Identity narrative for Palestinian women activists vs Israeli women activists
By Sandra
As a Palestinian woman activist I carry not only the weight of national struggle but also the layered reality of navigating that struggle through a gendered lens Our identity as Palestinian women is shaped by decades of occupation political violence and social exclusion but also by deep resilience Around the world women from conflict zones such as South Africa, Northern Ireland Cyprus and Colombia have shown us that our stories while unique echo a collective experience of perseverance survival and transformation These women have offered pathways not just to peace but to power.
The identity narratives of Palestinian and Israeli women activists are deeply informed by their respective histories cultures and political contexts.While there are shared commitments to social justice human rights and a desire to end the cycle of violence the divergence often lies in how our identities as women are politicized and how our roles are either diminished or mobilized in national discourses. For me the struggle for national liberation is central It is not separate from my gender identity it reinforces it As a woman under occupation the struggle is personal Palestinian women activists see ourselves as part of a longstanding fight for self-determination Our activism is a form of resistance but also an act of self-preservation We speak often about protecting our cultural identity but what we mean is also preserving the right to exist as women with agency voice and dignity.
Israeli women activists face a more layered negotiation with their national identity Some work for justice from within the structures of Israeli society while others distance themselves from national frameworks altogether Many come from marginalized community’s LGBTQ Mizrahi or Palestinian citizens of Israel and their activism is shaped by the discrimination they face within their own system in this there is a point of intersection women resisting systems that were not built with them in mind The relationship between the two groups is equally complex I have seen Palestinian women look to Israeli women as potential allies hoping for solidarity in dismantling systems of oppression But we are also cautious rightly so of voices that claim to stand with us without confronting the reality of occupation Israeli women activists often center their activism within Israeli society which can result in bypassing the core of the conflict This imbalance creates friction Solidarity requires more than shared values it requires shared risks.
Looking outward I find strength in the stories of women from other conflict zones women who demanded space at negotiation tables who turned their grief into political leverage who rejected invisibility In Northern Ireland women formed cross community coalitions that forced their inclusion in the peace process In Colombia women victims of violence became architects of transitional justice frameworks In Cyprus womens groups have reimagined bi communal collaboration in ways their governments never could These are not distant examples they are blueprints. What these women have taught me is that navigating conflict as a woman is not a passive experience it is deeply political from organizing in grassroots spaces to creating shadow reports and demanding quotas in transitional bodies they have shown us that gender is not a side issue it is the issue and when women mobilize collectively they do not just humanize peace they shape it.
The same potential exists here Palestinian and Israeli women are not strangers to resilience We know how to carry loss and still build but the challenge is not only building trust across lines it is about building power It is possible to create coalitions that demand access to decision making It is possible to insert our narratives into spaces that have long excluded us and it is possible to learn from those who have been there and done that and succeeded
In conclusion while the identity narratives of Palestinian and Israeli women differ due to historical political and societal forces the shared gendered experience of living under or in relation to conflict offers a unique space for connection learning and transformation to move forward we must not only acknowledge these narratives but elevate them to positions of influence Women have always been on the frontlines of survival It is time we are at the frontlines of peace.
By Sandra