Palestinian resistance is fundamentally a reaction to British colonialism, Zionism and Israeli settler colonialism, a truth that has held for more than a century and will persist as long as the occupation, apartheid and colonial rule endure. This timeline offers a glimpse into significant events in the resistance from the early 20th century, though it is by no means an exhaustive account. The timeline adheres to the Palestinian concepts of muqawama (resistance) and sumud (steadfastness), which collectively encompass all forms of opposition to violence and oppression.
This broad definition is crucial because it highlights that Palestinian resistance is not a monolith or the exclusive domain of a single group or ideology. It challenges simplistic narratives and underscores the diverse nature of our struggle and resilience. To bring these themes into focus, the timeline is accompanied by the work of Gazan artist, Maisara Baroud, whose art embodies the steadfastness of his people – their loss, grief, resilience, and hope – while communicating a collective human experience across borders. After his home and studio were destroyed by Israel’s military assault on Gaza, Baroud began keeping a visual diary, creating a new drawing each day, to ‘tell my friends that I am still alive and document the genocide unfolding around him. The selected works shown here stand as a testament to the endurance and resistance of a people under siege, echoing the history traced in this timeline.
