Settler colonialism and resistancein Palestine from 2009 to 2019 / Belal S.M. Alakhras

Belal S.M. , Alakhras (2023) Settler colonialism and resistancein Palestine from 2009 to 2019 / Belal S.M. Alakhras. PhD thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

In 1948, Israeli forces took over most of the Palestinian territory and forced the majority of Palestinians to leave their homes. Since then, Israel’s colonial endeavour against Palestinians has continued, and Palestinians have faced numerous attempts to erase their presence. Despite its efforts, Palestinian resistance has not achieved the end of Israeli control. This study examines the continuation of Israeli settler colonialism in the West Bank and Gaza Strip between 2009 and 2019. The research aims to provide insights into these key questions: what are the influencing factors on the Israeli government’s treatment of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip? How do the influencing factors shape the Israeli government’s treatment of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip? How are the Palestinians affected politically and demographically by the Israeli treatment of them in the West Bank and Gaza Strip? Why is the Palestinian resistance unable to end Israeli settler colonialism? This study adopts the transformative paradigm, a research framework that emphasizes analysing power dynamics, promoting social change, and exploring the potential for transformative shifts that empower marginalized groups. A qualitative research method involving a case study approach is used here. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and documentation. Purposive sampling was used to select the research informants. The theory of settler colonialism and Square of Resistance were used as conceptual frameworks to analyse the data. The results indicate that the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was influenced by various internal and external factors. Internal factors include political structure, ideology, public opinion, and the indigenous people’s response. Regional (dis-)order and the US-Israel alliance are external factors. The bulk of these factors has driven a violent Israeli approach toward Palestinians. This study also explained Israeli tendencies to eliminate Palestinian political viability and demographic existence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. On the other hand, various political, economic, cultural, and armed obstacles have hampered the Palestinian efforts to end Israeli settler colonialism. Internal Palestinian divisions were found to be a major impediment to achieving decolonization. The establishment of the Palestinian Authority has shifted Palestinians’ attention away from the struggle for national liberation and towards governance and internal power competition. The Palestinian economy has been heavily reliant on the Israeli economy. Little effort was made among Palestinians to preserve national traditions and arts. Palestinian consciousness suffered as a result of the internal schism. The armed resistance was found to be lacking as various local and regional forces have targeted it, and it has become less proactive in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian movements have not engaged in a broad-based decolonization struggle in recent years.

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