resist by any means necessary.
Where you stand on the resistance reveals the depth of your humanity. So raise the standard, and normalize the inalienable right of Palestinians to resist by any means necessary.
"Why do we go to War?" is a translation of one of martyr Basil Al-Araj's most meaningful posthumously published essays.
"We remember Basil. Basil would look around with a humble nod to acknowledge those who gathered, but when he spoke, the uncontestable truth in his words bellowed loudly and captured the gaze of all. He gave our broken hearts courage as we watched the calamity of Ramallah's USAID and normalization enclave consume and manipulate our people. The cowardly Palestinian Authority could not debate with Basil. All they could do was try to silence him. And even in that, they failed.
"Basil keeps Palestine in front of our eyes and continues to tear down the deceptive enemies. He was not reactionary, but was a good teacher who laid out the context for us to arrive at the only conclusion a people under occupation should reach: liberation is in the path of truth. There is no room for deception when walls and checkpoints suffocate.
"His words live here and everywhere, and for us who shared tea with him and released deep sighs under the clouds of occupation, his words live in our lonely footsteps in exile as a lesson and practice to uphold. However uncomfortable and contrary to the institutions of power, we must speak out. He was willing to die to liberate land and minds.
"The Palestinian Authority of normalization hunted Basil and played a significant role in coordinating with the enemy to silence Basil. They hated how Basil taught resistance.
"Basil ascended to martyrdom in a multi-hour firefight by zionist gunfire in Qaddoura Refugee Camp, not far from Ramallah's city center where traitors were hung in days gone. Now, it is the traitors leading the executions of revolutionaries and in return they get rewarded a Congress aid package as a bounty."
"We remember Basil. Basil would look around with a humble nod to acknowledge those who gathered, but when he spoke, the uncontestable truth in his words bellowed loudly and captured the gaze of all. He gave our broken hearts courage as we watched the calamity of Ramallah's USAID and normalization enclave consume and manipulate our people. The cowardly Palestinian Authority could not debate with Basil. All they could do was try to silence him. And even in that, they failed.
"Basil keeps Palestine in front of our eyes and continues to tear down the deceptive enemies. He was not reactionary, but was a good teacher who laid out the context for us to arrive at the only conclusion a people under occupation should reach: liberation is in the path of truth. There is no room for deception when walls and checkpoints suffocate.
"His words live here and everywhere, and for us who shared tea with him and released deep sighs under the clouds of occupation, his words live in our lonely footsteps in exile as a lesson and practice to uphold. However uncomfortable and contrary to the institutions of power, we must speak out. He was willing to die to liberate land and minds.
"The Palestinian Authority of normalization hunted Basil and played a significant role in coordinating with the enemy to silence Basil. They hated how Basil taught resistance.
"Basil ascended to martyrdom in a multi-hour firefight by zionist gunfire in Qaddoura Refugee Camp, not far from Ramallah's city center where traitors were hung in days gone. Now, it is the traitors leading the executions of revolutionaries and in return they get rewarded a Congress aid package as a bounty."
WhyDoWeGoToWar.pdf
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"By Basil's side lay his famous glasses, his kuffiyeh, and his writings, including his will. His writings were compiled into a book, “I Have Found My Answers,” (a line from his will), published posthumously."
In this essay, Basil asks his unidentified dear friend, “Why do we go to war?” Weaving history, physics, philosophy, film, and mythology together, he arrives at an answer: romanticism.
Read it here, for the first time in English: archive and attached.
Listen to it here, in Arabic.
In this essay, Basil asks his unidentified dear friend, “Why do we go to war?” Weaving history, physics, philosophy, film, and mythology together, he arrives at an answer: romanticism.
Read it here, for the first time in English: archive and attached.
Listen to it here, in Arabic.
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Via Al-Mayadeen English:
—
Bassel Al-Araj, a Palestinian activist, was known as the engaged intellectual. He dedicated himself to studying Palestinian history, especially that of the Palestinian resistance, sharing detailed experiences of revolutionaries as he set the Resistance as his main focus throughout his life.
Bassel led popular field trips titled “Tours in the History of the Resistance” in occupied Palestine. During these tours, he discussed Zionist settlements and their connection to Palestinian resistance.
Today, we recall some of those tours in al-Araj’s voice to learn more about the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
—
Bassel Al-Araj, a Palestinian activist, was known as the engaged intellectual. He dedicated himself to studying Palestinian history, especially that of the Palestinian resistance, sharing detailed experiences of revolutionaries as he set the Resistance as his main focus throughout his life.
Bassel led popular field trips titled “Tours in the History of the Resistance” in occupied Palestine. During these tours, he discussed Zionist settlements and their connection to Palestinian resistance.
Today, we recall some of those tours in al-Araj’s voice to learn more about the Palestinian struggle for freedom.
Following Basil’s assassination, Palestinians throughout Palestine, Lebanon and beyond — including here in NYC — took to the streets to condemn the occupation and the PA’s complicity in his death. In Ramallah, where hundreds Palestinians gathered in protest, PA security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd, injuring eleven people, including Basil’s father (pictured here saluting his son at his funeral).
A prolific writer and “engaged intellectual,” Basil’s legacy continues to live on through his words and his example of resistance. He continues to inspire Palestinians and all those struggling for Palestinian liberation around the world. #HonorOurMartyrs
(Part 2/2)
A prolific writer and “engaged intellectual,” Basil’s legacy continues to live on through his words and his example of resistance. He continues to inspire Palestinians and all those struggling for Palestinian liberation around the world. #HonorOurMartyrs
(Part 2/2)
You asked us, Basil, "Is my voice loud and clear?"
Today, the voice of the free and resistant is as clear as ever.
We heeded your words, Basil, and immortalized them in our national consciousness. Ultimately, although the martyrs' words are nearly sacred to us, they are simply words. You—the writer, the fugitive, the prisoner, the fighter, and the martyr—you reminded us, Basil, to search. You taught us, to search, as you did, "for the truth and the missing faces," to search until we, too, have found our answers.
You reminded us that our martyrs "must always remain present in our minds, in our hearts, in our will, in our consciousness in our thoughts, in our culture, in our literature, and in our discourse." You are our guide, Basil, but we are the ones who must draw the path. "Why should I answer for you?," you asked us. "You should search."
How should we search? How can we search, as you did, to find our answers? How do we remain on a path that does not stray from, O valiant one, as was written on a rocket in your name that struck "Tel Aviv" in May 2021? During your brief time with us, you taught us the importance of standing against betrayal and for resistance, against idling and towards turning words into actions, your personal ethos and conviction. Words alone are useless; they must manifest into action.
You saw the continuous benefit of resistance after life, understanding that the resistance of our ancestors is why we exist today and why the resistance of today will liberate our homeland. You saw the Authority as participating in our annihilation, and you saw "peace" as annihilation. As the traitorous Authority imprisoned you, you told us, "[We are] required to choose: battle and humiliation. And far from us is humiliation."
You placed Palestine in front of our eyes, reminding us that she is the one that will give us the answers that we are searching for.
Today, the voice of the free and resistant is as clear as ever.
We heeded your words, Basil, and immortalized them in our national consciousness. Ultimately, although the martyrs' words are nearly sacred to us, they are simply words. You—the writer, the fugitive, the prisoner, the fighter, and the martyr—you reminded us, Basil, to search. You taught us, to search, as you did, "for the truth and the missing faces," to search until we, too, have found our answers.
You reminded us that our martyrs "must always remain present in our minds, in our hearts, in our will, in our consciousness in our thoughts, in our culture, in our literature, and in our discourse." You are our guide, Basil, but we are the ones who must draw the path. "Why should I answer for you?," you asked us. "You should search."
How should we search? How can we search, as you did, to find our answers? How do we remain on a path that does not stray from, O valiant one, as was written on a rocket in your name that struck "Tel Aviv" in May 2021? During your brief time with us, you taught us the importance of standing against betrayal and for resistance, against idling and towards turning words into actions, your personal ethos and conviction. Words alone are useless; they must manifest into action.
You saw the continuous benefit of resistance after life, understanding that the resistance of our ancestors is why we exist today and why the resistance of today will liberate our homeland. You saw the Authority as participating in our annihilation, and you saw "peace" as annihilation. As the traitorous Authority imprisoned you, you told us, "[We are] required to choose: battle and humiliation. And far from us is humiliation."
You placed Palestine in front of our eyes, reminding us that she is the one that will give us the answers that we are searching for.
"Palestine is the most beautiful in my opinion, not with its greeness, blueness, yellowness, redness, crops, goodness, and nature. Her beauty is that she is the one who gave me my answer in the search for meaning, and she is the one who answered my existential questions and gives me the justification for my existence and addresses my constant anxiety."
To our readers, it is difficult to express in a few words the impact of the revolutionary intellectual Basil Al-Araj, who was tortured by the PA until his heart stopped three times. When they could not subdue him, they transferred him to the zionist enemy. Basil ascended to martyrdom gloriously months later in a multi-hour point-blank firefight with the IOF. Anti-tank missiles and 22 bullets struck him in his final moments. By his side lay his blood-stained glasses, kuffiyeh, Carlo, and his writings.
Let his writings speak to you. We encourage you to read the few of his texts that have been translated into English to get a sense of this hero who never compromised and whose vision is immortalized by his words and deeds.
His mother said, "One must live honorably and die honorably."
His father, pictured above, gave Basil a military salute before his burial.
"Do not reconcile." A demand and a moral code; it is written on his gravestone.
To our readers, it is difficult to express in a few words the impact of the revolutionary intellectual Basil Al-Araj, who was tortured by the PA until his heart stopped three times. When they could not subdue him, they transferred him to the zionist enemy. Basil ascended to martyrdom gloriously months later in a multi-hour point-blank firefight with the IOF. Anti-tank missiles and 22 bullets struck him in his final moments. By his side lay his blood-stained glasses, kuffiyeh, Carlo, and his writings.
Let his writings speak to you. We encourage you to read the few of his texts that have been translated into English to get a sense of this hero who never compromised and whose vision is immortalized by his words and deeds.
His mother said, "One must live honorably and die honorably."
His father, pictured above, gave Basil a military salute before his burial.
"Do not reconcile." A demand and a moral code; it is written on his gravestone.
You may learn more about the "revolutionary intellectual" martyr Basil Al-Araj here:
• Read: RNN's feature on Basil Al-Araj (Part one and two).
• Read: RNN feature on Basil Al-Araj, 2024
• Read: Basil's ground war advice.
• Watch: Nablus residents on the anniversary of Basil's martyrdom.
• Watch: Basil on "liberating your mind before the land.
• Watch: Oslo was a mistake.
• Watch: Basil's father on his legacy.
• Poster: Glory to the educated and resistant rifle!
• Poster: Resistance is a continuous benefit.
• Poster: They [PA] give us corruption. We give them revolution! (2)
• Poster: Our duty is not only to take revenge.
• Poster: The moral standard for any human.
• Read: Basil quotes (1,2)
External links:
• Listen: The Resistance Report - Al-Araj's Echo (Released January 4th, 2024)
• Read: On the PA, dismantle it and let them fall. (By Basil Al-Araj)
• Read: Why Do We Go to War? by Basil Al-Araj (archived here); (By Basil Al-Araj)
• Watch: Basil Al-Araj on the Alley of Death operation (in Arabic)
• Read: Book review of Basil's works;
• Read: Samidoun Network commemorates Basil.
• Read: [In Arabic; by Basil Al-Araj] Outlawing the law and entering the revolution
“Not a day has passed without an act of resistance; not a single day! The rate of resistance ebbs and flows, but always remains above the the zero line. Not once did it disappear, not for a single day in our history.”
• Read: RNN's feature on Basil Al-Araj (Part one and two).
• Read: RNN feature on Basil Al-Araj, 2024
• Read: Basil's ground war advice.
• Watch: Nablus residents on the anniversary of Basil's martyrdom.
• Watch: Basil on "liberating your mind before the land.
• Watch: Oslo was a mistake.
• Watch: Basil's father on his legacy.
• Poster: Glory to the educated and resistant rifle!
• Poster: Resistance is a continuous benefit.
• Poster: They [PA] give us corruption. We give them revolution! (2)
• Poster: Our duty is not only to take revenge.
• Poster: The moral standard for any human.
• Read: Basil quotes (1,2)
External links:
• Listen: The Resistance Report - Al-Araj's Echo (Released January 4th, 2024)
• Read: On the PA, dismantle it and let them fall. (By Basil Al-Araj)
• Read: Why Do We Go to War? by Basil Al-Araj (archived here); (By Basil Al-Araj)
• Watch: Basil Al-Araj on the Alley of Death operation (in Arabic)
• Read: Book review of Basil's works;
• Read: Samidoun Network commemorates Basil.
• Read: [In Arabic; by Basil Al-Araj] Outlawing the law and entering the revolution
“Not a day has passed without an act of resistance; not a single day! The rate of resistance ebbs and flows, but always remains above the the zero line. Not once did it disappear, not for a single day in our history.”
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🚨 Fierce armed clashes are continuing between resistance fighters and zionist forces in #Tubas as the invasion enters its third hour.
Resistance fighters detonated a high-powered explosive device in an IOF vehicle, and several factions are in the field. IOF ambulances were spotted in the city.
Meanwhile, the IOF has assaulted and abducted at least 4 residents. The occupation forces also detained an ambulance and are preventing it from reaching the wounded in nearby Tammoun.
Resistance fighters detonated a high-powered explosive device in an IOF vehicle, and several factions are in the field. IOF ambulances were spotted in the city.
Meanwhile, the IOF has assaulted and abducted at least 4 residents. The occupation forces also detained an ambulance and are preventing it from reaching the wounded in nearby Tammoun.