I envision a Palestinian Mandela to instill a sense of dignity in the young people losing hope and suffering from poverty, deprivation, and lack of opportunities before it is too late.

“Take your guns, your knives, your pangas (machetes) and throw them into the sea,” South African leader Nelson Mandela urged his followers back in 1990. “Close down the death factories. End this war now.”

When Mandela called upon his people to throw away their weapons and abandon their strategy of violence, the courageous approach made him win not only his bid to the presidency but also conferred on him respect and prestige among his own people and worldwide.

The first President of a democratic South Africa convincingly argued that violence breeds violence and for peace to prevail bloodshed should cease and reconciliation should pave the way to coexistence and peace. Mandela advised, “none of the parties can be regarded as right or wrong.” This is the lesson Palestinians should learn from the South African experience in order for the end of conflict and healing to take place.

Mandela was a great leader and indeed nations should copy quite a lot from him. However, one needs to be aware that the Palestinian and South African contexts are different and that South Africa is not Palestine and vice-versa. Thus, Mandela might have acted the way he did because that worked for his time, context and circumstances.

The question this raises is: Would the same apply to Palestine? Here, we need to raise the debate above contextual and circumstances. Inspiring leadership is good leadership whether in South Africa, Palestine or wherever and whenever. In certain cases leaders have demonstrated reconciliatory tendencies but not beyond saying let bygones be bygones hoping to put all the suffering and pain behind.

The Mandela Way

The unity of the people, persistence and peaceful strategy can lead Palestinians to achieve their goal and realize their dream of freedom, independence, and statehood. The Mandela way would be the guiding light for Palestinian youth not to go astray by adopting violence blended with ignorance as a way of life. Palestinians should improvise a way that would help them gain their rights without shedding one single drop of blood or losing one single soul. They should rethink what reconciliation would accomplish for them.

Basil al-Araj was a well-known activist who regularly took part in non-violent protests and actions against the separation wall and settlements. He was killed during an Israeli raid in Ramallah on March 6, 2017, after having been months on the run. Hundreds of Palestinians paid their respects to the slain activist and youth movement leader. This was a lose-lose situation: Palestinians lost a bright young man and the Israelis had their hands stained with his blood.

Journalist, diplomats, and politicians have been wondering who is going to succeed the aging Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “Abu Mazen” after he departs from his office. Many names from among those close to Abbas are suggested but one observes none among them is a Mandela, even the imprisoned popular leader Marwan Barghouti.

As a Palestinian, this makes me wonder about the future of my country and my people: Do we Palestinians have what it takes to unite and find our way to a better future? Will we be able to choose a leader rationally and wisely with full transparency? The leader we need is someone who would understand the need of his people for peace and reconciliation, one who wants to achieve what is best for his society, one who would lead and not follow.

My aim of writing this article is to share a vision and to expand the consciousness for the common good by trying to raise awareness among the Palestinians that it is time to unite behind one gifted leader and raise our voices against nepotism, corruption, poor governance, and injustice. Enough is enough. The voices of moderation among Palestinians should not remain silent and should become more and more vocal.

What are the characteristics we envision in our new leader? We need a leader who would not hide behind a wall of denials refusing to take responsibility, one who would put an end to this culture of collective blindness. We need a leader who would make a real transformation and change within the Palestinian society from conflict to peace.

Palestinians are urged to take responsibility in changing the present status quo and seek to elect a leader who is charismatic enough to make a change. I have often asked myself how our conscience can be suppressed to the point where we as people accept to remain just followers. This reflects moral decadence and requires collective moral resurgence.

It is necessary to act with collective moral responsibility. What is at stake is the existential identity of a nation threatened by the rising tide of extremism and that is why it is time for a change. Nelson Mandela’s visionary leadership is so badly needed at this time, and his inspirational words always invite reflection: “Honor belong to those who never forsake the truth, even when things seem dark and grim.” The former South African leader set a high standard; he served his nation for the greater good. He created a strong sense of national identity that united South Africa across racial and ethnic lines.

Mandela treated his people as family. National unity and reconciliation were at heart of his rainbow vision for a new South Africa. His new South Africa started right there in his heart. He appointed former enemies as his aides and even his bodyguards. Are we as Palestinians going to be blessed with such a leader as Mandela? One who would be focused on lifting our people from this abyss?

For decades Palestinians were drifting in dark alleys and hopelessness. It’s time for a change. Yet, what is missing is the spirit of human solidarity and harmony that will transcend all obstacles that hinder us to attain self-determination and the creation of a new independent Palestinian identity. Thinking of the peaceful transformation in South Africa, of the great March for Peace in Cape Town in 1989, and the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 when the suppressed people under communist dictatorship walked out of their cells peacefully, assembled in churches, marched with candles in their hands and not weapons, bringing the Berlin Wall down. It was the wax of the candles that dropped on the ground, not blood.

Thinking of the warm solidarity between East and West-Germans after the Unification of 1990, and the huge funds West Germany invested to uplift East-Germany to fix the prevailing inequality between East and West Germany, one cannot but hope the same would happen in Palestine. Imagining the Palestinian people in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in the Diaspora taking a constructive move towards a better future learning from the process of nation-building in South Africa and Germany.

Imagine if we as Palestinians unite and use peaceful political rhetoric how much will we gain. Moderation doesn’t mean surrendering or weakness or being soft but reflects strength in our cause and in our values. I envision a Palestinian people thinking creatively and strategically about ways to reclaim our identity, dignity, and justice. I envision a leader with moral courage and integrity; a leader who has the ability to improve and enhance the situation of the Palestinians; a leader who can reconcile the Palestinian political rift and bring all factions under one umbrella. Sometimes I feel I am waiting for Godot but in order not to feel that way we need to start by changing ourselves in order to create change in society.

I envision a Palestinian Mandela to instill a sense of dignity in the young people losing hope and suffering from poverty, deprivation, and lack of opportunities before it is too late.

I envision a Palestinian leader who would remind us of our moral responsibility, courageous to speak out honestly and frankly even if what he says do not please the masses; a leader who is courageous to tell his people the painful truth about the painful concessions for peace; a leader who can encourage dialogue not silence it, who can inspire and empower us to become better human beings. I envision a courageous leader who will motivate youth to carve their path to a better future.

Zeina Barakat is a post-doctorate researcher at Jena Center for Reconciliation Studies, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. Read other articles by Zeina.