Denial or Genocide: The Palestinian People’s Struggle for Survival (Online seminar with Dr. Salman Abu Sitta)

There have never been a case of a colonial project, as in Palestine, in which so many forces are marshalled to eliminate a people from existence for so long from so many Western cities. The tool of the colonial powers was traditionally the physical force to occupy and kill. Zionism waged 11 different kinds of wars against Palestinians over 150 years. Did this project succeed in its aim? Has the struggle of Palestinians to survive been successful? What does the future hold for upholding international law? Are the ordinary European citizens involved and if so, how. In general, what is the role of the ordinary citizen in a democracy to uphold the law and prevent war crimes?

Dr. Salman Abu Sitta is a Palestinian academic best known for formulating a practical return plan for Palestinian refugees and documenting Palestine’s land and people through extensive mapping. He is the Founder and President of the Palestine Land Society (PLS), whose archival collection and active files form the backbone of the Palestine Land Studies Center (PLSC) at American University of Beirut. Dr Abu Sitta has published over 400 articles, papers and books on Palestine, notably a series of atlases documenting Palestine at different periods (1871- 1877, 1917- 1966, 1948, and the Return Journey Atlas). He also worked on a series of poster maps about al Nakba, see: www.plands.org. His book, Mapping My Return (2016), is a personal memoir describing the experience of Al Nakba in southern Palestine. Dr Abu Sitta is a member of several organizations dealing with Palestinian rights, human rights and international law.