After common use of the Arabic word ‘intifada’ to refer to clashes between Israel and Palestine between 1987-91 and 2000-05, the word (literally “tremor”, “shivering”, “shuddering”) is broadly recognised in the Western world. The locations where the conflict played out are familiar if not from broadcasts, then as settings in the books which are the base of the three dominant, monotheistic religions.
A vital thread in the political and cultural narratives of the Western powers, and a constant focus of international news broadcasting, Palestine remains at the forefront of the collective consciousness of the Western world. However, when faced with the question of what everyday life is like in the country, most Westerners draw a blank.
The Palestine depicted neither in the pages of a Lonely Planet guide, nor the New York Times, is not only valuable for its own sake. The geographical idiosyncrasies, characteristic phrases and cuisine of the country complete and makes sense of the broader narrative.
Here, we aim to paint a full some picture of Palestinian life, by focusing on the details often obscured by the various lines and shading of maps drawn for other purposes.
The Geography of Palestine
Palestine is located on the Eastern Mediterranean coast, also known as the Levant, with the Palestinian population native speakers of Levantine Arabic, or Shami.Hebrew, Samaritan Aramaic and Armenian are among a number of other languages also spoken.
The country is bordered by Lebanon in the North, and Jordan in the East, with the Red Sea, Sinai and Egypt in the South.The Mediterranean Sea to the West acts as a bridge and ancient trade route connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe. Palestine can be roughly divided into the four regions, with Ramallah, as its capital. First, the Jordan Valley and Ghawr, second the coastal and inner plains, third the Mountains and Hills, and finally the Southern Desert.
Though there is also small scale industry in Palestine, the sector representing the strongest contribution to the country’s GDP is agriculture. Much of the land supports the growth of olive trees, which are harvested in October and in some areas, wheat, lentils, and barley are also grown.
The Weather in Palestine
With only three months of winter, and heat tempered by cool wind blowing in from the Mediterranean, a moderate climate can be enjoyed for most of the year in Palestine.Rainfall occurs from November to February, when temperatures can reach as low as zero.
From April to June, meanwhile, hot, sandy, dusty Khamseen winds which blow in from the Arabian desert, send the temperature soaring as high as thirty five degrees.
How many Palestinians live in Palestine ?
There are an estimated 11.8 million Palestinians living in the world. Of these, 5.2 million are refugees residing in the 21 Arab countries excluding Palestine, and about 665 thousand living in non-Arab countries. 4.5 million live in Palestine (2.8 million in the West Bank and 1.7 million in Gaza ), and 1.4 million in Israel.
Many of those living in the Palestinian Territories were internally displaced during the 1948 and 1967 wars. In the West Bank are around twenty two refugee camps, the inhabitants of which amount to over 176,000. In Gaza, the number of refugees living in the twelve camps is as high as 478,000.
Some families have been living in refugee camps for over fifty years. Their continued presence in the camps can be seen as a form of resistance and a mark of their belief in and hope for a final return to their homes.
What about Palestinians who live in Israel?
Israel captured large portions of Palestinian territory in the 1967 War, and continued to confiscate land afterwards. Many Palestinians, fearing internal displacement, accepted Israeli citizenship as the price of continuing to live in the newly annexed territory.
In East Jerusalem, however, which was annexed by Israel after 1967 without international recognition, the matter of Palestinian identity is even more complex.The majority of citizens living in the area reject Israeli citizenship, preferring instead to hold Israeli issued blue IDs, which grant them only permanent resident status.
Increasingly, however, Palestinians are accepting citizenship of Israel; a reflection of the practical difficulties non-citizens face in terms of access to services, transport, and freedom of movement.
There are, therefore, three distinct forms of legal identity for Palestinians living in the country. First, Palestinian residents of the West bank and Gaza, who hold Palestinian nationality, and live under the administration of the Palestinian Authority. Second, Palestinian permanent residents of Jerusalem, and thus of the state of Israel. Third, residents of Israel holding Israeli nationality, who treated as Israeli citizens.
What is the Palestinian Authority?
In 1993 and 1995, Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) signed a series of landmark agreements known as the Oslo Accords (I and II). One consequence was the establishment of an interim self-governing body, the Palestinian Authority, that was to govern Gaza and the part of the West Bank not administered exclusively by Israel.
Power was transferred to this authority from Jordan, which controlled the West Bank after the 1967 War, and from Egypt, which was in control of Gaza. The five year period in which the final agreement on the status of the Palestinian Authority was intended to be negotiated, came to an end without a clear solution.
Consequently, a governing body intended to be only temporary, still governs the Palestinian Territories.
Travelling to Palestine
For internationals, the easiest way of travelling to the West Bank is from Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) airport, since there is no international airport in the West Bank.Palestinians, on the other hand, are barred from Israeli airports for security reasons, and must therefore fly from either Egypt or Jordan.
Palestinians have no control over their borders, and no de facto control over the Palestinian Territories.To move between Israel and Palestine, or between various parts of the West Bank, you must cross Israeli checkpoints.For an international travelling to Palestine, you must apply to Israel, not the Palestinian Authority for a visa.
You must also buy Israeli shekels, since Palestinian currency is non-existent, though the dollar and Jordanian currency is also in use for larger purchases.
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