The Revolution of 1936–1939 in Palestine: Background, Details, and Analysis
Published three months before the launch of last year’s Palestinian resistance operation Al-Aqsa Flood, The Revolution of 1936–1939 in Palestine: Background, Details, and Analysis by the late writer and political activist Ghassan Kanafani, and translated by Hazem Jamjoum is an engaging account of one of the most pivotal and yet underrepresented chapters in modern Palestinian history, which paved the way for the Nakba.
In this detailed analysis, Kanafani breaks down the complex interplay of forces during the Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule and Zionist settlement, bringing to life the socio-political dynamics of the time. This book is not just an exploration of history; it is a continuation of Kanafani's lifelong commitment to examining the conditions of the Palestinian people, a theme that is central to much of his work.
Assassinated by the Israeli Mossad and known as "the commando who never fired a gun," Kanafani was a staunch advocate for Palestinian liberation, and his empathy for the oppressed shines through in this book. His literary prowess, often celebrated in his novels and short stories, is similarly present here as he strives to make the historical events both accessible and deeply human. He writes not simply to inform but to evoke the lived experiences of those involved, forcing readers to engage with the "immense trauma and direct violence of colonial genocide." This is evident in his portrayal of the Palestinian peasantry and working class, whose resilience and sacrifice lie at the heart of the revolutionary struggle.
Kanafani's exploration of the Revolution of 1936–1939, which, as historian Maher Charif writes in the afterword was “the period in which the fate of Palestine was decided,” sets the stage with an assessment of the socio-economic backgrounds of various classes in Palestine—the workers, peasants, and intellectuals—each of which played a vital role in the uprising.
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In describing the workers, Kanafani portrays the harsh conditions they faced under British colonial rule and Zionist expansion, conditions that ultimately sparked a collective resistance:
"The surrounding Arab countries played two contradictory roles in this moment: at the same time that the movements of the Arab masses added strength to Palestinians' mass revolutionary spirit... the regimes dominating these societies did all they could to put an end to the movement of the Palestinian masses."
This duality—solidarity from the masses versus the betrayal of leadership—is a recurring theme in Kanafani's work. The parallels with the contemporary situation are remarkable, particularly the “collaborationist regime” of Transjordan, or Jordan as it is known today. Today the Hashemite kingdom is one of the Arab states standing in the way of the region’s resistance against the occupation state.
Through a Marxist lens, Kanafani approaches the 1936–1939 revolution based on class, refusing to reduce the struggle to a simple colonised-versus-coloniser dichotomy. He highlights the critical role of the peasantry and working classes in driving the revolution, while the Palestinian bourgeoisie, often aligned with British and Zionist interests, undermined revolutionary efforts. Kanafani writes, “The alliance between Zionism and imperialism grew steadily stronger… [achieving] near-total hegemony over Palestine’s economic infrastructure.”
Kanafani also explores the cultural dimension of the revolution, recognising that resistance is not only political but also cultural. He discusses the role of poets and intellectuals in mobilsing the masses, noting how figures like Ibrahim Tuqan and Abd al-Rahim Mahmoud used their work to inspire and sustain the revolutionary spirit.
Kanafani states, "It was poetry, both classical and popular/vernacular, that kept pace with the popular mass movement from the beginning of the 1930s, expressing the movement's eruption, its minutiae, and its richness." For Kanafani, the struggle was as much about preserving Palestinian identity as it was about resisting colonial oppression.
The book does not shy away from addressing the challenges and ultimate failures of the revolution. Kanafani is critical of the leadership's inability to sustain the momentum and its reliance on ineffective strategies, such as appealing to British goodwill. He documents how the British, in response to the uprising, used brutal methods of repression – methods still being practised by the occupation state, including home demolition, mass arrests, martial law, and the legitimisation of Zionist terrorist groups like the Haganah.
This brutal crackdown, combined with the internal divisions among Palestinian leadership and the betrayal of the Arab states, ultimately led to the revolution's defeat.
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One of the core messages of Kanafani's work is the importance of viewing the Palestinian struggle as part of a broader anti-imperialist movement. He argues that "the core contradiction characterizing the Palestinian struggle is... the colonized against the colonizer in its fullest and most rigorous definition." For Kanafani, the Palestinian cause is not isolated; it is intrinsically linked to the global struggle against imperialism.
This perspective is vital and relevant today, as the Palestinian people continue to face genocide in Gaza and the West Bank with the full support of Western powers. By situating the revolution within the larger context of anti-colonial struggle, Kanafani calls on readers to see the Palestinian cause as a "banner for all of humanity."
Ghassan Kanafani's The Revolution of 1936–1939 in Palestine is a powerful and insightful work that offers a deep understanding of the Palestinian struggle during a crucial period. Kanafani's work challenges readers to think critically about resistance, leadership, and the socio-economic forces shaping revolutionary movements.
While it is grounded in the specific context of the 1930s, its emphasis on class struggle and anti-colonialism remains relevant for certain ideological perspectives. However, its limitations emerge when applied to the current conflict.
Though the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), for which Kanafani served as spokesperson, initially played a significant role in resistance, it became more marginal as the religious dimension gained prominence. This growing centrality of religion continues to shape the conflict on all sides to this day.
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