oa Diasporic Heritage as Resistance: The Palestinian Experience

The Palestinian diaspora has been marked by displacement, dispossession, and political violence since the creation of the Israeli state in 1948 on the occupied Palestinian lands. Despite these challenges, Palestinians have maintained a strong connection to their heritage and culture in and out of the Palestinian lands, using their diasporic identity as a form of resistance against occupation and colonialism. This paper investigates the role of diasporic heritage as a form of resistance in the Palestinian experience. By drawing on academic literature, personal narratives, and political discourse, the paper illustrates that diasporic heritage has been a key tool in the Palestinian struggle for justice and self-determination. It further shows how Palestinians in the diaspora have used their heritage as a means of challenging dominant narratives of occupation and dispossession, particularly through cultural production, political activism, and transnational networks. Despite this, it concludes that the diasporic heritage remains a powerful source of identity, defense, memory, and solidarity, allowing Palestinians around the world to connect with each other and with their homeland, and to continue playing a crucial role in the struggle for justice and freedom of their lands, especially in the age of social media and citizen journalism where everything can be shot in seconds.