Doha: The first Annual Palestine Forum 2023 began yesterday in Doha with a reverberating call for more commitment to the Palestinian cause and Arab principles on the issue. The Forum, which will run until January 30, is hosted by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and the Institute for Palestine Studies.
More than 60 research papers will be presented in the Forum out of over 300 submitted. The papers will cover workshops to discuss different themes related to Palestine studies, including the history of Palestine, the Palestinian cause, apartheid and settler-colonialism, and Palestine in Arab and international relations, among other topics.
Addressing the opening session, Dr. Tarek Mitri, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Palestine Studies, said the Forum would be essential in supporting and strengthening Palestinian unity. He also acknowledged the relationship between the Arab Centre and the Institute of Palestine Studies, which he said are based on solid pillars; dedication to the Palestinian cause; both Arab institutions emphasise the centrality of the Palestinian cause for all Arabs; and the intellectual independence of both institutions.
Dr. Mitri also highlighted the unified Arab agreement as per the findings of the recently launched Arab Opinion Index to the Palestinian cause. The AOI stated that over 80% of respondents in the survey believe Israel is a threat to Palestine and the Arab world. He also noted the Arab sentiment toward Palestine during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as Arab fans and players hoisted the Palestinian flag.
Meanwhile, Dr. Azmi Bishara, General Director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, during his opening lecture, gave a rallying cry for Arabs to remain persistent in discoursing the Palestinian struggle for justice. He cited that this is more valid now than ever due to the apparent increase in passivity towards the issue and the recent normalisation policies by regional governments.
According to Dr. Bishara, the Forum will provide a space to bridge the gap for Palestinians, researchers and academia worldwide to have a rational and responsible discourse about Palestine, its history, and its struggle. He said Forums like this have become repetitive and may not influence policymaking as leaders won’t take due to their lack of interest in taking action against the occupation.
“Researchers have a duty to respond to misrepresentation, not with escalation and emotive appeals, but through rational, moral discourse that can be addressed to Arabs and Jews, and East and West, and translated into any language,” Dr. Bishara said.
He added that Arabs must “reaffirm the ideas and principles we must continue to uphold because the occupation and settler regime wants us to tire of repeating them.”
He called on rebuilding the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) as a starting point for fixing the Palestinian issue. He stressed it should not proceed from a factional power-sharing formula that immobilises it and reduces it to a mere umbrella organisation.
“Instead, it should be built on national, democratic foundations that consider all factions, parties, and other sectors of Palestinian society,” Dr. Bishara added.
The opening day also saw two interactive sessions covering Settler Colonialism in Palestine; Palestine in International Law, Palestine in International Context; Security in Palestine: Colonial Security Techniques; Palestinian Patterns of Resistance; and Palestine in Academic/Intellectual Discourse.
Two workshops Palestine in Opinion Polls which focused on the changing attitudes of the American public towards the Palestinian question and the effect this change is having on policymaking, and Palestinian Division and Reconciliation Prospects, were also held yesterday.
