The docuseries “Kurdish Resurrection” will air its “Middle East Days” episode this week, bringing to the screen the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) experiences in Palestinian camps, the legendary resistance at Arnon Castle in Lebanon, and the story that extended to the party’s second congress in August 1982.
The Arnon Castle resistance became a symbol of a “borderless spirit of resistance” for the Kurdish and Palestinian movements alike.
In its “Heart of the Middle East” episode, Kurdish Revival brings together the Arnon resistance and the process of the PKK’s second congress, drawing attention to a historic turning point.
Arnon Castle and the PKK’s second congress in August 1982 highlight critical milestones that underscore both the international solidarity of the Kurdish movement and the freedom movement’s process of planning its struggle on its own land.
Symbol of sacrifice: Arnon Castle
Arnon Castle, located in the heart of the Middle East, became a symbol of sacrifice and heroism. Located in southern Lebanon, the castle was one of the symbolic positions of resistance against the Israeli invasion in 1982. Palestinian groups waged prolonged resistance there against the Israeli army, joined by cadres from the Kurdish movement who fought alongside them. Arnon Castle was seen not only as a military position but also as a “fortress of solidarity among peoples.”
This experience represented, in the view of the PKK, the universality of the Kurdish freedom struggle and the bond of brotherhood with the Palestinian people.
On 6 June 1982, following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, members of the PKK defended Arnon (Arnoun) Castle together with Palestinian fighters. Despite days of bombardment and siege, the positions were not abandoned. In the clashes, 11 PKK members fell as martyrs, and around 15 cadres were captured.
Habash: “When we resist like the PKK comrades, then we will liberate Palestine.”
The period’s Palestinian revolutionaries commemorated the martyred PKK cadres as “Arnon heroes” and “Beirut Lions,” leaving a lasting memory of the time. After this historic resistance, George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), honored the PKK members by declaring, “When we resist like the PKK comrades, then we will liberate Palestine.”
From Arnon to Kurdistan…
The resistance and martyrdoms at Arnon would shape the spirit of the PKK second congress, held between 20 and 25 August of the same year. Recorded as one of the turning points in the history of the PKK, the second congress marked the transfer of the Kurdish freedom struggle onto the soil of the homeland.
In short, “Middle East Days” is crucial for understanding the genetic code of the Kurdish freedom movement. It was during this period that martyrdom and sacrifice, comradeship and solidarity became the source of carrying the struggle to the lands of Kurdistan.
In this episode of the documentary, iconic figures of the Kurdish freedom struggle such as Cemil Bayık, Duran Kalkan, Sakine Karakoçan, and Sabri Ok, who took part in the historic Arnon Castle resistance, share their testimonies.
Viewers will also encounter, for the first time, never-before-published video footage of the PKK’s second congress.
The Kurdish version of the documentary’s “Middle East Days” episode will be broadcast on Sterk TV on the evening of Wednesday, 24 September.
The Turkish version will air on Medya Haber TV on Friday, 26 September, at 19:00 European time and 20:00 Amed (Diyarbakır) time.
Previous episodes of the documentary can be watched online and through the Telegram channel.