The participation of women during the conflicts held by Israel and Palestine has been crucial to enhance resistance.
A group of Palestinian women fighting Israeli forces in Hebron, the West Bank
The last clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian rebels have shown a major involvement of youngsters in the protests against Israeli occupation. But one of the most admirable facts is the participation of women in the struggle.
Things have changed since the beginning of the first Intifada when women were an active part of the uprising, fighting in the streets just as men did, also defending their homes from the abuse of Israeli troops when occupying certain Palestine territories. There wasn’t also a Palestinian authority then to arrest Palestinians protesting.
In the second Intifada, the fight changed due to the starting of the use of weapons besides rocks and stones; women involvement became not widely accepted by all, so their role changed into being an effective background support for holding the resistance against arrests and curfews. Women fighting in the streets were an exception.
But now, women are starting to fight side by side with men in the streets again, claiming their right to resist against Israeli occupation. Rage has clearly increased now since violence and oppression measures from the Israelis have also risen. It’s the third generation of women that are now struggling to reach a future that doesn’t seem to be so clear if the occupation continues.
Written by Lisbeth Mechter