Mondoweiss
Cuba welcomes 50th anniversary of the PFLP leftist movement
Sheren Khalel on December 15, 2017
Paper flags donning Palestinian and Cuban revolutionaries were handed out
at the event (Photo: Mondoweiss/Sheren Khalel)
Havana, Cuba - Three students took to the stage, the girl in a black
traditional Palestinian robe embroidered with tiny hand-threaded red
squares, the two boys donning the white and black checkered scarves of
Palestine. The three twriled and jumped, kicking their legs in the air the
same way their ancestors have performed Palestinian Dabka for centuries -
only this performance took place thousands of miles from home, in the center
of Havana, Cuba.
The event was set up by the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP), to ring in the group's 50th anniversary.
Youth and community leaders took to the stage for dance, poetry and music
performances in between political speeches. (Photo: Mondoweiss/Sheren
Khalel)
The PFLP is a secular leftist Palestinian political party founded in 1967
that constitutes the second largest group within the Palestinian Liberation
Organization (PLO).
Around 500 people gathered in a large government-owned community center in
the middle of Havana for the event. Palestinian expats and students living
in the city as well as locals and government officials attended, enjoying
political speeches, music, and poetry.
While celebrations for the 50th anniversary took place in Palestinian
communities all over the world, few were as openly celebrated as the event
in Cuba.
The PFLP is deemed a terrorist group by the United States, Canada the Europe
Union and Israel among others - meaning a celebration of this kind in New
York could easily land participants in serious trouble with Homeland
Security. In Cuba however, government ministers happily took to the stage to
accept tokens of appreciation from the group's head in Cuba as well as the
Palestinian ambassador to the country.
Mousa Solyman, the head of the PFLP in Cuba, told Mondoweiss that
representing the group in Cuba was an experience like no other.
"In the West it seems all aspects of the Palestinian struggle are illegal,
not just the PFLP, any combative organization that supports Palestinian
rights are considered terrorists, but in Cuba the government is always
supporting us because our cause is justice, and living and working here,
that support is felt everyday," Solyman said.
Much of Solyman's work on the island consists of gathering, educating and
supporting Palestinian university students in Havana, keeping the youth
connected to home and encouraging their continued participation in
Palestinian politics.
"It is a learning process, and doing that in Cuba is unlike anywhere else.
We make a distinction between governments and the people, and while people
in the West are supporting us more and more, the governments are controlled
by Zionist lobbies that don't reflect the will of the people," Solyman
explained.
"In Cuba we have the support of the government and the people. Look how many
non-Palestinians showed up here today, that alone is impressive," he said
motioning toward the crowd of people gathered outside the community center,
mingling amongst each other after the event.
Students wore shirts with quotes of PFLP leaders printed in Spanish, handing
them out at the event. (Photo: Mondoweiss/Sheren Khalel)
While the 50th anniversary may have otherwise been more jovial with more
lively performances focused on celebrating the long history between
Palestine - particularly the PFLP party - and the Cuban government and
people, instead things took a slightly somber tone, due to current events
regarding Jerusalem.
Because the event in Havana took place just days after U.S. President Donald
Trump announced the U.S.'s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel, the violence erupting on the streets of occupied East Jerusalem, the
West Bank and Gaza was the focus of most conversations.
In Ramallah and Gaza, the anniversary event was renamed "The March Of
Anger," under the slogan "The revolution continues until return and the
liberation of Jerusalem" in solidarity with Jerusalem.
Around 500 people, both Palestinian and Cuban, attended the event in the
heart of the city. (Photo: Mondoweiss/Sheren Khalel)
Following Trump's announcement, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs openly
rejected the U.S. move, calling it "a serious and flagrant violation of the
Charter of the UN, of International Law and of the relevant resolutions of
the United Nations," in a statement released by the ministry.
"This intention of the United States Government to modify the historic
status of Jerusalem violates the legitimate interests of the Palestinian
people and the Arab and Islamic nations, will have serious consequences for
stability and security in the Middle East, will further increase tensions in
this region and will impede any effort aimed at resuming peace talks between
Israelis and Palestinians," the statement read.
Solyman thanked the Cuban government for being such an ardent supporter of
the Palestinian cause.
"We cannot thank the Cuban government and people enough for their support,
and we are happy to be here today, as we have been the past 50 years in
which Cuba has always supported the PFLP," Solyman said. "We look forward to
continuing that support and that relationship for many years to come."