Palestinian Women’s Movements and Their Relations With the Palestinian Nationalist Movement: A History of Partnership and A Future of Challenging Cooperation Ihab Aldaqqaq Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy under the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2014 © 2014 Ihab Aldaqqaq All rights reserved ABSTRACT Palestinian Women’s Movements and Their Relations With the Palestinian Nationalist Movement: A History of Partnership and A Future of Challenging Cooperation Ihab Aldaqqaq This study investigates the relationship between Palestinian Women’s Movement(s) (PWMs) and the Palestinian Nationalist Movement (PNM). A closer look at the descriptive research about (PWMs) indicates that both movements have generally been perceived as one entity by some Palestinian activists as well as scholars who have explored Palestinian nationalism. Here, we address questions about the nature of women’s activism in Palestine and seek to assess to what extent this organizing and mobilization form a social movement, particularly questions that focus on important factors such as faction dynamics, funding dynamics, perceptions and relationships issues, leadership features and religion dynamics. Taking into consideration the specificity of women’s movements in a nation that has survived military occupation for over five decades under military occupation, this research draws on a number of theories, including resource mobilization and resource dependence as well as political opportunity theories. The research is rooted in extensive interviews with former and current women activists, in addition to chief executive officers (CEOs) of Palestinian women’s movement organizations located in the West Bank, Palestine. Moreover, the researcher utilizes thematic analysis. This study is among very few that seek to shed light on women’s activism in Palestine “West Bank and East Jerusalem” through the eyes of a Palestinian-born man who was raised therein and is an integral part of the cultural and academic fabric of that land. Table of contents List of Alphabetic Abbreviation and Acronyms ……………………… i List of Illustrating Charts ……………………………………………… vii Acknowledgment ………………………………………………………... vii Dedication ……………………………………………………………….. ix I. Chapter (One): Introduction ………………………………………………. 1 a. Motivational Statement..... …………………………………………… 2 b. Study Aims and Rationale …………………………………………… 6 c. Statement of Problem ………………………………………………... 10 d. Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 11 II. Chapter (Two): Palestine: History & Location…………………..……. 15 a. Palestine Geographical location……………………………………… 16 b. The British Mandate…………………………………………………. 17 c. The Balfour Declaration ……………………………………………... 18 d. The (1948) War “Al-Nakba”…………………………………………. 20 e. The Establishment of the PLO……………………………………….. 23 f. The Six Day War of (1967)…………………………………………... 24 g. Fedayeen & Guerilla Movements (1967 - 1987)……………………... 25 h. The First Intifada (1987)……………………………………………… 27 i. The Oslo Accords (1993)…………………………………………….. 29 j. The Second Intifada (2000)…………………………………………... 31 k. The Post Second Intifada (2002 - 2004)……………………………… 32 l. Arafat Succession (2004 – 2005) .……………………………………. 33 m. The Second Election (2006) & the rise of HAMAS …………………. 34 n. The events in Gaza & the State of Emergency (2007)……………….. 35 o. The second Municipal election (2012) ………………………………. 36 p. Timeline of Historical Events (1914 - 2012)………………………… 37 i III. Chapter (Three): Literature Review…………………………………… 41 a. Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 42 b. Resource Mobilization & Resource Dependence ……………………. 44 c. Types of SMOs Resources …………………………………………… 50 d. Political Opportunity…………………………………………………. 54 e. Framing ………………………………………………………………. 59 f. Frame Alignment……………………………………………………... 59 1. Frame Bridging…………………………………………………… 60 2. Frame Amplification……………………………………………… 61 3. Frame Extension………………………………………………….. 63 4. Frame Transformation …………………………………………… 64 g. Diagnostic, Prognostic and Motivational Framing…………………… 65 h. Women Activism in Palestine………………………………………… 67 1. The First Palestinian Intifada “Uprising” (1987-1990)…………… 69 2. The Oslo Accords (1993 - 2000)…………………………………. 70 3. The Second Palestinian Intifada (2000)………………………….. 72 IV. Chapter (Four): Methodology………………………………………….. 73 a. Study Design ………………………………………………………… 74 b. Study Questions ……………………………………………………… 76 c. Study Population …………………………………………………….. 78 d. Study Instruments …………………………………………………… 80 e. Study Settings ……………………………………………………….. 81 1. Time ……………………………………………………………… 81 2. Location ………………………………………………………….. 82 f. Sampling …………………………………………………………….. 83 g. Subject Recruitment Procedure ……………………………………… 84 h. Data Sources …………………………………………………………. 86 i. Data Analysis: Thematic Analysis. ………………………………...… 86 j. Instrument Piloting …………………………………………………... 90 k. Instrument Trustworthiness…………………………………………... 91 ii l. Strategies managing, recording and assuring quality of data ………... 96 m. Study Risks …………………………………………………………... 96 n. Study Benefits………………………………………………………… 97 o. Human Subjects Protection Protocol…………………………………. 98 p. Study Recruits ………………………………………………………... 99 V. Chapter (Five): The Palestinian Women's and Nationalist Movements: A History of Cooperation & a Future of Challenging Partnership………………………………………………………………. 101 a. Introduction…………………………………………………………… 102 b. Movement vis-à-vis Movements……………………………………… 104 c. Movement(s’) and Parties’ Dynamics..……………………………… 113 1. PWMs and the PNM, A Background ……………………………. 113 2. The Roots of the Relationship …………………………………… 122 3. Where This Relationship Stands Today …………………………. 128 4. The Future of the Relationship …………………………………... 140 d. Organizations and Funding Dynamics……………………………….. 148 1. The Nature of Activism in Palestine …………………………….. 148 2. PWMs and Funding Resources…………………………………… 160 3. Funding and PWMs Legitimacy ………………………………… 169 e. Framing and Networking Issues…………………………………….... 176 1. PWMs and Framing Capacity ……………………………………. 178 2. Motivations to Join the PWMs …………………………………... 189 3. PWMs and Their Networking Capacity …………………………. 195 4. Women-oriented Agenda ………………………………………… 200 f. Leadership Features………………………………………………….. 207 g. Chapter Conclusion ………………………………………………….. 213 VI. Chapter (Six): Discussion and Conclusion.……………………………. 216 a. Discussion ……...…………………………………………………… 217 b. Conclusion ……...……………………………………………………. 226 iii c. Implications for Social Work Education and Future Research ………. 234 d. Study Challenges …………..………………………………………… 239 e. Study Limitations ……………..…………………................................ 240 VII. List of References ……………………………………………………….. 244 VIII. Appendixes ……………………………………………………………… 260 1. Appendix (A) Geopolitical Maps …………………………………… 261 2. Appendix (B) Interview Questions ………………………………….. 268 3. Appendix (C) Invitation Letter ……………………………………… 272 4. Appendix (D) Follow up call Protocol ………………………………. 275 5. Appendix (E) Academic Supervisor support letter ………………….. 277 6. Appendix (F) The Balfour Declaration of 1917 ……………………… 278 7. Appendix (G) The Women Manuscript/Doctrine of 1994…………… 279 8. Appendix (H) The Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine (Arabic)…………………………………………………….. 305 9. Appendix (I) The Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine (English) …………………………………………………… 308 10. Appendix (J) Illustrative map of the Segregation Wall built by Israel 312 11. Appendix (K) Informed Consent Form “Supplemental appendices” 12. Appendix (L) The doctrine of renouncing terror by the USAID “Supplemental appendices” iv List of Alphabetic Abbreviations and Acronyms Letter Acronym Full name/term A AWCSW The Association of Women’s Committees for Social Work AWUS Arab Women Union Society B BZU Birzeit University/West Bank C CEO Chief Executive Officer CWS Center for Women’s Studies D DFLP Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine E EJ East Jerusalem F FATAH Palestine Liberation Movement FIDA Palestinian Democratic Union G GS Gaza Strip GUPCO General Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations GUPW General Union of Palestinian Women H HAMAS Islamic Resistance Movement HWC Health Works Committees I ICJ International Court of Justice in the Hague- the Netherlands IRB Internal Review Board M MENA Middle East and North Africa MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel) MIFTAH The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy MOFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Palestine) MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Israel) MOI Ministry of Interior (Jordan) MOWA Ministry of Palestinian Women’s Affairs N NGOs Nongovernmental Organizations P PASSIA Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs PFLP Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine PFRS Palestinian Family Relief Society1 PLC Palestinian Legislative Council PLO Palestine Liberation Organization2 PMRS Palestinian Medical Relief Society PNA Palestinian National Authority3 * Arabic pronunciation * Arabic pronunciation * Arabic pronunciation Arabic pronunciation 1 Known as Inash Al Ausra/Arabic pronunciation 2 Also known as Palestinian Liberation Organization v PMRS Palestinian Medical Relief Society PNC Palestinian National Council PNM Palestinian Nationalist Movement PPP Palestinian People’s Party4 PWMOs Palestinian Women’s Movements Organizations. PWMs Palestinian Women’s Movement(s) PWWS Palestinian Working Women’s Society PWWSD Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development S SDRW Society for Developing Rural Women SMOs Social Movement Organizations SMOs Social