PA Deputy Minister of Information opposes all cultural normalization with Israel
Headline: "Jerusalem: Intellectuals and media personalities emphasize their opposition to all forms of cultural normalization with the occupation"
"At a seminar held yesterday evening in Jerusalem by the National Forum of the Popular National Conference for Jerusalem on 'cultural normalization', several intellectuals and media personalities emphasized their categorical opposition to all forms of cultural normalization with the occupation.
Deputy Minister of Information, Al-Mutawakkil Taha, stated that since its occupation of Palestine, the occupation state has attempted to impose the Zionist narrative and outlook, and to disseminate them throughout the world, in order to erase the national identity of the owners of the land and to reshape the region from a cultural point of view… Taha stated, 'Normalization in occupied Palestine means accepting the occupation's narrative concerning itself and concerning the Palestinian people, as [the occupation] sees it. If we accept the occupation's narrative, this means that we have accepted and reinforced its claims concerning its historical, religious and cultural right to the land of Palestine…'. He added, 'If the narrative of the occupation entity is accepted, this means normalization; [and it means] presenting the occupation state to the world as a state that is entitled to patent the image of [being a] victim, [and it means] granting legitimacy to its policy towards the [Palestinian] people and the land, and [it means] granting full historical rights [to Israel].' Taha emphasized, 'Palestinian culture is a firm, impenetrable fortress against all attempts at erasure and theft by an artificial hybrid state (i.e., Israel) … devoid of any defined, integrated cultural identity.'
He said, 'It is incomprehensible that there are some who remain silent while watching economic, cultural and political normalization with their own eyes, without expressing any opinion. The silence and lack of response is [in itself] a sort of normalization.'"
"At a seminar held yesterday evening in Jerusalem by the National Forum of the Popular National Conference for Jerusalem on 'cultural normalization', several intellectuals and media personalities emphasized their categorical opposition to all forms of cultural normalization with the occupation.
Deputy Minister of Information, Al-Mutawakkil Taha, stated that since its occupation of Palestine, the occupation state has attempted to impose the Zionist narrative and outlook, and to disseminate them throughout the world, in order to erase the national identity of the owners of the land and to reshape the region from a cultural point of view… Taha stated, 'Normalization in occupied Palestine means accepting the occupation's narrative concerning itself and concerning the Palestinian people, as [the occupation] sees it. If we accept the occupation's narrative, this means that we have accepted and reinforced its claims concerning its historical, religious and cultural right to the land of Palestine…'. He added, 'If the narrative of the occupation entity is accepted, this means normalization; [and it means] presenting the occupation state to the world as a state that is entitled to patent the image of [being a] victim, [and it means] granting legitimacy to its policy towards the [Palestinian] people and the land, and [it means] granting full historical rights [to Israel].' Taha emphasized, 'Palestinian culture is a firm, impenetrable fortress against all attempts at erasure and theft by an artificial hybrid state (i.e., Israel) … devoid of any defined, integrated cultural identity.'
He said, 'It is incomprehensible that there are some who remain silent while watching economic, cultural and political normalization with their own eyes, without expressing any opinion. The silence and lack of response is [in itself] a sort of normalization.'"