The courageous Syrian uprising enters its third month, still strong and continuing. Demonstrators took to the streets in the majority of the Syrian cities and towns on the fourth friday – the Hara’er friday – to express tribute to the four women who had been killed in Banyas, to the hundreds of mothers bereft of their killed sons, and the arrested women in the wounded Dara’a, to Damascus, Homs, Hama, Idlib, Dair az- Zor, Al- Raqqa, Al- bu- kamal- Al- Qamishli, Amuda and others. [Hara’er means free contrary to enslaved women.] This Friday witnessed the falling of six martyrs in Homs and Dara’a. This limited number of martyrs, in spite of the sacredness of Syrian blood, and in comparison with the previous weeks, can be considered a step ahead if the regime decided to drop the … [read more]

Editorial note: We believe that it is not necessary to juxtapose revolution and the call for democratic reforms and dialogue. Given the limitations of the movement described by the author and the tremendous repression it is important at least for the current period to put forward by peaceful means the demand to end the one party rule and for a constituent assembly. Asking for negotiations, dialogue and debate also with the regime is a necessary attempt to counter the repression as there are no other means at hand. It can be a step for the movement to consolidate gaining more support. Moreover it is a response to the regime’s claim to hold up the banner of anti-imperialism. The people’s movement or at least its revolutionary wing can pose the question: how can you fight imperialism … [read more]

What is the impact of the Arab rebellion on the Palestinian movement within Israel? It is a great push and gives spirit and hope to the movement. It is a powerful inspiration which is already helping the resistance to grow. Furthermore it will strengthen the more determined, more radical forces whether secular or Islamic. What do you think about the reconciliation Hamas-Fatah? Some effects are positive, but not all. First Israel cannot continue to punish the resistance in co-operation with a Palestinian organisation in the same way as before. Second: Israel said not to negotiate with terrorists meaning Hamas. As Fatah is now in co-operation with Hamas, Israel already announced to stop talking to Fatah as well. Shimon Perez called the situation very sad. For the resistance this … [read more]

As revolutionaries we need to think big. If we do not want to invest politically, if we shy away from necessary risks, we are doomed to lose. Right now we are witnesses to the crumbling of the imperialist architecture of the Arab world, one of the most neuralgic points of the global order. In general and especially now we need to be definitely more audacious than the imperialist elites, not less, not just clinging to hollow gains of the past. In this context we cannot bind the faith of the revolutionary anti-imperialist struggle to figures like Assad let alone Qaddhafi who only defends his own interest. The Egyptian people have brought down the most important western puppet dictator of the region. Certainly his regime remains in place, but it is at least shaken and definitely cannot do … [read more]