Palestinian youth will not be silenced

Carilyn Pointer - A young Palestinian boy was shot and killed in the West Bank. He left behind a message for his parents on his phone expressing his love, and peace at becoming a martyr. The past few years have been some of the deadliest in periods for the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and now the younger generations are becoming involved, fighting against the Israeli’s, and leaving various forms of what is considered a “will.” Their discontent and involvement are bringing more attention to the situation, and may have a significant impact.

The West Bank has been occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 and is considered an “intractable” conflict. While it is occupied by Israel, many Palestinians living in the area do not agree with Israel occupying the West Bank which is contributing to the tension. Palestinian protest has been a constant feature, and seems to be entering a new phase. In this conflict, the state actors involved, such as the Israeli government, have much power in this situation. Additionally, however, the increasing presence of non-state actors or groups that are unaffiliated with government organizations is also affecting the conflict. Some common examples of non-state actors are, terrorist groups, insurgency groups, revolutionary forces, businesses, and social movements. Non-state actors are important to watch, because while they may not be a government entity they can have a significant influence on the global stage. The Palestinian youth that are independently fighting against Israeli forces are an example of this. They are not affiliated with any government organization. Yet with their throwing of rocks, martyrdoms, and their last messages to their family they are bringing global attention to the realities of their situation.

While the stories of the Palestinian youth are poignant and impactful, it is yet to be seen if their efforts will significantly impact the situation. The occupation of the West Bank is the longest in recent history, and it would require a large shift in power to change the current trend. With that being said, big social movements often begin with a few individuals.

_{Photo Credit:Alisdare Hickson, distributed via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0}