During the decade preceding the intifada that began in 1987, the PFWAC was both the largest and most influential women’s organizations within the occupied territories (Hasso 442). The involvement of women resulted in the prioritization of issues traditionally the responsibility of women, such as “taking care of children orphaned by the violence, establishing kindergartens, vocational classes, and small income-generating enterprises” (Kawar 235). Women’s involvement is not in spite of their gender; in fact, according to Khaled, it is motivated by concerns unique to women. She stated in an interview with a French publication that “women are part of our people, they feel the same injustices. So they get involved. Women give life. So they feel
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If women are active members of the struggle against occupation and the ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights, they will pass these values on to their children, thus resulting in future generations dedicated to the liberation of Palestine. In this way, women remain key forces in the creation of a resilient and sustainable liberation movement. Women’s involvement in traditionally male-dominated organizations has had lasting impacts on the perception of women in the occupied territories. As women became increasingly involved in resistance-related activities, involvement of men in traditionally female-dominated activities grew, leading to a greater respect for women’s domestic contributions. Men realized the importance of women’s traditional work, which hitherto had virtually always been taken for …show more content…
This is due in a large part to the stereotypes westerners have of the Middle East and Islam. It is assumed by many that Arab Muslim women are oppressed, and therefore the concept of women’s involvement in movements such as Palestinian resistance is almost unthinkable. Additionally, the fact that so many Palestinian women involved in resistance are mothers makes non-Palestinians and non-Arabs even less likely to acknowledge the contributions of women to resistance
If women are active members of the struggle against occupation and the ongoing violations of Palestinian human rights, they will pass these values on to their children, thus resulting in future generations dedicated to the liberation of Palestine. In this way, women remain key forces in the creation of a resilient and sustainable liberation movement. Women’s involvement in traditionally male-dominated organizations has had lasting impacts on the perception of women in the occupied territories. As women became increasingly involved in resistance-related activities, involvement of men in traditionally female-dominated activities grew, leading to a greater respect for women’s domestic contributions. Men realized the importance of women’s traditional work, which hitherto had virtually always been taken for …show more content…
This is due in a large part to the stereotypes westerners have of the Middle East and Islam. It is assumed by many that Arab Muslim women are oppressed, and therefore the concept of women’s involvement in movements such as Palestinian resistance is almost unthinkable. Additionally, the fact that so many Palestinian women involved in resistance are mothers makes non-Palestinians and non-Arabs even less likely to acknowledge the contributions of women to resistance