Saturday, April 27th, dozens gathered at the Masjid-ar-Rahman in Coatesville, Pennsylvania to attend a book signing event with Richard Becker, author of Palestine, Israel, and the US Empire. On the second half of a nationwide book tour, Becker spoke about the violent history of Zionist colonialism of Palestine and the awe-inspiring Palestinian resistance.
Following the afternoon prayer and a gracious introduction by Imam Mohammed, Becker began his talk by outlining the course of events which led to the development of political Zionism in 19th century Europe. From the foundational writings of Theodore Herzl, through the anti-Jewish pogroms of Europe, the Holocaust, and to the unlawful UN resolution establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine, his thorough historical exploration countered the narrative of a “religious conflict” between Muslims and Jews that goes back millennia. Instead, what he articulated was a clear line of European settler colonialism in the same vein which took place in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
The Zionist Europeans who fled anti-Jewish oppression in Europe sought not to rectify the contradictions of anti-Semitism which were and remain irreconcilable in the West (but which were immediately reconciled in the USSR), but instead sought to found a new homeland by expropriating the land of another people. The Palestinians, who had long been under the thumb of colonial oppression, were promised national self-determination by the British, who after WWI had established a colonial “mandate” state in the Palestinian territory. But with West Asia’s immense geostrategic importance, and a rising anti-colonial Arab national movement, the Western powers, which dominated the UN, jumped at the opportunity to create an outpost for imperialism in the region.
Thus, the Zionist state of Israel was illegally established by the UN in 1948, violently displacing more than 750,000 Palestinians in al-Nakba, and setting in motion the modern conflict which has continued to this day. The lessons Becker extracted from this history are paramount to learn and were well received by the community during his talk. The lessons Becker covered included: the brutal tactics used to repress Palestinian resistance, which are are also used in the US; the barbarity of settler-colonialism and the righteousness of resistance; and, of course, the only solution to this conflict that has any hope of long-lasting peace, the creation of one secular state in which all are equal, and no group (be they Jewish or Muslim) is either privileged nor persecuted.
Local organizers with the Liberation Center noted that,
Having Richard there to speak to the community was an amazing opportunity for all of us in Coatesville fighting for a free Palestine. Coatesville, as well as Phoenixville, have in many ways been the center of anti-apartheid and anti-genocide organizing. We have held rallies that received so much support from the people. We have also been advocating that the Coatesville City Council pass a Ceasefire in Gaza Resolution. We want the City to join the more than 130 other US municipalities that have passed similar resolutions. Richard spoke to the importance of the struggle everywhere. Coatesville is not as populous as Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, of course, but Richard highlighted that the fight for a free Palestine needs to happen everywhere. The energy of those in attendance was really high. We are ready to continue the fight!
Following Becker’s talk, the attendees gathered for a delicious meal of West-Asian and North-African dishes prepared by the community and a book signing with the author. Before a Q&A segment with Becker, Dr. Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Philadelphia, spoke about the need for people to speak for themselves, about the necessity of political education, and the right of oppressed nations to self-determination.
Towards those ends, Tekelioglu mentioned the Masjid and the Liberation Center (LC) as important community resources. Chester County’s LC, located in Coatesville, is a hub for community organizing, outreach, and education, and is just one of many such centers in cities across the US.
Chester County organizer Sarah B.H. said after the event,
Palestine, Israel and the US Empire has become a valuable tool in organizing around the Palestinian struggle and informs the work that we can do in Chester County. This event was another opportunity for the community to come together in study, and everyone who attended walked away with new friends. The community building that’s happening around the struggle for Palestinian liberation in Chester County has been incredible and will serve as an invaluable resource as we continue to fight for the liberation of all oppressed peoples, from Coatesville to Palestine.
As encampments go up in college campuses nationwide and protests only continue to mount, the American workers and students prove to the world that they will stand on the right side of history, on the side of justice for the oppressed, and liberation for Palestinians. We will continue to fight until not only is there a free Palestine, but a free world!
