With the Israeli war on Gaza raging, the Palestinian
national movement must overcome divides that have
weakened the cause. This study delves into the ramifications
of divisive discourse on factionalism in Palestine,
focusing on the dynamic between Hamas and Fatah.
To do so, it investigates the effects of polarization on
the sense of collective consciousness among university
students in the occupied territories. Through a questionnaire
designed to elicit the perspectives of these
young adults, this research sheds light on the extent to
which rhetoric employed to provoke or incite aggressive
behavior has affected cohesion in Palestinian politics
and society, as well as individuals’ beliefs in the possibility
of a national movement. The article finds that in all of
these facets, young adults have a high degree of cynicism
and see divisive discourse reducing faith in institutions
and leaders, causing rifts among friends and neighbors,
and even leading them to think about emigrating.While
the study was conducted before the Israel-Hamas war
that began in October 2023, which may force some compromise
between factions, the survey results indicate
the immense amount of work required to unify the
movement.

Title

WILEY online library

Publisher

WILEY online library

Publisher Country

Palestine

Publication Type

Online only

Volume

--

Year

2024

Pages

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