Intifada is an
Arabic word literally meaning, as a noun, "tremor", "shivering", "shuddering".[5][6] It is derived from an Arabic term nafada meaning "to shake", "shake off", "get rid of",[5][7] as a dog might shrug off water, or as one might shake off sleep,[8] or dirt from one's sandals.[9]
In the
Palestinian context, the word refers to attempts to "shake off" the
Israeli occupation of the West Bank and
Gaza Strip in the
First and
Second Intifadas,[1][10] where it was originally chosen to connote "aggressive nonviolent resistance",[5] a meaning it bore among Palestinian students in struggles in the 1980s and which they adopted as less confrontational than terms in earlier militant rhetoric since it bore no nuance of violence.[9] The First Intifada was characterized by protests and violent riots, especially stone-throwing, while the Second Intifada was characterized by a period of heightened violence. The suicide bombings carried out by Palestinian assailants became one of the more prominent features of the Second Intifada and mainly targeted Israeli civilians, contrasting with the relatively less violent nature of the
First Intifada.
The phrase "
Globalize the Intifada" is a slogan that promotes worldwide activism in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance. This slogan is composed of "Intifada" which denotes the Palestinian uprisings against Israeli control. "Globalize" calls for an expansion of these uprisings from a regional scope to a global movement.[11][12]
The chant and its associated chants have caused controversy, particularly concerning their impact and connotations. Critics, particularly from Jewish groups, have condemned the slogan, claiming it encourages widespread violence or terrorism.[13][14][15] Some interpretations view it as a rallying call to harm Jews.[16][17]
First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation lasting from December 1987 to 1993
Second Intifada, also called
Al-Aqsa Intifada, a period of intensified Israeli-Palestinian violence, which began in late September 2000 and ended around 2005
2014 Jerusalem unrest, a series of violent acts and attacks in Jerusalem in 2014 sometimes referred to as "Intifada"
^
abUte Meinel,
Die Intifada im Ölscheichtum Bahrain: Hintergründe des Aufbegehrens von 1994-1998, LIT Verlag Münster, 2003 p.10: 'Der Begriff der Intifada, der die Vorstellung eines legitimen Ausbebegehrens gegen Unterdrückung enthält, ist gegenwärtig ein Schlüsselbegriff in der arabischen Welt, von dem eine grosse emotionale Anziehungskraft ausgeht.'