Palestinian Society

"An Introduction"

Urban-Rural Characteristics:

Before 1967, Palestinian society consisted four major scions: refugees, peasants, landowners and the urban middle class. Traditionally, the society was rural and mainly engaged in agriculture (rural population 1967: approx. 60%). With the occupation and its policy of economic annexation and land confiscation, the ratio of rural to urban population fell. The Palestinian working force became dependent on the Israeli confiscation, the ratio of rural to urban population fell. The Palestinian working force became dependent on the Israeli labor market which led to the proletarization of Palestinian peasants and refugees with two socioeconomic consequences: The uprooting of Palestinians from traditional village life by the necessity of having to seek employment in Israeli urban centers, and the transformation of the villages to stagnant non-productive sectors as a consequence of this. Although farming dropped considerably, the rural character of the West Bank society remains due to Israeli restriction on urbanization. There are still around 440 villages ranging in size form hamlets of a few houses to small towns of up to 20,000 inhabitants. Half the non-camp population is now urban or semi-urban and only 35% rural. Gaza is much more urbanized with only nine villages but large township-like refugee camps. The Nablus region remains predominately rural.

Social Structure:

The upper class still generally belongs to the traditionally powerful class of the OPT who became businessmen, merchants, and leading figures in society and the political arena. In Gaza, they are a small group of large landowners, capitalist farmers, and exporters. The number of the peasant class and self-employed farmers has decreased significantly although agriculture still plays a major role in the Palestinian economy. The bourgeoisie consist of academics, teachers, administrators, doctors, lawyers etc. The middle class is determined by small factory owners, traders and private craftsmen with mainly family businesses. The working class has increased significantly under occupation and absorbed many members of the peasant and middle class due to job opportunities in Israel.

The social structure of the Palestinian society is determined by the family with the Hamula (a "clan" of extended families related through a common ancestor and carrying the same family name), forming the largest unit. Traditionally, family clans had common land and mutual responsibilities who resolved their own conflicts. The second unit is the extended family comprising three generations in one household and usually consisting of the male family head, his wife, their unmarried children, and their married sons with their own families. They often build a social and economic community, occupying one dwelling. The third and smallest unit, the nuclear family, a two-generation household consisting of the married couple and their children, was traditionally less significant but, if the financial situation allows it, is increasingly common today.

Currently, Palestinians are directly involved in an unfolding of social and geopolitical events which are transforming their society form being a diaspora and Intifada-based society to civil society with recognized leadership.

The following are some demographic statistics of the Palestinian Society as compiled by

Demographic Survey for the West Bank and Gaza Strip

 

Courtesy:Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA)

Statistics:Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)