Palestinian Civilians Research Articles

Gaza’s hidden crisis: adults, children, and generations of psychological torment to come

ABSTRACT For more than a year, the world has been exposed to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the destruction, medical devastation, and the death toll of this crisis. What has been largely missing from the picture, has been an attention to the long-term mental health impact of the ongoing trauma among the Palestinian civilians and the Israeli hostages in Gaza. This article anticipates the enduring generational impact of war trauma on mental health of the civilians in Gaza, drawing from the author’s clinical and research experiences of Iraqi, Syrian, Afghan, African, and Ukrainian war-exposed civilians, refugees, and survivors of torture. Across most different studies, war exposure leads to PTSD in nearly 30–50% of adult civilians, and similar rates of depression and anxiety. Civilians in Gaza, facing daily horrors and a profound sense of helplessness, are likely experiencing even greater psychological distress. Children, significantly affected during critical developmental stages, are at risk of long-term mental and physical health issues. The psychological, cultural, and epigenetic aspects of the intergenerational transmission of trauma can lead to psychological torment across generations. Addressing the mental health needs of these populations is crucial to mitigating the profound and lasting impact of war.

Crimes against Palestinian Civilians Under Zionist Occupation

Throughout its long history, humanity has coexisted with conflicts, power, influence, policies of violence and distress, bloodbaths, massacres, racial calamities and famines. Its present and future visions are still subject to horrors, hardships and tragedies. International humanitarian law has come to express these values in legal language that imposes the obligation on the States parties that make up these agreements. The basic rules and principles of this law have become a set of values accepted by the entire international community and to know that the civilian population is the first to be exposed in most cases to acts of aggression and violence. In different parts of the world, we are witnessing the process of ethnic cleansing, mass killings and atrocities committed against civilians and destroying their homes and property. This is what prompted the researcher to choose his research ( crimes committed against Palestinian civilians under the Zionist occupation) to answer many questions, including knowing who are civilians through the concept of crimes against civilians. The international trend of retaliation against civilians was rejected during the military operations. In the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in 1970, it is not permissible to retaliate against the civilian population, whether they are a group or individuals in armed conflicts. Civilians, in particular, within the framework of international humanitarian law, which is a newly established law that includes a set of international legal rules targeting situations of armed conflict and the protection of civilians suffering from the scourge of this conflict , and the subsequent military occupation. The rules of international humanitarian law are characterized by moral highness, as they codify the rules of morality that must prevail during armed conflict and military occupation

Unveiling Israel's Moral Claims: Truth and Western Collaboration

This paper will critically examine the prevailing narrative of Israel's self-proclaimed innocence that dominates Western discourse, often reinforced through censorship and selective publications. In doing so, it uncovers the evident disparity between Israel's proclaimed ethical standing and the documented instances of severe human rights violations against the Palestinian population, including Apartheid and the suppression of Palestinian voices. This paper will also shed light on the inconsistent reactions of Western media by contrasting responses to Israel's human rights abuses with those directed towards other nations committing similar atrocities. By unravelling these discrepancies, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions surrounding the Palestinian occupation and questions the portrayal of Israel's actions and their reception in the global media landscape. Author’s note: This was written in honor of Palestinian civilians suffering the ongoing genocide inflicted by Israel on the Gaza Strip and neighboring villages since October 7, 2023. More than 32000 Palestinians, 1/3rd being children, as of March 27th, 2024, have been murdered.

Cross-national civilian reporting of the everydayness of war: Emerging citizen journalism practices in Palestine and Kashmir

This article explores how Palestinian and Kashmiri civilians engage with the everyday reality of war. The focus is on understanding how citizens temporarily adopt the roles of war correspondents, contributing to the broader conflict narrative. Employing an inductive approach, the study integrates ethnography, phenomenology, and reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to gain insights into how citizen journalists shape war narratives. Analysing the interview data through RTA reveals six key themes: “Emerging citizen journalism practices,” “Community Consciousness,” “Challenges in media perception,” “Self-expression and Social cohesion,” Responding to Authoritarian Falsehoods”, “Teen journalism”, and “Self-protection and safety”. The findings suggest that the citizen journalism practices in Palestine and Kashmir strategically report the war narratives, representing a progressive journalism practice. The results underline that citizen journalism practices in these regions purposefully present war narratives and represent a form of constructive journalism, which responds to authoritarian regimes’ extensive control over mainstream media and facilitates reconciliation and peace. Such citizen journalism practices act as an equipoise to data imbalances in information architecture for the consumers. The research underscores how conflict citizen journalism embodies activist and collaborative models with robust potential for replication in other conflict-ridden areas.

Pemikiran Etika Perang Imām al-Shawkānī: Analisis Teori Just War dan Relevansi Konflik Israel-Palestina

This research analyzes Imām al-Shawkānī’s thoughts on war ethics within the Just War theory perspective, using the book “Nayl al-Awṭār.” The Israel-Palestine conflict is seen as an example of the abuse of power in just war ethics to the detriment of Palestinian civilians. Just War theory emphasises justice, proportionality and protection of civilians, yet Israel's military operations often violate these principles. Imām al-Shawkānī's thought in Nayl al-Awṭār had an Islamic perspective that emphasised justice and humanity in war. Integrating Just War principles with al-Shawkānī's ethics of war can provide a strong ethical framework to evaluate military actions in the Israel-Palestine conflict and seek a more just solution. Through a library research method and descriptive analysis, this study aims to contribute to the explanation of the connection between religion, ethics, and armed conflict, while promoting international peace and justice. Its practical implications highlight the significance of strengthening Islamic values in facing foreign cultural dominance, while its contemporary relevance underscores the necessity of upholding international law and human rights conventions in addressing armed conflicts. Thus, this research not only provides new insights into the ethics of war in Islam but also highlights the importance of actions to uphold humanity and justice in global armed conflicts.

Revolusi Kampus, Wajah Baru Islam di Amerika

Israel's brutal attacks on Palestinian land continue. More than 35,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed. Most of the victims are women and children. The genocide committed by Israel and funded by the United States (US) has been condemned by the world. Interestingly, a massive wave of protests was carried out by students on prominent campuses in the US. This ally of Israel deployed a large number of police officers to stop student action. More than 1000 students from various campuses in the US were arrested by local police. However, the action did not stop and actually expanded to hundreds of campuses. The US student social movement confirms the theory of social movements led by youth and students, which is undeniable. The US student solidarity action has erupted into a campus revolution that places students as the main actors and agents of change. The campus revolution in the US has succeeded in giving a new color to US democracy that melts ideological barriers. The campus revolution in the US also presents a new face of Islam in the land of Pamansam, which is dominated by young people and scholars.

Mobile phone activism during Israel’s ‘Operation Guardian of the Wall’ in Gaza

The 11-day war in May 2021 between Israel and Palestine (Gaza) is worth investigating as a phenomenon of recording war testimonies and memories by civilian mobile phone users. This article explores mobile phone usage by Palestinian civilians to record and document everyday war narratives. The users document, archive and disseminate diverse war memories on various social media platforms. Semi-structured (ethnographic) interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) are included in the methodological design to understand the patterns of mobile phone activism by civilians during Israel’s Operation Guardian of the Wall in Gaza. The authors argue that the physical and digital (phygital) spaces exist simultaneously, forming the socio-psychological presence of the users in the war and making them significant stakeholders of the Israel–Palestine war narrative. The emergence of a phygital presence signifies a comprehensive representation and archive of civilian war testimonies. Users’ mobile phone footage plays a significant role in shaping discourses of dissent and mobile activism, driving and sustaining collective emotions regarding the repercussions of war. These discourses also contribute to the socio-psychological construction of a phygital memory archive, enriching the conflict’s broader narrative.

A War They Both Are Losing: Israel, Hamas and the Plight of Gaza

When the fighting ends, Israel and Hamas both may be worse off than when it started. Hamas has inflicted tremendous pain on Israel, stalled its regional normalisation, restored its ‘resistance’ credentials and, for now, improved its popularity among Palestinians. Yet its military forces and infrastructure are battered, its leadership under siege and its long-term popularity uncertain. Israel has preserved deterrence vis-à-vis Hizbullah and demonstrated its military value to its new Arab Gulf partners, but it has failed to rescue most of the hostages Hamas took on 7 October 2023, and the humanitarian toll of its brutal campaign has damaged its international reputation. Iran has also gained from the diversion of international attention to Israeli killings of Palestinian civilians. With no plan for the day after in Gaza, Israel may find itself bogged down in a forever war or facing Hamas’s eventual return to power. The United States should push Israel to take the steps required to install an alternative Palestinian government in Gaza.

The Role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Resolving Israeli War Crimes Against Palestinian Civilians

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially in the context of war crimes that harm Palestinian civilians, has become the focus of world attention. The International Criminal Court (ICC), based on the 1998 Rome Statute, has jurisdiction over crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. This research analyzes the role of the ICC in dealing with Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians. The ICC, as a permanent international tribunal, can try perpetrators of war crimes regardless of their official capacity in their country of origin. The ICC has the potential to provide justice for Palestinian victims of war crimes, although the challenge is to exercise jurisdiction over non-party states and ensure its decisions comply with international expectations for justice and peace

ICC Jurisdiction: Against Israeli War and Humanitarian Crimes Targeting Palestinian Civilians 2023

The article explains the jurisdictional policy of the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding Israeli war crimes targeting Palestinian civilians, during the attack on Gaza on October 7, 2023. The article shows that based on articles of the Rome Statute, Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity that occurred on October 7, 2023. therefore, the ICC has authority in this matter. ICC policy towards conflict 7 October 2023, ICC jurisdiction took action to continue the investigative process and will accelerate investigations related to the conflict, while Israel in 2024 and the latest update is not part of the non-member states of the ICC. However, given the jurisdiction of the ICC, it has jurisdiction regarding its investigations in countries that are not parties to the ICC. This is influenced by several factors in upholding the ICC's jurisdictional investigation law against Israeli criminals even though Israel is not an ICC member state: First, Palestine is a state party to the ICC which is supposed to provide justice for civil society. Second, there is pressure and encouragement from member countries and non-member countries of the ICC to carry out investigations regarding the conflict attack in October 2023.

Palestine and Israel War Conflict During COVID-19

The purpose of this study is to determine how international law affects the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approach used in this research is literature study, which entails gathering pertinent material from books and journals, evaluating it, and drawing conclusions. Concerns regarding the socio-economic circumstances of Palestinians have been highlighted by the fast-spreading COVID-19 epidemic. Overcoming two issues at once is becoming more and more difficult. Considering the harm done to infrastructure for sanitation, hygiene, and water, the Palestinians’ situation is getting better. The COVID-19 virus is being stopped by impeding the flow of essential supplies into the Palestinian state and causing environmental harm, both of which may affect public health. International humanitarian law is in place to prevent these kinds of tragedies, but the Israeli government and military disobey these laws. From an international law standpoint, this research helps understand how the state of Israel behaved toward Palestine during the COVID-19 epidemic. References to a wide range of national and international periodicals and books were used in the preparation of this research. In addition, it makes use of the most recent news about the subjects covered. The findings of this review of the literature indicate that despite an increase in attacks on Palestinian civilians, the situation between Israel and Palestine has not improved

Mediated Clash of Civilizations: Examining the Proximity-Visual Framing Nexus in Al Jazeera Arabic and Fox News’ Coverage of the 2021 Gaza War

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is amongst the most polarizing topics today, particularly when comparing predominant U.S. and Arab perspectives. News media are often criticized for being pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, and more so during deadly wars. This study examines all 320 images Al Jazeera Arabic and Fox News put out in their articles covering the May 2021 Gaza War and investigates how Qatar and the U.S.’s proximity to Israel and Palestine factored into the outlets’ visual framing choices. Despite both invoking the David and Goliath master narrative, they provided a polarized coverage of the war, with Al Jazeera proliferating narratives of Hamas and pro-Palestine supporters and exclusively foregrounding the suffering of Palestinian civilians, and Fox legitimating Israeli military actions and presenting Hamas as a terrorizing force that disrupts the lives of Israelis as well as wreaks havoc and fuels anti-Jewish sentiments in the U.S. After dissecting the cross-cultural differences in death and dying portrayals, displays of Israelis and Palestinians, and recurrent visual themes, the study concludes with a discussion on the influence of news agencies on media’s photographic decisions and the implications of extreme alignment in the proximity-framing nexus on the propagation of mediated clash of civilizations in the digital news sphere.

New Directions in Cognitive Grammar and Style

New Directions in Cognitive Grammar and Style

Problematika Antara Israel dan Palestina

This article examines how Indonesian diplomacy takes place in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Armed friction and clashes between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli military still occur and can even affect Palestinian civilians. Judging from the history of Indonesia's closeness to Palestine, Indonesia is one of the countries that actively call for the independence of Palestine with a two-state solution. This article is described using conflict resolution theory. Furthermore, the author finds the findings of Indonesian diplomacy in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Indonesia plays an active role through its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

War during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Case between Israel and Palestine

The purpose of this article is to find out how international law plays a role in the Israeli-Palestinian war during the Covid-19 pandemic. The method in writing this article was a literature study by collecting literature from journals and books relevant to the topic, then analyzing it, and then making conclusions. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic that spreads rapidly raises concerns about the socio-economic conditions of Palestinian citizens. The challenge is getting bigger in tackling these two problems simultaneously. The condition of Palestinian citizens is increasing concerning with the destruction of WASH facilities (water, sanitation, and hygiene), the inhibition of the supply of necessities that will enter the Palestinian state, as well as the destruction of the natural environment since these aspects can be used to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. International humanitarian law actually exists to limit the occurrence of such incidents, but these regulations are violated by the military and the Israeli government. This article is helpful to find out how the actions of the state of Israel against Palestine during the Covid-19 pandemic are based on the perspective of international law. This article was compiled with references to various literary sources from national and international journals and books. In addition, it also uses the latest news from the topics discussed. The result of this literature study is that the conflict that is being experienced by Israel and Palestine is not getting better with the increasing number of attacks on Palestinian civilians.

The jurisprudence of elimination: starvation and force-feeding of Palestinians in Israel's highest court

AbstractThis paper assesses the functioning of law and legal institutions in Palestine/Israel through the lens of settler colonialism by analysing two thematically interconnected decisions issued by the Supreme Court of Israel, the first involving the starvation of besieged Palestinian civilians and the second involving the force-feeding of Palestinian prisoners. Following a discussion regarding the role of law in settler colonialism, it proceeds to argue that the Court enabled, legitimised and legalised state-sanctioned violence that targeted the native Palestinian population by and through a jurisprudence of elimination in order to facilitate the attainment of Israeli settler-colonial objectives. By so doing, the paper provides further evidence in support of the appropriateness of settler colonialism as a theoretical framework for the case of Israel, including in legal matters.

From the Editors

From the Editors

The Involvement of UN in Palestine and the Possibility of a Global Protection Force

The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions are mandated to help nations torn by conflict and create conditions for sustainable peace. These peacekeeping operations hold legitimacy under international law and the ability to deploy troops to advance multidimensional domains. Peacekeeping operations are called upon to maintain peace and security, promote human rights, assist in restoring the rule of law, and help conflict-prone areas create conditions for sustainable peace ("What is Peacekeeping", n.d.). These missions are formed and mandated according to individual cases. The evolution of the global security environment and developing situations in conflictridden areas requires these missions to transform from 'traditional' to 'robust' to 'hybrid', accordingly (e.g., Ishaque, 2021). So why is it that no such model can be seen in restoring peace and protection of Palestinian civilians in one of the most protracted and deadly conflicts in history?

Permission to Narrate a Pandemic in Palestine

Permission to Narrate a Pandemic in Palestine

A Cruel Innovation: Israeli Experiments on Gaza’s Great March of Return

This article sheds light on the relationship between Israeli high-tech innovation and military/security production in the framework of settler-colonialism and the prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territories. It analyzes the global rise of Israel in military and security innovation as a result of decades-long colonial ventures and regional wars, which have been a key variable for dynamic and extensive innovation and productivity. Moreover, the article argues that Israeli military and security would not have been attainable without the extraordinary official assistance and private investment from the United States, especially since the aftermath of the 1967 war. Besides the structural dependency on the US, this article highlights other characteristics that define Israel’s military and security production, such as the vicious nature of these innovations, complicity in global atrocities, and profitability of innovation to Israel’s war economy. Finally, the article presents Gaza’s Great March of Return (gmr) as a case study to present evidence on the ways in which Israeli military forces and security companies are jointly involved in experimentation, using new weapons and unmanned devices on the Palestinian civilians.