Photo by Ahmed Abu Hameeda on Unsplash In the long history of Palestine, there was a time when the resistance was not shaped by guns but by pens, ideas, and voices. Some poets, writers, diplomats, and intellectuals gave the Palestinian struggle for freedom its cultural strength and political vision. They wrote words so that the whole world could feel the pain of a Palestinian and understand what it is like to be in an occupied land. In the 1970s, Israel systematically targeted and assassinated several of these intellectuals. The aim was to silence the brains of resistance and leave the movement without its most powerful voices. Five of the most prominent among them were Wael Zwaiter, Ghassan Kanafani, Kamal Nasser, Ezzedine Kalak, and Naim Khader. Each was killed far from the land they belonged to, yet each left a legacy that no bullet or bomb could erase. Let’s talk about these freedom fighters. 1. Ghassan Kanafani — Ghassan Kanafani via Palestine Po...
"Religion creates a false consciousness for the proletariat. It distorts the proletariat's view of reality, so they do not realise their true exploitation." - Karl Marx. Introduction Throughout history, religion has inspired cultures and societies. It has significantly influenced art, medicine, and architecture. While religion is a deeply personal and cultural element of society, its role in politics motivates political decisions and policies, which eventually leads to division, inequality, and authoritarianism. The ruling classes use religion's influence in state affairs to divert attention from the exploitation of the people and impede the fight for justice and equality. T he negative impacts of intertwining religion with governance are seen around the world. Here are some examples of religious interference in countries like India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, Turkey, Afghanistan, and the United States. Religious governance i...