NOVANEWS
I had mixed feelings when I learned that Palestine has erected a statue of
Nelson Mandela, the iconic South African anti-Apartheid leader. On the one hand,
I was quite pleased that the unmistakable connection between the struggles of
Palestinians and South Africans is cemented more than ever before. On the other
hand, I dreaded that rich, corrupt Palestinians in Ramallah are utilizing the
image of Mandela to acquire badly-needed political capital.
The six-meter bronze statue now stands in its own Nelson
Mandela Square in Al-Tireh neighborhood in Ramallah, where the Palestinian
Authority headquarters are based. The PA is known for its endemic political
and financial corruption. In some ways, its survival is both essential for
the richest Palestinian class and also for the Israeli military Occupation.
Thus, it was quite disheartening to witness the travesty of political theater
where the likes of PA President, Mahmoud Abbas, who rules with a long-expired mandate, unveiling the statue in a ceremony attended by his ministers and foreign diplomats.
