Generation Z Palestine
By Mohammad Mohsen Fayezi
Originally published by the Tehran Times; March 2023
Generation after generation, Palestine seems to follow a predetermined path towards its destiny, a destiny of support and betrayal, defeat and victory, politics and opportunities, leaders and legends.
Since 2010, a “post-Oslo” generation of Palestinians began their own predetermined path. This generation had not witnessed the path taken before the Oslo Accords or were present for the decisions made by Palestine's leaders. Instead, they saw Oslo as history that informed their present. This generation did not find independence, identity, or its rights in the Oslo accords.
The events of 2015 and 2016, known as the Third Intifada (or Knife Intifida), were considered by some to be a complete reflection of the post-Oslo generation in Palestine. However, in 2022, a new generation is coming into its own in the world of Palestine, a generation that brings new thoughts and perspectives. They are now 20 years old and were not alive to remember or understand Oslo or the last uprising of Palestinians in 2000.
Some have chosen the name “Generation Z” for the new generation, a choice that seems apt. For example, Hitham AlJassmi, a columnist for the English-language Al Jazeera website, heralds this new generation of Palestine in an article titled “Generation Z will free Palestine,” a generation that has been engaged in various struggles in Nablus, Jenin, and Jerusalem in 2022.
The Palestinian Generation Z has several prominent features:
intellectual independence from leaders and political movements
love for past myths and heroes
comprehensive struggle using many methods from media to firearms
belief in the future victory of the Palestinian resistance to win freedom and pride
The attitudes and thoughts of Palestinian Generation Z are exemplified in various operations and events of 2022 and 2023. They are a generation that is independent from political movements and even resists their leaders, even those from the resistance movement.
Palestinian Generation Z is proud of its armed and intellectual path. They are exactly like other members of Generation Z around the world in 2022; they are fashionable, recreational, virtual beings who see their lives as part of the struggle. Unlike other generations before them, Palestinian Generation Z criticizes fearlessly and follows its own separate revolutionary path forward.
The youth of the Generation Z in Palestine are becoming role models for their peers. Ibrahim Nablusi is an example of this Generation Z in Palestine. They are no longer lost and unheeded collaborators in a joint operation led by others, but their lives, resilience, attitude, and even moments of martyrdom are upheld as premier examples of their struggle. Ibrahim's images and words have been widely shared in Palestinian media. So much so that Zionist media have dubbed martyr Ibrahim Nablusi as the “TikTok terrorist” and are concerned that he will become a role model for young people.
The Generation Z in Palestine are fearless and even radical, but on the other hand, the Sheikh Jarrah hashtags are not alone; they keep the national liberation struggles around the world trending on social media platforms for weeks. The members of Generation Z in Palestine are a challenge without a solution for Zionists; they elude suppression and conduct their revolutionary struggle differently from previous generations. They live differently, think differently, and fight differently.
The youth of Generation Z in Palestine have found their own path; they do not fight simply for ideology, or to fulfill their duty to their homeland but to seek results, to seek freedom − freedom divorced from some of the traditions or political considerations of their fathers. The youth of the generation Z in Palestine will create a new horizon for their future, free from any fear or hesitation.
Find this article and more at the archive.org site, click here > “New Equations in the Palestinian Struggle”