Birzeit University Holds Special Virtual Workshop on Palestinian Displacement and Colonialism

Birzeit, Palestine – Monday, November 25, 2024

Birzeit University held a Special Virtual Workshop on Palestinian Displacement and Colonialism, gathering scholars and members of the public to discuss one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time. Organized by the Master’s Program in International Migration and Refugee Studies, the workshop aimed to address pivotal issues surrounding forced migration, particularly in light of recent escalations in Gaza. The event also marked the launch of the program’s Special Working Papers Series, which explores themes of displacement, dispossession, the Palestinian diaspora, colonial appropriation, and migrant narratives.

The workshop opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Asem Khalil, Vice President for Academic Affairs, who thanked participants for their engagement during a time of intensifying violence and ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Dr. Khalil stressed the importance of academic responsibility in addressing such crises, stating:

"As a university, as a community of scholars, and as individuals who value human rights and freedom, we are called upon to respond—not only with compassion but with the intellectual rigor and critical inquiry that can illuminate the truth and expose the forces that perpetuate these cycles of suffering."

Dr. Oroub El-Abed, Adjunct Associate Professor specialized in forced Migration and development in the International Migration and Refugee Studies Program and the organisor of this working papers’ series, followed by outlining the workshop’s purpose. She described the Special Working Papers Series as a response to global inaction, seeking to challenge diplomatic rhetoric and expose the fragility of international frameworks, such as the UN charters, which have consistently failed to protect communities from occupation and ethnic cleansing.

The workshop that started at 3 pm Quds Time and lasted until 7 pm, gathered audience that exceeded 100, from all over the world. The keynote speakers included Dr. Nahed HabibAllah, Director of the Conflict Studies Research Center at AAUP and Adjunct Faculty at The New School, and Dr. Jinan Bastaki, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at NYU Abu Dhabi. Both contributed thought-provoking insights on the systemic aspects of Palestinian displacement and the legal frameworks surrounding forced migration.

The first session opened with Joseph Schechla’s presentation, "Targeting Homes, Shelters, and Shelter Seekers: Israel’s raison d’état, military doctrine, and consistent practice." As a specialist in housing, Schechla highlighted how Israeli military doctrine has institutionalized the targeting of Palestinian homes and shelters since 1948, demonstrating a consistent colonial strategy designed to displace Palestinians.

Dr. Oroub El-Abed followed with her presentation, "Unravelling Colonial Discourse on Voluntary Migration in Ongoing Forced Expulsion," which critically examined how forced displacement is often misrepresented as voluntary migration in colonial narratives.

Next, Abdullah Biyari introduced the concept of "urbicide" in his paper, "On Urbicide: Production and Destruction of Space in Colonial Apparatus (Gaza, 2023–2024)." His work described the systematic destruction of Gaza’s urban landscape as a deliberate colonial tactic to erase Palestinian presence.

The session concluded with Dr Mohamad Kadan’s study, "Rethinking Survival: Palestinian Smuggling Under Military Rule (1948–1966)." Kadan , a PhD student at Rice University, shed light on daily acts of resistance by Palestinians under Israeli military rule, reframing survival as an act of defiance and identity assertion against systemic erasure.

The first session was concluded by an intervention by Dr. Nahed HabibAllah, Director of the Conflict Studies Research Center at AAUP and Adjunct Faculty at The New School in New York, delivered a discussion on the Israeli settler-colonial model and its distinct features regarding the invention of a unified cultural identity.

The second session began with Dr Sarah Daoud’s presentation, "Containing the Gaza Strip to Safeguard Egypt's National Security." Daoud, a Post doc specialized in the Middle East, explored Egyptian-Palestinian border politics and the external pressures shaping Palestinian migration, emphasizing the complexity of these dynamics.

Samar Nakleh followed with her paper, "Examining Palestinian Displacement through Apartheid, Settler Colonialism, and International Law," which examined the interconnected systems that perpetuate displacement and fragmentation within Palestinian society. Samar is a Master Student at the program and has supported in the organization of this event.

The session concluded with Dr Maria do Carmo dos Santos Gonçalves, who presented her ethnographic study, "Narratives of Dispersed Resistance in Brazil." Dr Gonçalves shared insights into the resilience of the Palestinian diaspora in Brazil, highlighting the ways dispersed communities continue to resist erasure through cultural and political activism.

The workshop concluded with remarks from Dr. Jinan Bastaki, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at New York University Abu Dhabi. Dr. Bastaki’s keynote addressed the grave implications of forced displacement and destruction in Gaza, asserting that these acts constitute intentional genocide under international law. She elaborated on the concept of forcible transfer within the framework of the Genocide Convention, emphasizing that the unprecedented scale of destruction in Gaza reflects a deliberate strategy to clear the territory of Palestinians.

The workshop provided a vital platform for critically examining the systemic displacement and dispossession of Palestinians. It underscored Birzeit University’s commitment to amplifying scholarly voices on displacement and colonialism. By challenging dominant narratives and fostering critical inquiry, the university continues to advocate for justice and informed action amid ongoing crises.

For more details on the Special Working Papers Series, visit Birzeit University’s Migration and Refugee Studies Program website.