Identity as a Weapon: The Passport and Project of Erasure
Here's what they buried in paragraph 15: THE CLAIM: Reports indicate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressuring the Palestinian Authority (PA) to remove the 'eagle of Saladin' emblem from Palestinian passports. The PA has allegedly been threatened with the cessation of VIP movement permits if they do not comply (The New Arab, 2024). This is framed as a security concern or an
administrative dispute. THE EVIDENCE: The 'eagle of Saladin' is a recognizable symbol across the Arab world, associated with Saladin's 12th-century recapture of Jerusalem and, more recently, with various Arab nationalist movements, including the flag of the State of Palestine. The current Palestinian passport, issued by the PA, has been recognized by over 150 countries (Palestinian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, 2023). However, its issuance is inherently limited by Israeli control over borders and movement, as established by the Oslo Accords (1993, 1995). THE CONTRADICTIONS: The claimed administrative or security justification for demanding a change in a national symbol is undermined by the historical record of Israeli policy towards Palestinian identity. This is not the first attempt to
negate Palestinian national symbols. For instance, the Palestinian flag was implicitly banned by Israel between 1967 and 1993, with displaying it often leading to arrest. Israeli forces frequently confiscate or destroy Palestinian flags in the West Bank (B'Tselem, 2022). Furthermore, Israel's current government officially rejects the possibility of a Palestinian state, making any symbol of