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441. Palestinian Women: Between War Resilience and Their Role in Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Gaza.

Author:
Mirvat al-Zaqzouq and Diab Zayed
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Women constitute 49% of the total population, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reports, but their contribution to public life remains far below their numbers in society. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reports, women in the labor market will account for 19% in 2023. In decision-making centers, women’s participation remains low and one of the lowest rates in the region, despite being one of the most important indicators of gender equality, as data for 2021 showed that the percentage of women members of the Central Council constitutes about 23%, 19% of the members of the National Council, and 12% of the members of the Council of Ministers. There is also one-woman governor out of 15 governors, and 1% of the heads of local authorities in Palestine are women. As for the management of the councils of chambers of commerce, industry and agriculture, only 1% are women, about 19% of judges are women, and 18% of prosecutors are women. These figures reflect a marked exclusion of women from public life, which negatively affects their status, deepens gender inequality gaps, and at the same time prevents society from benefiting from women’s abilities and contribution to public life. This will inevitably affect the development of society and reinforce internal conflicts, especially gender conflicts. The exclusion of women in Palestine is a social tendency to exclude them from important public positions in the economy and politics, preventing them from expressing their opinions and limiting their public visibility. Despite the vital role that women play in crises, such as their steadfastness during the recent war on the Gaza Strip, in which various types of munitions were used including internationally banned ones, and came after years of siege imposed on Palestinian men and women, which deepened their suffering, but the general trend was to exclude women.
Topic:
Reconstruction, Women, Post-Conflict, Palestinians, and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, and Gaza

442. A Forward-Looking Vision for Reforming the Palestinian Political System

Author:
Maher Issa and Omar Rahal
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Political reform in Palestine is an urgent necessity to achieve progress and development, ensure political and social stability, and confront the internal and external challenges facing the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian political system, which was established under complex historical circumstances and under Israeli occupation, needs continuous development to be able to respond to the requirements of the Palestinian people and their aspirations for freedom, dignity, and independence. The importance of political reform also comes in the context of enhancing the political legitimacy of the Palestinian system. Over time, the Palestinian citizen’s confidence in political institutions has declined as a result of the accumulation of issues such as the absence of periodic elections, the erosion of legitimacy, weak accountability and transparency, and the spread of favoritism and corruption in some areas. Thus, this reform is the cornerstone for rebuilding trust between the people and their institutions, and ensuring real and inclusive representation of all groups.
Topic:
Politics, Reform, Elections, Legitimacy, and Institutions
Political Geography:
Middle East and Palestine

443. The Future of Jerusalem Amid Political and Regional Changes: A Prospective Analysis

Author:
Rami Murad and Mahmoud Ereikat
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
Jerusalem represents a central axis in the Arab-Israeli conflict due to its unique religious, historical, and political significance. Over the decades, the city has remained a focal point of contention between Palestinians and Israelis. While Israel seeks to consolidate its control through settlement expansion and Judaization policies, Palestinians strive to preserve its Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity and establish it as the capital of their future state. Amid the current political and regional dynamics, Jerusalem faces unprecedented challenges that significantly impact its future and identity. Several factors shape its future, including regional geopolitical conflicts, shifts in the positions of major global powers, particularly the changes introduced by the new U.S. administration, the ramifications of the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, and internal challenges stemming from Israel’s right-wing policies toward the Palestinian population. This paper aims to explore the future of Jerusalem by analyzing the current reality and potential scenarios. Additionally, it seeks to propose policy alternatives that support the city’s resilience, safeguard its identity, and strengthen its presence in the international political landscape.
Topic:
Genocide, Settlements, Cities, Palestinians, 2023 Gaza War, and Judaization
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Jerusalem

444. Perceptions on Enhancing Youth Access to Decision-Making Positions in the Palestinian

Author:
Jamal al-Fadi and Raed al-Dab'i
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
This policy paper addresses the reality of Palestinian youth participation and access to decision-making centers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, amidst the political, economic, and social challenges faced by Palestinian youth due to Israeli occupation, internal division, and the Gaza blockade. Youth face significant difficulties in gaining opportunities for active participation in decision-making processes. The paper emphasizes the importance of empowering youth to access decision-making centers as a step toward achieving development and stability in Palestinian society. It highlights the need to enhance educational and training opportunities, improve economic conditions, and enable youth to have a real impact on public policies. Additionally, the paper offers alternatives, solutions, and practical recommendations, such as promoting political dialogue between the West Bank and Gaza, providing platforms for political participation, and developing economic and educational opportunities, in order to achieve genuine empowerment for Palestinian youth in various fields.
Topic:
Occupation, Youth, Economic Development, Decision-Making, Political Participation, and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, Gaza, and West Bank

445. Prospective Visions for the Future of Governance in Palestine

Author:
Abdullah Sharshara and Ahmed Rafiq Awad
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
The issue addressed in this paper is that the future of the Palestinian political system remains unclear, making it too early to determine the exact shape of the governance system. Consequently, the researchers have employed a foresight methodology to analyze a set of variables and indicators to develop possible scenarios regarding the future of the political system and its impact on governance in Palestine. The foresight methodology relies on analyzing trends and future changes by studying current patterns and anticipated challenges to predict potential scenarios. Based on this approach, the researchers conducted two focus groups—one in Gaza City and another in Ramallah—on Thursday, January 23, 2025. The aim was to gather insights from elites, representatives, and key actors in Palestinian society regarding the potential outcomes of this system. Additionally, the researchers conducted a series of unstructured personal interviews with several Palestinian politicians to obtain analyzable results. This paper will first provide an overview of the Palestinian political system throughout different historical phases. It will then discuss the challenges faced by key actors within Palestinian society who have historically played a significant role in shaping and building the political system and governance structure—particularly the Palestinian Authority, Fatah (which has historically supported it), Hamas, and other Palestinian national and Islamic forces. Lastly, the paper will explore the future of the Palestinian political system and examine the impact of each scenario on the governance structure.
Topic:
Politics, Governance, Hamas, Fatah, and Palestinian Authority
Political Geography:
Middle East and Palestine

446. Towards Practical Strategies to Overcome the Identity and Thinking Crisis Among Palestinian Youth after October 7

Author:
Amal Qeshta and Amjad Abu Al-Ezz
Publication Date:
03-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
This paper addresses the shifts in the attitudes of Palestinian youth after the events of October 7, highlighting the impact of the Israeli aggression on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and its implications on the culture and political and social participation of Palestinian youth. It also reviews the psychological and social challenges they face, with a focus on the phenomenon of “chaotic thinking” that affected national identity and future orientations, leading young people to different choices between frustration and involvement in armed resistance.
Topic:
Youth, Identity, October 7, 2023 Gaza War, and Armed Resistance
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, Gaza, and West Bank

447. Assessing the Efforts of International Community to Protect Human Rights in Palestine: Interventions and Challenges

Author:
Ilham Shamally and Yehya Qaoud
Publication Date:
04-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
This paper examines international interventions aimed at protecting Palestinian human rights amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and escalating tensions in the West Bank. It highlights international humanitarian law as the key legal framework designed to protect civilians during armed conflicts. The paper identifies significant challenges hindering these efforts, notably the overlap between international politics and law, and global polarization, which obstructed decisive measures to safeguard Palestinians—especially given the frequent use of veto power by countries such as the United States at the UN Security Council, allowing Israel to continue its operations without substantial restraint. The study focuses on international efforts, including UN General Assembly resolutions calling for ceasefires, though these remained non-binding due to weak enforcement mechanisms. Additionally, it discusses significant legal initiatives, including South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders for war crimes. The paper further outlines humanitarian and medical interventions by organizations like UNRWA, the International Red Cross, and the World Health Organization, all of which faced substantial obstacles, particularly Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid access—a tactic identified by the paper as part of a deliberate starvation policy. It emphasizes the necessity of a unified Palestinian political system capable of enhancing diplomatic efforts and confronting these challenges effectively. Finally, the paper calls for re-evaluating current international mechanisms and more stringent enforcement of international law. It underscores the importance of unified Palestinian efforts to overcome international political polarization, thus ensuring more effective protection of Palestinian civilians in the face of ongoing, severe human rights violations.
Topic:
Human Rights, Humanitarian Aid, International Community, UN Security Council, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, Gaza, and West Bank

448. Toward a More Tolerant Society: Mechanisms Against Hate Speech and Intolerance – Gaza as a Model in the Context of War

Author:
Islam Moussa Atallah and Khitam Abu Odeh
Publication Date:
05-2025
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Pal-Think For Strategic Studies
Abstract:
In times of wars and disasters, the effects of destruction are not limited to material and human losses, but extend to the moral and social structure of society, generating new forms of tensions, intensifying latent negative tendencies, and inciting divisions that may remain for decades after the ceasefire. Hate speech and intolerance are among the most prominent threats to the Palestinian social fabric in times of crisis, and their presence has escalated sharply during the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. In the face of widespread destruction, legal vacuum, mass displacement, insecurity, exclusion, and symbolic and moral violence, hate speech feeds on feelings of anger and despair, and finds fertile ground in a socially and politically exhausted environment. The danger of such rhetoric stems from the fact that it not only expresses temporary tension, but also reproduces structural divisions and deepens societal fissures along familial, regional, or political lines. In the Palestinian context, hate speech cannot be separated from the general structure of the long conflict, whether with the occupation or internally between the components of society. Palestinians themselves, despite their collective suffering, have for years been facing increasing challenges related to weak social cohesion, the division of political authority, and the erosion of trust between citizens and their institutions. As the war on Gaza intensified and the humanitarian tragedy intensified, discourses of accusation, betrayal, and exclusion emerged, whether on the basis of political affiliation, family origins, geography (between those displaced from the north and those settled in the south), or even economic and social status, revealing an underlying crisis in the cultural and social structure that goes beyond the impact of the war itself.
Topic:
Hate Speech, Intolerance, and 2023 Gaza War
Political Geography:
Middle East, Palestine, and Gaza

449. Nuclear NATO: How to make it credible and efficient

Author:
Karl-Heinz Kamp
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
NATO Defense College
Abstract:
NATO’s nuclear deterrence is not suffi ciently prepared for the evolving strategic environment in Europe and beyond. The current Strategic Concept does not defi ne which steps are needed to maintain nuclear deterrence’s eff ectiveness and credibility. To adapt nuclear deterrence to today’s requirements, NATO must fi rst and foremost agree on a new nuclear strategy document.
Topic:
Defense Policy, NATO, Nuclear Weapons, and Deterrence
Political Geography:
Europe

450. NATO’s future: a history

Author:
Bruno Tertrais
Publication Date:
01-2025
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
NATO Defense College
Abstract:
Past pessimism about the solidity and survivability of the Alliance turned out to be misplaced, but assumptions about some of its fundamental tenets were not always correct. Doomsayers have been proven wrong. Internal tensions and external challenges have never brought the Alliance to a breaking point. After 75 years of existence, NATO appears to be a historical anomaly. A few lessons to ensure its longevity stem from this retrospective. NATO would be wise to stick with its core mission: deterrence and defense against an armed attack. Attempts to alter the rules and procedures of the Alliance risk endangering its foundations.
Topic:
NATO, History, Alliance, and Deterrence
Political Geography:
Europe and North America