0 A History of Palestinian Uprisings through Prison Resistance since 1967 by Grailing Anthonisen Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, Montreal July 2019 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts © Grailing Anthonisen, 2019 1 Abstract This thesis explores how Palestinian prisoners in Israel and across the Middle East organized and mobilized during periods of nationalist revolt since the 1970s. It examines the way prisoners formed internal governing structures and committees that provided order, discipline, and services, like education. With the help of these structures, prisoners raised morale and maintained the unity necessary for collective action. Prisoners participated in collective actions ranging from noncompliance, hunger strikes and refusing to stand for counts to more militant stances, like rioting, and arson. Prisoners themselves created important art works and also came to be symbols of sumud, or steadfastness in the broader culture of Palestinian resistance. The thesis considers the way resistance was a collective and individualized endeavour for Palestinian prisoners and how often the line between the two blurred. And through narrating prisoners’ organization and mobilization, the thesis shows exactly how prisons became nationalist spaces and how these nationalist spaces changed over time. Résumé Cette thèse explore comment les prisonniers palestiniens en Israël et au Moyen-Orient se sont organisés et mobilisés lors des diverses révoltes nationalistes depuis les années 1970s. Elle examine les façons dont les prisonniers ont formé des structures de gouvernance interne et et des comités qui ont maintenu l’ordre et la discipline et ont aussi offert plusieurs services, tel l’éducation. À l'aide de ces structures, les prisonniers ont préservé le moral de leur groupe et maintenu l’unité nécessaire pour entreprendre des actions politiques collectives. Les prisonniers ont pris part à des actions allant de la non-conformité et désobéissance, la grève de la faim et le refus de se lever pour les décomptes, jusqu’aux actions plus militantes comme les émeutes et les incendies. Les prisonniers ont aussi créé des œuvres d’art importantes et sont devenus des symboles de sumud, ou ténacité dans la culture de résistance palestinienne plus généralement. Cette thèse considère comment résistance était collective et individuelle pour les prisonniers palestiniens et comment les deux ne sont pas complètement séparés. Part racontant l’organisation et mobilisation des prisonniers palestiniens, cette thèse montre comment les prisons sont devenues des espaces nationalistes et comment ces espaces nationalistes ont changé au fil du temps. 2 Table of Contents ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 5 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................... 5 HISTORICAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................................... 15 RESEARCH PROBLEM ................................................................................................................. 17 SCOPE AND TERMS ..................................................................................................................... 18 ORDER OF THE THESIS ............................................................................................................... 19 METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES .................................................................................................. 20 CHAPTER ONE: BUILDING PRISONS AS NATIONALIST SPACE: PALESTINIAN PRISONERS’ EXPERIENCES OF DURING THE PALESTINIAN REVOLUTION ....... 24 WITHIN PRISONS ........................................................................................................................ 25 INTERNAL SECURITY .................................................................................................................. 34 STRIKES ..................................................................................................................................... 36 EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES AND INDIVIDUAL RESISTANCE ..................................................... 42 SOLIDARITY BETWEEN PRISONS AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD ...................................................... 43 RADIOS ...................................................................................................................................... 44 DOCUMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 46 AFTER RELEASE ......................................................................................................................... 47 ART AND POETRY ...................................................................................................................... 48 POSTERS AND INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY .............................................................................. 55 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 59 CHAPTER TWO: PRISON RESISTANCE DURING THE FIRST INTIFADA ................ 62 CHANGES IN ISRAELI PRISONS BEFORE AND DURING THE FIRST INTIFADA ................................. 63 INTERNAL ORGANIZATION AND RESISTANCE ............................................................................. 71 SYMBOLISM AND ATTITUDE OUTSIDE PRISON ........................................................................... 75 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 85 3 CHAPTER THREE: PRISONS AND HUNGER STRIKES: CONTEMPORARY MODES OF RESISTANCE ...................................................................................................................... 88 CONTEXTUALIZING CONTEMPORARY PRISONS .......................................................................... 88 2012 AND 2017 .......................................................................................................................... 92 THE SYMBOLS, REPRESENTATION, AND THE AUDIENCE OF HUNGER STRIKES ......................... 100 DISCORDANT VOICES AND ALTERNATE VIEWS FROM PALESTINIAN PRISONERS ...................... 105 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 115 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 119 SUMMING UP ........................................................................................................................... 119 CONTINUITIES AND DISCONTINUITIES: 1967 TO TODAY ........................................................... 122 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 130 PRIMARY SOURCES ................................................................................................................... 130 SECONDARY ............................................................................................................................. 142 4 Acknowledgements In the process of writing this thesis, I am grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Laila Parsons, for her feedback and patience. You made this entire thesis possible. I am grateful to Maddy, Mom and Dad for their never-ending support, especially Mom and Dad for occasionally reviewing parts of this. I am grateful to Dylan and Jodi for all their love and support across the miles and the time zones. Air Canada’s pricing may keep us apart, but basset hounds and cross stitch on Instagram will keep us together. I love you two. Thank you to Gabriel, Heather and Sara for reviewing and helping me with the Abstract at the very last minute and helping to bring this thesis to a conclusion. I greatly appreciate it. I am also grateful to the librarians of the Islamic Studies Library whose help was appreciated throughout my researching and editing process. Thank you to Marilla and Leo, Justin and Alisa and of course Fiona for the emotional support. Last but certainly not least, an extra special thank you to Adina who helped me and took care of so many small, complex and bureaucratic details throughout my MA. Before I even arrived in Montreal, you were answering questions and making my life as a grad student infinitely easier. I never would have made it through without you. 5 Introduction Historical Background In April 1920, the League of Nations granted Great Britain the Mandate for Palestine, which came into full effect in September 1923. This was a legal and constitutional document that granted them the right to rule the land and its people. The document did not mention Palestinian people by name or mention any right to self-determination. In contrast, it explicitly recognized the then-Jewish minority and their national rights. It guaranteed the right to establish a Jewish National Home. It either denied Palestinians rights to national determination and representation or “subordinated