Mary King, "A Quiet Revolution"

"The Palestinians in the first intifada had shown sophistication in appreciating that the best way to equalize the power relationship with Israel was through small institutions, employing the theories of nonviolent struggle with their potential for improving the odds for negotiation and reconciliation, and by open use of information to explain their new thinking."

"A Quiet Revolution" is a detailed and historical account of Palestinians and the first Intifada, or "shaking off," of Israeli occupation. Although the Intifada was sparked by the death of four Palestinians at an Israeli checkpoint, its roots run deep into the history of the evolution of Palestinian struggle. King describes the first Intifada as marked by largely nonviolent and organized resistance on a mass scale, which was made possible through the prolonged efforts of intellectuals, women, students, prisoners, and work committees. King also provides an historical background including precedents of Palestinian nonviolent sanctions during the 1920s and 30s, which were seen as ineffective at the time and became eclipsed by the use of violence to affect British and Zionist policies in the region. As is the case with much of accepted history, demarcated by periods of violent conflict ending with victors and losers, the Intifada has been widely misrepresented by popular accounts. Although the strength of the nonviolent struggle of the first Intifada, which manifested in hunger strikes, tax resistance, and strikes among other tactics, could not be sustained due to its leaders being imprisoned, deported, or killed, and the fact that nonviolent actions were not well understood by many as an organizational tactic, the effects of the intifada were far reaching. It spawned a means for reaching peace for Palestinians and Israelis through civil organization and compromise rather than military mobilization.

Links:
Intifada Information



Citation Information:
King, M. (2007). A quiet revolution: The first Palestinian Intifada and nonviolent resistance. New York: Nation Books.