The Limits of Symbolic Refusal- a personal note

“Symbolic acts proliferate precisely because material sites of power are inaccessible, protected, or monopolized. Symbolic refusal migrates into culture, discourse, and morality when zionism’s “sovereignty”, “borders”, and armed force are structurally foreclosed from challenge. The issue is not in the strategy of confronting zionism where we are, but in mistaking its visibility for its decisiveness. That is why we hear well-meaning activists saying things like “well, it’s not like I can go and fight zionists in Palestine”. The question is why such a necessary confrontation is dressed in a cynical tone?”

Here is an important excerpt from my recent piece, 'The Limits of Symbolic Refusal—a personal note.' It's meant to give activists and organizers space to think about tactics, strategies, and how to assess whether they help Palestinians materially advance a program of liberation.

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