A Review of Culture and Resistance: Conversations with Edward Said

By Richard K. Toll

"A proper reading of history teaches us that even though the balance of power is unfavorable, the weak can overcome the strong." These words stand out in my recollection of Edward Said’s keynote address at the Sabeel International Conference in Bethlehem in February 1998, where I heard him speak for the first time. Dr. Said explained further that it is the human factor working on behalf of the weak, "the will to resist, to seek new and ingenious ways of fighting injustice, to be relentless in energy and hope."

In Culture and Resistance: Conversations with Edward Said, David Barsamian has selected from six radio interviews with Dr. Said that reveal a gifted intellect with the insight and courage to reflect openly on problematic issues in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict without the typical overlays of distortion that often get in the way. Interviews occurring just prior to the September 11, 2001 events include Said’s criticism of the Palestinian leadership and its part in the failed Oslo Peace Accords. Shaping arguments based on his acute understanding of history, Dr. Said explains with clarity the connection between Palestine and Iraq and finally the outcome and meaning of the buildup of the Iraq war.

[Edward Said’s] hope is for a future with normalization of relationship with Israel as a recognized neighbor in the Middle East and "not an isolated sanctuary connected to the West exclusively and denying and contemptuous and ignorant of the Palestinians."

Barsamian’s book is helpful in bringing together Said’s long-term view of history and the solutions he offers in the context of his long-term vision. He insists that the only just solution would be a one-state entity in which Palestinians and Israelis share in a democratic society that welcomes both cultures and diverse religious views. Less than that, according to Dr. Said, will only serve to allow racism and the apartheid system to continue, and he offers various models and possibilities for the future. His hope is for a future with normalization of relationship with Israel as a recognized neighbor in the Middle East and "not an isolated sanctuary connected to the West exclusively and denying and contemptuous and ignorant of the Palestinians."

People frequently turn to me for answers to their questions. As a parish priest with many years of interest in the Middle East and involvement in the Sabeel international peace network, I have had the opportunity to study the politics of the region and reflect on the tragic situation in the Holy Land. Edward Said’s analyses have helped me to provide answers to some of the most difficult questions, such as the common post-911 question, "Why do they [in the Arab world] hate us?" Statements by Dr. Said within two weeks of the terrorist attacks of September 2001explored the origins of terrorism and prophetically make the point that 9/11 speaks for itself. He notes that there were no negotiations following 9/11, nothing to be discussed.

The targeted "symbolism of the World Trade Center, the head of American capitalism and the Pentagon headquarters of the American military establishment" were unusual because they need no interpretation. The message to the U.S. following its long history of questionable foreign policy in the Middle East, its protection of Israel and contempt for and ignorance of Arab culture, history, and religion is clear. Dr. Said in the final interview in the book warns the U.S. to heed the message that terrorism has deep roots in the policies and actions, past and present, of the Western powers, particularly the U.S.

The consistency of Dr. Said’s position that there IS hope for the future even in the midst of recent disasters is a wonderful theme throughout the interviews. This is because he takes seriously the issues of justice ignored by the U.S. and perpetrated by its "greatest ally" Israel.

The consistency of Dr. Said’s position that there IS hope for the future even in the midst of recent disasters is a wonderful theme throughout the interviews. This is because he takes seriously the issues of justice ignored by the U.S. and perpetrated by its "greatest ally" Israel. No one wants to talk about justice, but Said does talk about it. His audience is becoming a broader constituency and I trust many others will join me in the hope that Edward Said expresses even in the darkness of present events.

The Rev. Richard K. Toll is chair of Friends of Sabeel, North America, a support network for the Sabeel Liberation Theology Center in East Jerusalem. Dick is also rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukie, Ore. He may be reached by email at stjohns3@worldaccessnet.com

The Rev. Richard Toll speaking to Palestine/Israel peace advocates at All Saints’ Church, Pasadena (Calif.) in 2002.