Women in Palestine

Between 1900 and 1910, the region of Palestine (which included what is now Jordan) was under Ottoman rule, and Arab women initiated the creation of numerous associations and societies.

[2] In March 1920, twenty-nine women from northern Palestine wrote to the region’s chief administrator, voicing their concerns and understanding of the consequences of the Balfour Declaration.

Large demonstrations demanding the repeal of the Balfour Declaration and limiting Zionist immigration to Palestine were organized and attended by women, who feared encroachment on Palestinian land.

Due to a lack of funding[citation needed] and social and political pressure that was put on the Association's members, the group ceased to exist after two years.

At a time in which participation mattered the most, they seized the opportunity to enhance their skills of organization, conduct military operations, and plan changes in family law to secure their status in a future state if they were to establish one successfully.

[citation needed] In the aftermath of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, many Palestinians were expelled from their homes leading many to find refuge in other nations such as Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Amid escalating tensions, women like Leila Khaled became involved in the Palestinian Resistance Movement (PRM), participating in military and political activities.

The largest of these organizations was the Federation of Palestinian Women’s Action Committees (FPWAC) which aligned itself with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).

The daycare centers were opened longer to allow mothers to participate in the uprising and health education began to offer classes on first aid to use on the victims of the Israeli army.

Organizing marches, promoting boycotts, and confronting soldiers allowed women of all ages to participate, leading some to become victims, either imprisoned or killed by shots from Israeli troops, gas inhalation, or beatings.

[14] On 19 February 2024, a group of United Nations special rapporteurs released a report stating "rights experts call for probe into violations against Palestinian women and girls."

[19][21] The UN report states, "Palestinian women and girls in detention have also been subjected to multiple forms of sexual assault, such as being stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers.

[15] According to Middle East Eye, the phrase "at least" highlighted the fact that many occurrences remain unrecorded, as victims dread the stigma and repercussions associated with speaking out about sexual abuse in "a patriarchal society reluctant to address such atrocities".

We were handcuffed, blindfolded, and our feet were tied in chains"; another woman alleged that an Israeli soldier smashed her face into a wall when she would not kiss the flag of Israel.

[26] A detailed and legally mandated June 2024 investigative report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated both Israel and Hamas had committed sexual violence and torture, along with intentional attacks on civilians.

Whereas, the legal system of the Gaza Strip is still impacted by penal codes set during the British Mandate as well as Egyptian control, today the territory is governed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Factors accounting for the risk have included decades of Israeli occupation and conflict-related violence, and prevailing traditional patriarchal cultural norms in Palestinian society.

[39] Abortion access in the occupied Palestinian territories is greatly impacted by Israel's military occupation and the resulting travel restrictions and conflicting legal systems.

The law reformed the previous labor regulations put in place during Jordanian and Egyptian control (of the West Bank and Gaza Strip respectively) for men and women, thus creating a more equal work environment.

[citation needed] With the introduction of the press in Palestine in 1908, journalists and theorists began to openly criticize the quality of education under Christian missionaries.

[citation needed] During World War I (1914–1918), the Ottoman government faced economic, political and social hardship which resulted in the further deterioration of their schools.

The casualties due to military service in WWI in combination with the famine caused by the British blockade of the Syrian coast, hundreds of thousands lost, leaving women and children to protect and defend themselves.

Although Israel later gained control of some Palestinian territory following The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the people on this land did not have access to Israeli educational systems.

[45] Even after the annexation of the West Bank by Israel in 1967, Palestinians in the regions continued to follow Jordanian curricula due to the Israeli military control over Palestine.

Ghrayeb's death, which sparked widespread outrage, led to protests organized by Tal‘at in cities including Ramallah, Haifa, Gaza, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Beirut.

These demonstrations demanded justice for Israa, accountability for perpetrators, and systemic legal reforms to protect women from gender-based violence.

This initial wave of protests cemented Tal‘at as a movement uniting women across geographic and political divides, blending feminist and nationalist struggles.

Despite facing intense police violence, right-wing counter-protests, and threats of suppression, Tal‘at mobilized its network to ensure the protest occurred, with women comprising 80% of the participants.

By calling for a unified fight against both patriarchal violence and occupation, Tal‘at fosters solidarity among Palestinian women in Gaza, the West Bank, and the '48 territories.

[55] There are multiple organizations working in Palestinian territories today to help reform the legal system and protect women's rights.