What Ghassan Kanafani’s assassination says about Palestinian resistance?

On January 2, an Israeli drone strike in Beirut's southern suburbs killed Saleh al Arouri, the deputy chief of Hamas's political bureau, alongside six other senior Hamas officials.

This assassination was part of Israel’s longstanding pattern of targeting leaders of the Palestinian resistance movement in Lebanon. And the practice goes back to the killing of Ghassan Kanafani. (Israel hasn’t publicly acknowledged its role in the Beirut attack but silence and denial are part of Tel Aviv’s longstanding policy.)

One of Israel’s first targets in Lebanon, Kanafani, a Palestinian journalist and spokesman for the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), was assassinated in Beirut in 1972.

Mossad agents planted a bomb in his car, resulting in his death along with his 17-year-old niece, Lamees.

Described as "a commando who never fired a gun" in an obituary in Lebanon’s Daily Star, Kanafani played a crucial role in the Palestinian resistance.

His novels, novellas, and short stories enjoy widespread popularity across the Arab world, having been translated into more than 18 languages.

Israel’s targeted killings of Palestinian leaders and prominent figures - from Kanafani to Arouri - have had little to do with security or military considerations, says Palestinian historian Rashid Khalidi.

Instead, they serve other purposes, such as influencing domestic opinion, securing votes, instilling deterrence, seeking revenge, or undermining the Palestinian leadership.

A man of words

Kanafani's life was marked by exile, starting at the age of 12, when his family left Acre in the north of Palestine for Lebanon after the Nakba. He pursued his university education in Damascus and later moved to Beirut in 1960.

There, he played various roles in editing and writing, producing his most notable works such as "Men in the Sun" (1962), "All That is Left to You" (1966), and "Returning to Haifa" (1969).

“Men in the Sun,” in particular, made a profound impact upon its release, propelling Kanafani into the forefront of Arabic literature and garnering him instant and broad recognition. To this day, it is regarded as a masterpiece.

In the book, three exiled Palestinians hide themselves in an empty water tank of a truck, attempting to smuggle their way to Kuwait. When the driver is detained at the border, the men, fearing "drawing attention from the outside world to their existence,” endure suffocation and death instead of calling for help. The novel concludes with the driver’s lament echoing in the desert: “Why didn’t you knock on the sides of the tank? Why didn’t you say anything? Why?”

In 1967, Kanafani became one of the founders of the PFLP, serving as an editor for the Front's magazine, Al Hadaf, and working as its official spokesman.

Due to the acclaim brought by "Men in the Sun," friends and critics urged Kanafani to reduce his focus on journalism and politics and instead concentrate on his literary pursuits.

However, Kanafani believed that drawing a clear distinction was impractical, as the portrayal of the Palestinian cause by Palestinians could manifest in various forms—sometimes through news articles, other times through fiction.

In a letter shortly after the publication of "Men in the Sun," Kanafani remarked, “Did I really have a choice between studies and politics, between writing and health, or now between journalism and stories? I want to say something. Sometimes I can say it in the official news of the morning, sometimes fashioned into an editorial, or into a small piece on the society page. Sometimes I can’t say what I want to say in anything but a story. The choice they talk about is nonexistent.”

Despite his early death - Kanafani, who was killed at the age of 36 - created a substantial body of work, including 63 short stories, eight novellas, three monographs, and three plays. Additionally, he curated children's stories for his niece Lamess. His stories, considered part of the tradition of 'resistance literature' of colonised nations, delve into the diverse experiences of being a Palestinian.

This includes living under occupation in Palestine, facing destitution in a refugee camp, enduring harsh conditions as laborers in the Arab Gulf, or adopting roles such as a militant, exploited worker, or a mother.

After his death

In the aftermath of Kanafani's assassination, celebrated Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish composed a poignant elegy, expressing, “They blew you up, as they blow up a front, a base, a mountain, a capital, and they fought you, as they fight an army… Because you are a symbol, a Wounded Civilization.”

Elias Khouri, a renowned Lebanese novelist, eloquently reflected on the enduring relevance and foresight encapsulated in Kanafani's literary legacy. Ghassan Kanafani’s “martyrdom”, says Khouri, “secured his place in the arc of suffering that envelops the Palestinian collective, yet, again through martyrdom, he was born anew to become part of the collective history of his people.”

Many scholars argue that Ghassan Kanafani's cultural influence grew significantly only after his death.

This evolution extended gradually beyond the Arab world, fueled by his literary achievements, which garnered mainstream attention and heightened awareness of his political stance on the Palestinian cause in the West.

Refqa Abu Remaileh,a professor from Free University Berlin, reflects on Kanafani's ubiquitous presence, stating, "His iconic image is now almost everywhere. Numerous Facebook and Instagram pages are dedicated to him.”

“Resistance, for him, was not merely an action; the heart of resistance could be found in the written word. We no longer have this voice of hope, aspiration, clarity, and conviction. That's why his legacy resonates so strongly with us."