The passing away of the leader of the South African liberation movement, Nelson Mandela, at the age of 95 brings to the forefront historic and parallel comparisons between the African national movement led by the African National Congress (ANC) and that of Palestinians led by the Palestine Liberation Organization. For years, the two movements were entwined and mutually supportive. But whereas the ANC under Mandela succeeded in liberating its people, the Palestinians have not fared as well.

The Palestinian and African cases are similar and different. The two causes reflect historical injustice and Western support of the domineering regimes. The collusion of so many countries, especially in the Western hemisphere, that profess support for self-determination and human rights with oppressive regimes is well-documented. In both Palestine and South Africa, the refusal to grant freedoms and inalienable rights was excused by a well-structured and powerful international dehumanization campaign that branded resistance against discrimination and occupation with derogatory terms such as terrorism.

Both Palestinians and South Africans adopted various forms of resistance including violent and nonviolent means, and both were met with brutal and exaggerated force with the aim of putting down any type of resistance. Military and political opponents of the ruling powers who survived physical assault were put in jail simply for their thoughts and public political support to their own liberation movements that were declared “terrorist.” 

Not only were the liberation struggles given such negative labels, but the people they were fighting for were treated discriminatorily by people they did not elect and by laws and courts over which they had no control or say.