By Zaakir Ahmed Mayet

It is often easy to be absorbed by the plebeian geopolitics, the sectarian divides plaguing Syria or the outward lack of unity among various resistance movements within the Middle East and North Africa. On the face of it, the situation is particularly bleak. However, the factors often missed in these calculations are twofold, the first being the pendulum effect and the second the phoenix effect; both of which dictate a positive change from a weaker position.

The growing solidarity movement has commemorated the 68th year of the Nakba, also known as The Catastrophe. This event saw the forceful displacement of the indigenous Palestinian people in favor of a Zionist Apartheid state founded on the principles of dispossession, colonialism and violence. It is thus unsurprising that the colonialist outpost’s behavior has been characterized by brutish and barbaric actions during its existence.

However, the global population has unmasked the state as one which cannot function within the fabric of ‘normal’ society. It has become increasingly difficult to protect and defend the outlandish actions of Israel, be it the continued starvation (in the broadest terms) of the Palestinian people, the occupation in contravention of international law or the continued development of colonies on stolen Palestinian land.

The dire state of affairs for Israel is further compounded by their diminishing capacity to influence political decisions on an international level such as the P5 + 1 negotiations with Iran. The net result is the defusing of a regional if not global war in favor of a deal favoring the Iranian state albeit begrudgingly so. This failure to influence political decisions has marked the catastrophic failure of the Zionist lobby and has signified its isolation on the global arena.

The Zionist colonial state was established on the principles of deterrence capacity and terror. This doctrine referred to by Ariel Sharon was the cornerstone of Israeli militarism. This doctrine has since failed as was seen in 2006 when Israel faced defeat at the hands of the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah. Israel has failed to secure a military victory since the fateful 2006 war.

The resistance of Palestinians in 2008, 2012 and 2014 respectively, signified the unthinkable but ever emerging reality that Israel has lost its deterrence capacity, not only in the political arena but on the ground as well. It has effectively become a policing military only capable of maintaining an untenable occupation but failing to secure any military victories.

This is the assessment of ideologues such as Munir Shafiq and many others. On a global scale the Israel colonial regime has lashed out at the Boycott Divestment and Sanction (BDS) campaign in the hope of trying to impose an embargo on the choice of the people, asking states to transgress the precepts of democracy, a rule by the people for the people. It is this affront that Israel fails to grasp in its condemnation of the BDS campaign that continues to place the state outside the proverbial house of ‘democracy’. This locates it squarely in the realms of colonialism.

Despite having a paid and funded social media presence, the collapse of their strategies signified a growing consciousness among social media consumers, of the plight of the Palestinian people. The lack of depth in hasbara has debunked much of the propaganda and the failure of campaigns such as “ask Netanyahu” which has exposed juvenile errors and the bankruptcy of the Israeli argument bank. The nett effect is a weak and failing state which is only being held together by the regional instability.

Two conferences, the Al Quds Conference & Tawasool 2, were held in the capital of the Islamic Revolution, Tehran, and in Istanbul respectively. They marked a momentous turn of events which not only brought together a plethora of thinkers, activists and non-governmental organizations, but also resulted in a unique discourse that had been silenced for a prolonged period of time. It is a discourse of unity and a single vision. There is a universal acknowledgement of Israel as a vestige of colonialism; a grotesque artifact of a dark past to be relegated to the annals of history along with slavery and conquest. The world’s lexicon has progressed to the challenging of colonialism which is the structure of power as opposed to the physical vestiges of colonialism.

Israel is a current example of a bygone era unpalatable to the global collective consciousness. It is the united vision which exposes Israel not only as an apartheid state but also as a colonial one that resonates across many factions and organizations. It is this unity that marks a turning point in the struggle against the Zionist occupation. This common vision and its dimensions marks the first tangible signs of the deconstruction of Israeli occupation and colonialism.

It is often stated that the dawn comes after the darkest night. Indeed the commemoration of 68 years of Nakba is the darkness, but this common united vision is the symbolic dawn.

– Zaakir Ahmed Mayet is the current Chairman of the Media Review Network. With a passion for Middle Eastern politics and military sciences, he has provided analysis across numerous media, and has been published by various online and print publications including The Thinker Magazine, Palestine Chronicle, Eurasia Review, Press TV and the Middle East Monitor. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Wits University. He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.