Israeli Occupation Research Articles

Fuel Smuggling in the West Bank (2018–2021): Palestinian Economic Agency under the Israeli System of Spatial Control

This article critically re-examines the narrative that the Israeli system of spatial control has an exclusive negative impact on the West Bank economy. It focuses on the burgeoning fuel smuggling industry, which grew to constitute nearly one-third of the total consumed fuel in the West Bank by 2018. The article posits that the impacts of Israeli control on West Bank-Israeli economic relations involve an interplay between structural top-down imposition and Palestinian agency exerted from below. Drawing from documentary evidence and semi-structured interviews conducted with smugglers, Israeli, and Palestinian policymakers, the research reveals a paradox, finding its theoretical explanation in borderland studies. The barriers and fragmentation meant to oppress Palestinians create opportunities for new Palestinian economic beneficiaries. The article traces the emergence of smuggling networks that expand Palestinian-Israeli connections and cooperation. It concludes considering how the structure-agency interplay, which characterizes the Israeli colonial structure, affects the study of Palestinian political economy under Israeli occupation. This includes the influence of smuggling on supply, demand, pricing, and power hierarchies within the West Bank’s fuel sector.

THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMELAND UNDER UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION 194

The United Nations has been concerned with the problem of Palestine refugees since its inception in 1948, especially after the resolution n°. 194. However, to what extent has this resolution been implemented, and what is the global stance regarding the Palestine refugee issue? The key issue that drives our research on this subject. It should be highlighted, however, that due to the particularities of the Palestinian refugee, the term "refugee" as used in international law did not apply to them. The definition of a "Palestinian refugee" as defined by UNRWA was developed with the intention of assessing eligibility for recipients of UNRWA aid, rather than being fixed on a single definition. Rather of focusing on the theoretical side, the many definitions of "Palestinian refugee" were intended to address a specific conflict. UNRWA's definition did not align with the definition often employed in international refugee law, nor did it encompass all refugees who were permitted to return to their homes as per General Assembly resolution 194. The 1948 and 1967 wars caused the Palestine refugees listed in resolution No. 194 to be uprooted from their homes and lands. The Israeli occupation authorities' refusal to acknowledge it as the source of the problem's emergence, however, is a contentious aspect of the problem itself. It also distinguishes between the 1967 war refugees, often known as displaced individuals, and the 1948 war refugees. Palestine refugees are still scattered throughout the globe even after the UN overwhelmingly decided to acknowledge their right of return. As long as the Palestinian refugee issue is still a topic for study, it will get worse and make it more difficult for many Palestinian people to flee their homes as a result of the direct conflict between Israel and Hamas that broke out on October 7, 2023. The Palestinian refugee issue remains a problem that is being studied.

The History of the Birth of Traditions and Conflicts over the Nabi Samuel Shrine (Israel/Palestine)

During the Crusades, the almost forgotten small Byzantine monastery of St. Samuel (4th-c.) became a key place on the map of Holy Land pilgrimages. Initially important only to Christians, the shrine quickly became a pilgrimage destination for Jews and later for Muslims. Each of these communities left an indelible mark on the traditions and customs of this holy place. During some periods, they managed to celebrate the memory of Samuel in unison, but largely the shrine was a source of conflicts or even bloody battles. In 1967, the area around Nabi Samuel was incorporated into the Israeli-Occupied Territories. Due to the rich tradition associated with the cult of the OT prophet, but even more the significance of Nabi Samuel (identified as the ancient Mizpah), the Israeli authorities have tried to make this site a memorial to Israel’s ancient history, and at the same time a tourist attraction. Since then, the actions of the authorities have provoked constant protests and unrest. As has recently been revealed, the motivations of the Israeli administration are not only religious, historical, and political, but also business-related, although this is shamefully hidden behind lofty slogans.

The politics of time: Political entropy, settler colonialism and urban ruination in Hebron / Al-Khalil, Palestine

This paper explores the relationships between settler colonialism and temporal regimes of urban ruination in the Palestinian city of Hebron/Al-Khalil. The city is divided into two sectors: H1, controlled by the Palestinian National Authority, and H2, roughly 20% of the city, including 33,000 Palestinians and 700 Jewish settlers, living under direct Israeli military occupation. Drawing on fieldwork in H2, we identify several temporal formations shaping H2: the settler-messianic time that spatializes the past as a platform to facilitate colonial expansion; contemporary military control that seeks to destabilize Palestinian homes, their everyday lives and ontological security in the present; and the Palestinian effort to recalibrate the rhythm of elimination and recover the future. The paper develops the concept of political entropy: a temporal technology of control that builds on the process of natural decay. Israel uses the power of time and entropy to let Palestinian assets decay slowly while prohibiting proper renovation and maintenance. The mundane violence of political entropy tends to remain unseen, as the harm is done slowly, allegedly naturally. Facing the settler colonial temporalities that maintain a state of undecidedness, where deferral itself becomes a weapon which lets entropy operate without interruption, Hebron's Palestinian inhabitants aim at slowing down the effects of time by applying friction to the process of ruination, as well as by their insistence on futurability. By identifying the temporalities trapping the city's Palestinian population, our paper thus frames Hebron's H2 as space that is simultaneously ruined and reclaimed.

Resistance Among the Druze

Abstract The Syrian Druze in the Golan Heights have been resisting Israeli occupation for more than five decades. Their efforts in preserving their Arab-Syrian nationality and heritage against the “Israelization” of the Golan Heights have been widely undertheorized. The aim of this article is to study the types and methods of resistance that the Syrian Druze community in the Golan Heights have utilized in rejecting Israeli occupation. Apart from a brief incidence of military resistance by the Syrian Druze in the Golan Heights, which was quickly suppressed by Israel, the essence of the community’s anti-Israeli activities has been within the framework of civil resistance. This paper analyzes three types of civil resistance in the Golan Heights: political and identity-based, socio-economic, and environmental resistance. The paper links these types of civil resistance to Gene Sharp’s pragmatic approach to civil resistance and disobedience.

“Our Identity is Our Dignity”: Digital Transformations: Palestinian Aspirations, Idealism, Reality and Pragmatism

This article reports on a collaborative project for the digital innovation of language teaching in Palestine, and it argues for the necessity of mobile learning to circumvent disruption created by the Israeli occupation causing challenges that result in marginalisation and disenfranchisement of opportunity. This partly occurs through the oppression of a sovereign curriculum that supports Palestinian self-determination. This oppression is against both the United Nations Development Goals protected rights for education and the Palestinian Ministry’s vision for a society with an education sector that embraces the use of technology to invigorate the value of its culture, produce knowledge and promote emancipation. The article proposes the integration of digital technologies with student-centred learning to enhance and support transformation through three main elements: 1. Digital competence to develop confidence and agency in teachers; 2. Continuous teacher learning to develop autonomy and collaboration within organisations; 3. Problem-solving competencies, which can result in continuous improvement loops and local solutions to barriers. This article will resonate with those recognising the need for critical theory to challenge policy and practice where it deepens disadvantage. It draws upon the voices of 20 teachers from four higher education institutions in Palestine, who reflect on the barriers to innovation and a reclaiming of educational terrain.

Colonial violence and the dangerous passivity of Western intellectuals on Palestine

The latest assault on Palestine by the Israeli occupation, beginning in early October 2023, marked another instance of colonial violence supported by the West. Through material, ideological and political support, Western political figures, media, intellectuals and civil society organisations have facilitated the decimation of Palestinian society, historically and currently. This intervention argues that Western intellectuals have an important task; to break with this history and collectively engage in crucial solidarity with the Palestinian cause of liberation from Israeli colonial occupation. By connecting and engaging with Palestinian movements and organisations at the forefront of the struggle, Western intellectuals should demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, call for boycotting, divesting from Israeli universities and Western institutions complicit in the occupation, recognise the illegitimacy of Israeli settler colonialism, and build long-lasting relationships with Palestinian counterpart institutions.

Backsliding without Democracy

Abstract This article analyzes the effects of Israel's democratic backsliding on the Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. While research on democratic backsliding focuses on the erosion of liberal democratic features and how this influences democracies’ citizenry, Israel's composite regime offers a unique setting: an established (albeit weakened) liberal democracy ‘within the Green Line’ alongside an established occupation devoid of democratic features ‘beyond the Green Line.’ Exploring this, I analyze how Israel's belligerent occupation has at times been restrained by the ‘democratic side’ of the country, resulting in Palestinians indirectly benefiting from Israel's democracy while not having democratic rights themselves. The article thus demonstrates how Palestinians may be among the first populations to suffer from democratic backsliding while themselves being devoid of democratic rights.

Flowing with Reality (Musaiyyara)

Abstract This article delves into the intricate relationship between the Islamic Movement and the authorities in Israel. It specifically examines the strategy of integrating the southern faction into Israeli politics in recent years and during the emergence of the democracy crisis in Israel. I term this strategy ‘the politics of musaiyyara’ (flowing with reality), a distinctive approach within the Israeli context. This approach utilizes the Knesset as a platform for forging new alliances with Zionist actors, sidestepping discussions on issues related to the Israeli occupation. The article relies on primary sources that convey the perspectives of the Islamic Movement, specifically its two leaders, Sheikh ʻAbd Allāh Nimr Darwīsh, representing the old generation, and MK Mansour Abbas, representing the newer generation within the movement.

Sanitation is political: understanding stakeholders’ incentives in funding sanitation for the Gaza Strip, Palestine

The Gaza Strip is dependent on external aid to deliver basic services, including water and sanitation. Such services are not sustainable due to the Israeli occupation and the limited financial and technical capacities of service providers and the state. This paper examines the incentives of stakeholders in delivering sanitation services in the Gaza Strip through a qualitative institutional economics analysis of literature supplemented with qualitative key informant interviews. External aid is crucial to deliver basic services in the Gaza Strip. However, this has created a dependency that undermines the sustainability of sanitation services. Donor agencies often prioritise capital expenditure on visible infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment, without addressing its long and short-term operational needs; hence the Gaza Strip’s needs are continually addressed as an emergency response. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas de facto governments lack sovereignty over the Gaza Strip and Palestine. Therefore, they also lack the capacity and incentives to create an enabling environment for delivering safely managed sanitation. This paper contributes to development policy literature, the politics of infrastructure and wider politics of settler colonialism and siege basic services such as water and sanitation.

The Palestinian Operation on October 7 Between International Legitimacy and Criminalization

This study delved into the operation of Palestinian resistance on the seventh of October, navigating the realms of legitimacy and criminalization within the framework of international law. The researcher examined the historical evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, revealing a continuous onslaught, occupation, and killing endured by the Palestinian people for over 70 years. The legal foundation of the Palestinian resistance's legitimacy on the seventh of October was explored in light of international law, with the researcher concluding that the resistance exercised its right to legitimate defense in accordance with the United Nations Charter against ongoing aggression by the Israeli occupation. Furthermore, the researcher found that the resistance's actions were consistent with its exercise of the right to self-determination, as endorsed by numerous United Nations resolutions on the Palestinian issue. Finally, the study addressed Israeli allegations of massacres committed by the Palestinian resistance on the seventh of October, presenting evidence that the resistance adhered to international law in its operation and did not violate its provisions. The researcher urged the United Nations to take stricter measures, particularly through its Security Council, by activating Chapter Seven of the Charter to compel Israel to implement international resolutions. Additionally, the researcher also calls on international organizations to morally and materially support the legitimacy of Palestinian armed resistance to exercise its right to self-determination against Israeli occupation and settlement. The researcher recommended that global media listen to both sides of the conflict's narrative for journalistic credibility.

Challenges facing Palestinian crime scene investigators

BackgroundCrime scene investigation (CSI) in general means the standard procedures and techniques used for processing and reconstructing of scene of crime. In Palestine, the competent authorities delegated by law to carry out the task of research and investigation of crimes and inspection at the crime scene are the officers granted by law the status of the judicial police. CSIs face numerous challenges that affect every worker involved. These challenges arise from legal, administrative, security, and technical aspects. This study aimed to point out the challenges faced by field police personnel during CSI in Palestine. To achieve the aims of this study, a validated and reliable questionnaire was developed. The study sample consisted of 354 crime scene investigators and officers affiliated with the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) across all governorates of the West Bank.ResultsIn addition to the training of CSI officers, and shortage of equipment, the findings of this study indicate that there are many challenges amplified by the Israeli occupation facing PCP officers concerning crime scene management and technical procedures during CSIs such as the collection, transportation, and storage of forensic evidence. Overlapping responsibilities and difficulties in coordinating specialized agencies working at the crime scene are also factors that should be better studied.ConclusionThis study invites decision-makers within the Palestinian police agencies to prioritize efforts to address the significant challenges encountered by workers at crime scenes. They should give special attention on enhancing training programs and providing the necessary tools and devices for effective crime scene work. It also recommends Palestinian representatives at international stage to highlight the obstacles facing workers at crime scenes due to the occupation.

Determinants of bank credit in Jordan and Palestine: a comparative analysis

Purpose- This paper analyzes the determinants of the annual changes in conventional banks’ credit in Jordan and Palestine. In addition, the paper examines whether the differences in the determinants of bank credit in both economies are due to country or bank-specific factors. As one might expect, the argument behind this paper rests on the fact that the Israeli occupation of Palestine makes the political and economic environments of the two countries very different. Methodology- A panel of data of all thirteen (13) Jordanian conventional banks and 12 Palestinian conventional banks are used in the econometric analyses (2010 – 2021). For each set of banks, the annual percentage changes in credit are regresed on the percentage annual change in bank deposits, equity is equity capital, bank size, and bank income diversification level. Following this exercise, the differences in of both sets of coefficients are examined using the F-test. If different, one can argue that the difference can be due to the differential effects of either bank-level differences or country-level differences. To examine this issue, we re-estimate tha main model by controlling for the presence of fixed effects in the bank credit relationship and re-estimate the F-test. If the F test is significant, this implies that the differences in the magnitude of the relationshisp are due to country factors and not to bank-specific factors. Findings- Based on the estimated results, several interesting observations are noted. First, there are differences in the determinants of the annual change in bank credit between banks in Jordan and in Palestinian in terms of the signs of the independent variables and their values. Second, the significant differences in the determinants of the annual change in bank credit between banks in Jordan and in Palestinian are due to country-specific factors and not the bank-specific factors. Finally, given the differences in the political and economic environments in which banks in Jordan and Palestine operate, one should not be surprised of the main finding of this thesis. Conclusion- It would be informative to examine the performance of both sets of banks in terms of other issue including the determinants of cost of intermediation, stability, bank discipline, and bank competition. Keywords: Jordan, Palestine, banks, credit growth, equity capital, seemingly-unrelated regression. JEL Codes: G20, G21, G24

An Analysis of the Palestinian Foreign Trade During the Period 1995–2022: A Gravity Model Approach

This research investigates the determinants of Palestinian foreign trade by conducting a comprehensive analysis of various factors influencing both export and import volumes, using the gravity model as the analytical framework. The considered determinants include per capita GDP, Consumer Price Index (CPI), trade agreements, Israeli closure of commercial borders, and Geographical Distance. In terms of exports, the results demonstrate a statistically significant positive relationship with per capita GDP, affirming the hypothesis that heightened economic growth is associated with increased exports. On the import side, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) reveals a statistically significant positive association, showing that increased inflation is linked to a decline in imports, likely due to reduced purchasing power. Contrastingly, trade agreements show a complex relationship with both positive and negative potential impacts on both exports and imports. The complex nature of its impact necessitates further investigation. The Israeli closure of the commercial borders significantly hampers both import and export volumes, underscoring the challenges imposed by Israeli restrictions. Geographical Distance does not emerge as a significant factor in either exports or imports, challenging established economic theories regarding the impact of proximity on trade volumes. The research findings highlight the profound impact of Israeli occupation policies on the Palestinian economy, resulting in significant economic distortions and impeding economic development over several decades. Furthermore, the research shows the inability of the Palestinian Authority to implement independent economic policies due to the dominant role of Israel in decision-making processes. This inability, combined with the significant economic distortions caused by Israeli occupation policies, hinders further economic growth and development, as the Palestinian Authority cannot undertake crucial economic initiatives.

Mapping Informal Learning for Displaced Learners during the War on Gaza 2023- Application of Situated Cognition

War on Gaza since October 2023, presented a dire picture of the displaced children's situation, marked by psychological stress, health risks, educational disruption, and a profound impact on their physical, emotional, and cognitive development.This paper explores the criticality of sustaining learning and development for Gazan young people, particularly those displaced, amidst challenging environments such as war zones. And the primary aim of this study is to propose a construct to help develop and initial informal learning to help displaced not to miss learning opportunities.The researchers have taken into consideration the scenario of the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the Israeli occupation's increasing atrocities without seeing clear intentions for ceasefire. Then, the researchers propose a framework for informal learning that adapts to the realities of displacement and war, grounded in the concept of situated cognition. The constructs prioritize hands-on experiences and skills relevant to the displaced students' immediate context. It suggests a shift towards informal learning methods that foster cognitive reserve, resilience, and adaptability in children, utilizing play, storytelling, exploration, and cultural activities.The paper concludes by discussing the vital role of informal learning in maintaining the continuity of education for displaced children in Gaza. It argues for immediate educational interventions alongside long-term strategies for rebuilding the educational system, tailored to the complex needs of students in the recovery and healing phases. The study recognizes its limitations in addressing the potential of technology in informal learning, given the severe constraints of the situation in Gaza.

Electronic Services for Public Facilities An applied study of the principle of changing the rules governing Palestinian public facilities.

This research deals with the issue of electronic services provided by some public facilities in Palestine, as it has been addressed within one of the most important foundations of administrative law related to changing the provisions of the management of public facilities according to variables and circumstances. This research links these services to the concept of modern digital management used to manage public facilities, and it presents an analysis of these services in Palestinian administrative law from the perspective of their legal legitimacy within administrative law. It also clarifies the nature of the services that can be provided through the electronic services clause and those that cannot be a substitute for that. It also provides a realistic analysis of the most important Palestinian public services that are provided by digital administration from through electronic services. The aim of this research is primarily to address the methods of managing some facilities and providing electronic services through them, and thus the relationship of providing these services electronically to the changes that occurred in the management of public facilities in Palestine due to the war, or due to the interruption of communication between cities as a result of the barriers placed by the Israeli occupation, especially in the West Bank. Western and the resulting impossibility of providing services in person in most public facilities. The researcher used the analytical method in this research to analyze the principles that govern the management of public facilities in accordance with the rules of administrative law, as well as jurisprudence and comparative and Palestinian jurisprudence to reach a set of results, the most important of which is the legitimacy of providing public services through the electronic services system, and that there is a group of services with Privacy, such as treatment, interviews, etc., cannot in any way be provided as electronic services, and there is room to develop some services to be provided electronically after processing them legally, such as litigation and employment services, licensing services, etc. The research also reached a set of recommendations, the most important of which is developing the government electronic services system in Palestine through legislative and technological support. The trend towards supporting electronic services in the judicial authority by supporting electronic litigation and other recommendations.

Prolonged Military Occupation: Rethinking the Israeli Occupation on the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Abstract This research focuses on an increasingly important question associated with the state of military occupation as part of International Humanitarian Law, namely, to what extent the rights and duties of an occupying power are to be broadened or otherwise minimized when an occupation of a foreign territory lasts for a long period of time? This question is necessitated by the practices of some occupying powers that claim their ‘original’ authority over occupied areas should exceed the original rights embodied in the legal corpus on military occupation due to the prolonged nature of their military presence. This research focuses on the state of the Israeli military occupation over the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs.) and found that the Israeli practices are calculated in this direction, i.e., the expansionist policy, which ultimately conflict with the corpus of rules of international law on military occupation.

Translation as an Ideological Practice in Abulhawa’s Mornings in Jenin

This paper adopts Mona Baker’s narrative theory to examine the translation of Susan Abulhawa’s Mornings in Jenin. In her work in English, Abulhawa provides her autonomous account of the story of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The paper uses narrative theory to explore how the translator reframes the conflict by accentuating the parts portraying Palestinians as victims and by changing certain aspects in the representation of the Palestinian culture in Arabic. The researchers detect some patterns of interferences that influence readers’ reception of the Israeli occupation following the 1948 events (The Nakba). The translator seems to bring the text back to its original homeland by making amendments compatible with her own views and with the norms of target Arab readers. Keywords: Translation; Narrative Theory; Reframing; Activism, Ideology.

THE MOVEMENT OF SHEIKH AHMAD YASIN AND THE MISSION OF PALESTINIAN LIBERATION

This research aims to explore the activities of Sheikh Ahmad Yasin in the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas) in Palestine. The results reveal that Sheikh Ahmad Yasin, who founded Hamas in 1987, held a prominent position among the leaders of organization and was regarded as one of the significant figures of Palestinian martyrs. While serving as the leader of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmad Yasin played a pivotal role in the establishment of several institutions, including zakat collection agencies, peace institutions to resolve disputes among residents, Islamic schools, social institutions, and more. Hamas plays a role in Palestinian society for socialization, interaction, mobilization, and the liberation of Palestinian society from all conflicts and Israeli occupation. Sheikh Ahmad Yasin's movement has a profound and beneficial impact on Palestinian society, providing healthcare, education, and religious guidance to the population in the Gaza Strip, an area controlled by Palestine. It can be concluded that Sheikh Ahmad Yasin's movement and the mission of Palestinian liberation serve a crucial role in society for socialization, interaction, and realizing the struggle for independence through the Hamas movement.

Surpass obstacles for the development of Agrarian Insurance in Palestine and the challenge for water

The study aimed to analyze the reality of agricultural insurance in Palestine and the technological applications used in this sector, and used the historical approach based on two important axes: 1 - agricultural lands in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under the practices of the Israeli occupation, 2 - the Palestinian water sector under the Israeli occupation, the study concluded He pointed out that agricultural insurance in Palestine is in the preliminary stage, due to the inability of insurance companies to bear the losses resulting from the risks of occupation practices, such as the occupation practices in destroying agricultural lands with several unrealistic justifications, as well as controlling and plundering Palestinian water resources