National Authority Between the Abstract and the Concrete

There is often confusion between abstract concepts and principles, or their epistemological definitions; such as justice, human rights, democracy, authority, and resistance to occupation on one hand, and their real applications or positioning as a concrete case on the other hand, where the principle (abstract) is distorted due to flaws in some of its concrete applications.

For instance, when we defend the idea and principle of having a Palestinian national authority representing the Palestinian people, this is a right and a duty, but this does not prevent criticism of the Palestinian Authority in the 'concrete', meaning in terms of its institutions, leadership, and political approach if it deviates from the principle, without reaching a stage where criticism undermines and questions the very principle of the existence of the authority itself.

The same applies to "resistance to occupation"; it is an abstract principle that is recognized by all religious, legal, and international legislations and must be upheld, but in the concrete - or how resistance is positioned as a field practice with its tools, leaderships, and references, and the outcomes of its actions, as is the case with Hamas's practice of it - one can criticize it, while being cautious not to reach a point of questioning the principle of resisting occupation; as this principle is much nobler and broader than to be constrained by a specific approach, method, or party.

From here, some take issue with me for seeming to contradict myself; sometimes I criticize the Palestinian Authority, and other times I defend it, and sometimes I criticize the resistance, and other times I defend it, while in reality there is no contradiction; I defend the principle of having a Palestinian national authority, but it is my right and the right of others to criticize some aspects of its practices and how it manages public affairs, just as I am with the principle of resisting occupation, but I am not (necessarily) with the way Hamas has practiced this resistance.