Dou' Foundation organized a timely and in-depth dialogue workshop entitled “Colonialism, Internal Marginalization, and Shifting Identities Among Youth in the Gaza Strip,” with broad participation from youth representing various Palestinian communities. The workshop was part of the foundation’s ongoing vision to create safe spaces for dialogue that address the complex challenges facing Palestinian generations especially considering the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, the continuing annexation policies in the West Bank, and the realities of division and ongoing colonialism.
The session opened with welcoming remarks by Yafa Atatreh, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Dou’ Foundation. She introduced the organization’s mission and presented the participants: Ali Abdelwahab, the researcher and author of the discussion paper; Dr. Nibal Khalil, a specialist in social and cultural anthropology who provided commentary on the paper; and Sultan Yassin, who facilitated the session.
In his presentation, researcher Ali Abdelwahab explored the transformation of Palestinian youth identity in Gaza, focusing on how colonialism and its modern tools are reshaping youth consciousness. He discussed how collective concepts such as struggle and belonging have been hollowed out and replaced with a culture of individualism and consumerism, largely promoted through digital platforms. Abdelwahab argued that internal marginalization, alongside external colonial oppression, has created a complex environment of social fragmentation and symbolic detachment between youth and the foundational structure of the Palestinian national project.
Dr. Nibal Khalil provided a critical response, emphasizing that identity is not fixed but rather a dynamic social construct influenced by historical, political, and psychological contexts. She highlighted how repeated collective traumas, internal conflicts, and the absence of just and inclusive representative institutions contribute significantly to the identity crisis facing Palestinian youth particularly in Gaza, which is undergoing an exceptional state of siege and structural marginalization.
During the open discussion, many participants expressed their concern about the rapid fragmentation of collective identities and the growing sense of alienation and frustration among Palestinian youth. These challenges were attributed not only to the actions of the occupation but also to the Palestinian political system’s failure to renew itself and provide opportunities for younger generations to participate meaningfully and influence public life. The psychological and social impacts of ongoing occupation were also underlined as key factors in reshaping the relationship between individuals, their communities, and their national identity.
Despite the somber tone of many testimonies, the discussions reflected a critical and responsible spirit. The workshop turned into a space for collective knowledge production, where participants expressed deep political and cultural awareness of the crisis and a genuine desire to identify effective paths for resistance and the reconstruction of the Palestinian national project starting from the question of identity and political representation.
The workshop concluded with a set of practical recommendations that reflect a collective awareness of the need to move from diagnosis to action. The key recommendations include:
Developing the presented paper into a rigorous academic research study for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, ensuring proper documentation and scholarly analysis of this vital topic.
Calling on Palestinian youth to actively participate in formulating strategies to counter colonial narratives and policies targeting Palestinian national identity particularly through media and digital platforms.
Sustaining the creation of safe and open dialogue spaces for youth across different Palestinian localities, to foster community engagement and shared experiences.
Encouraging youth-led initiatives aimed at reconstructing and reinforcing collective Palestinian identity, especially in marginalized areas and those disconnected from political and cultural centers.
Intensifying youth efforts to pressure Palestinian political parties and civil society organizations to expand youth participation in leadership roles both politically and socially towards renewing Palestinian leadership in an inclusive and equitable manner.
Reaffirming the centrality of national unity as a primary tool to confront political and social fragmentation and to restore the collective meaning of Palestinian identity in the face of fragmentation and normalization efforts.
In closing, the Chair of the Board, Yafa Atatreh, emphasized that this workshop is only the beginning of a long path of cumulative work. She urged participants to continue producing critical and responsible discourse and reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting youth voices and documenting the social and political transformations Palestinians are experiencing especially amid escalating repression and domination, and the absence of a just political horizon.
