The role of Palestinian women in political participation during the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza strip, Palestine

Abstract

This study aims to identify the Palestinian women involvement in the politics during the Israeli siege on Gaza between 2006 and 2014. In regard to achieve the objective of the study, the researcher designed a questionnaire with a purpose of collecting the required data. The framework of the study has used quantitative methodology, using questionnaire tool for data collection. The study population consists of1,500 Palestinian students studying at 13 universities in Malaysia according to the list of Malaysian universities recognised by Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education. The questionnaire was filled out by a stratified random sample of 352 students. The study demonstrates that there is a positive significant relationship between political involvement of Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip and the independent variables consist of women involvement in the political parties, women involvement in the parliament and ministries, women involvement in NGOs, qualifications, women rights, and difficulties facing the women.The study concludes that Palestinian women were involved in the politics;it argues that, there is an obvious impact of the Palestinian women through the adoption of the resistance to the Israeli occupation. The study shows many difficulties facing the Palestinian women's involvement. This study however concludes several recommendations, most notably is the need to compel the Palestinian political parties to execute the principle of political pluralism, giving Palestinian women's the rights according to the Palestinian constitutions, and exceed social and cultural difficulties that prevent political involvement of Palestinian women.