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A Profile of the Palestinian Youth Generation

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Michael Milstein - The younger generation of adult Palestinians is in many ways radically different from Palestinian youth of the past. This "post-Oslo" generation, born since the 1990s, lives under a combination of Palestinian self-governance and the continuation of Israeli control. The Arab Spring has also affected this generation as it encouraged defiance against authority figures. Simultaneously, the digital realm provides instant gratification through the charms of Western consumer culture, as well as easily accessible exposure to extremist ideology, such as that of the Islamic State. The modern discourse of youth worldwide is increasingly emphasizing the importance of civil and individual rights as well. Palestinian youth are interested in individual development and self-actualization, but are instructed by Palestinian leadership to continue fighting and sacrificing for the collective good. Through the internet, they are exposed to permissive modern culture, but continue to live in a traditional society with strict behavioral codes. It is hardly surprising that many Palestinian youth report a profound alienation from political leadership. Like many members of the Palestinian public, the younger generation seems to have essentially given up on the national administration of the Palestinian Authority and displays impatience with the older "era of revolutionary slogans." These feelings are leading to a trend of apoliticism, clearly manifested in the reduction in membership within political organizations and declining participation in the activities these organizations promote. The writer is Head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.
2019-06-06 00:00:00
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