Forms of Palestinian Resistance
Armed Resistance
1965: Founding of PLO
Palestine Liberation Organization established as united resistance front
- Unified various factions under one organization
- Recognized as sole legitimate representative of Palestinians
- Launched operations against Israeli occupation
1987 & 2000: Intifadas
Popular uprisings combining armed and civil resistance
- First Intifada (1987-1993): Stone-throwing youth vs. occupation
- Second Intifada (2000-2005): Response to occupation brutality
- 3,000+ Palestinians killed during uprisings
Civil Resistance
2018: Great March of Return
Peaceful protests at Gaza border fence
- Weekly protests demanding right of return
- 223 protesters killed by Israeli snipers
- Included medics, journalists, disabled protesters
- UN condemned Israel's use of live fire
Sheikh Jarrah Protests
Resistance to ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem
- 2021 protests against forced expulsions
- United Palestinians across all territories
- Global solidarity movement #SaveSheikhJarrah
- Led to temporary halt of evictions
Economic Resistance
BDS Movement
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign
- Launched in 2005 by 170+ Palestinian organizations
- Modeled after South African anti-apartheid movement
- Key demands: End occupation, equal rights, right of return
- Successes: Ben & Jerry's, Veolia, UN Human Rights blacklist
Agricultural Resistance
Sumoud ("steadfastness") through farming
- Planting olive trees as symbols of rootedness
- Resisting confiscation through cultivation
- Tarabin Bedouins refusing forced displacement
Cultural Resistance
Art & Literature
Preserving identity through creative expression
- Naji al-Ali's Handala cartoon symbol
- Mahmoud Darwish's poetry of exile
- Murals in refugee camps and on Israel's separation wall
Symbols of Resistance
Cultural icons asserting Palestinian identity
- Keffiyeh headscarf as national symbol
- Watermelon imagery when Palestinian flag was banned
- Keys symbolizing right of return
Digital Resistance
Social Media Activism
Bypassing media blackouts to document occupation
- #FreePalestine - Most trending hashtag in 2021
- Palestinian journalists documenting war crimes
- Bypassing censorship through alternative platforms
Alternative Media
Challenging biased mainstream narratives
- Electronic Intifada, Mondoweiss, Middle East Eye
- Palestinian podcasters and YouTubers
- Graphic novels like "Palestine" by Joe Sacco
