(Image Source: Rafah Today)

BY ERIK SHUTE

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For the past week, representatives of the Popular Palestinian Committees have been urging West Bank residents to bury their dead. Why? So they can recruit the corpses in their fight for the West Bank.  Iran’s PressTV explains.

“In the face of a fierce assault on their lands, Palestinians have devised a new tactic against Israeli settlers and the occupation. Called the intifada of graves, it entails burying the dead on private land or other Palestinian land that is likely to be confiscated by Israeli settlers or the Israeli army. If anything, the move sends a clear and strong message out to the world that the resistance against the occupation will go on.”

Translation?  Bury your dead on land, before it’s annexed -- and it’s yours.  The grassroots initiative believes eventually it will be impossible for Israelis to take parts of the West Bank unless they plan to destroy sacred ground.  Azmi Al-Shyukhi shares the details with The Jerusalem Post.

“All heavenly religions forbid the destruction of graves, so we believe no one will harm these graves.  We seek any means to protect our lands from the monster of settlements… even use of bodies is legitimate to protect us from settlement expansion."

The settlement he refers to is an abandoned effort by the US to convince Israel to partially freeze settlement construction on occupied Palestinian territories.  Israel has a clear response -- if Palestine continues, it will dig its own grave.

“The Intifada of Graves has been called a land grab by some Israeli politicians, including the head of the Yesha Council, Danny Dayan. He called on the Israeli government to take action against this ‘alarming phenomenon,’ and to ‘take care of the interests of the entire nation.’” (Haaretz)

The movement believes these 6 feet-under fighters are a part of a non-violent political activism.  The Australian reports the idea will spread from past, to present and future graves.

“In addition to fresh burials, according to Israel Army Radio, the Palestinian organisation, an advocate of non-violent political activity, has also proposed reburials to these new cemeteries.”

Aryeh Eldad of the Israeli Right Wing National Party isn’t worried.  He says this tactic is as old as the graves itself.

"Recruiting the dead to fight for the land of Israel has existed for years... Not only graves but also houses, trees and livestock are fully utilized to argue ownership over land." (Jerusalem Post)

So what do you think?  Are these the well-earned last rites for the dead, or is Palestine off course on its latest policy?
 

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