Orthodox Palestinians – between Muslims, Jews and Greeks

Palestinians are not a homogeneous group. One of the minority groups are Christians, the majority of whom is Orthodox. Although relatively few have stayed in their homeland, they still play an important role there. The Orthodox Palestinians have a strong feeling of identity, both ethnically, as Arabs, and religiously as Orthodox Christians. They face problems in three main domains. First, they are exposed to the same forms of discrimination from the Israeli regime as the rest of Palestinians – they are deprived of the opportunity to create and be part of their own, fully independent state. Second, they are a minority living among the Sunni majority nation. Thirdly, despite being a majority in their Church – Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem – they are under Greek domination in various areas. All these factors render the situation of Orthodox Palestinians very complex. The aim of this article is to show this situation and its potential influence on the Palestinian question and the Orthodox Church issues.

Between aesthetics and politics. The works of Radwa Ashour as an example of committed literature

The article discusses committed literature in the contemporary Arab world on the basis of the works of Radwa Ashour (Raḍwà Āšūr, 1946-2014) and its role in shaping social opinion and attitude. Based on the concept of Jacques Rancière, the author analyzes the life and oeuvres of Radwa Ashour in terms of her commitment in the current problems of Egypt and the Arab world, putting forward the thesis that practically from the first to the last works, Ashour consciously uses literature as a sensitive instrument for diagnosis of the condition of Arab society on the one hand, and as an effective tool for shaping attitudes towards specific phenomena on the other hand - often in opposition to the official state discourse. Where direct criticism of government policy due to political censorship and the lack of freedom of speech is not possible, space opens up for an indirect form of discourse offered by literature and art.

The Socio-Economic Situation in Palestine in the Face of the Conflict with Israel

This article analyses the socio-economic conditions of Palestine in the context of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on the period preceding and during the latest military confrontations. The research underscores the extensive impact of the conflict on Palestine’s economy and social fabric, highlighting the economic collapse caused by infrastructure destruction, trade restrictions, and an increasing unemployment rate, particularly among women and youth. A historical overview of the conflict is provided, with emphasis on key economic indicators such as GDP, inflation, and unemployment, drawing from both domestic and international sources. Despite brief periods of economic growth, Palestine remains heavily dependent on international aid and trade with Israel, creating significant vulnerabilities during conflict escalations. The study identifies critical social issues exacerbated by the conflict, including widespread poverty, deteriorating education, and inadequate healthcare. The analysis further points to the increasing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, where limited access to essential services and rising displacement are fueling radicalisation and social unrest. The paper concludes with a discussion on the necessity of international intervention and sustainable economic strategies to rebuild the Palestinian economy and mitigate the long-term social consequences of the conflict. This research fills a gap in the current geopolitical discourse by shifting focus from military strategies to the pressing socio-economic realities of Palestine, offering a comprehensive assessment of the conflict’s broader implications.

The Exhibitions Be’eri (Haifa City Museum) and This is Not an Exhibition (The Palestinian Museum) as First Museum Responses to the Suffering and Trauma of War in Israel and Palestine

The article analyzes two exhibitions that appeared in the offer of two museums in Israel and Palestine as a response to the tragic chain of events in the region initiated by the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. Be’eri at the Haifa City Museum and This is Not an Exhibition at The Palestinian Museum seem controversial due to the fact that they comment on the tragic and tense situation in the region practically on an ongoing basis. The exhibition in Haifa was an attempt to transfer the journalistic story of the massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri to the museum, where in addition to photos of the crime scene, an attempt was made to reconstruct it in the exhibition halls using objects brought from the destroyed settlement. The Palestinian exhibition, on the other hand, focused on showing the vast cultural heritage threatened by the war in Gaza. To this end, around 280 works were displayed in the exhibition hall, which was also intended to resemble the landscape of war-torn Gaza. The described exhibitions are analyzed in terms of three potential functions: informational, political and commemorative-therapeutic, the performance of which is not among the basic tasks of museums. The article indicates specific means used by the creators of the discussed exhibitions to educate their audience about current events, build and support a specific political narrative, and try to include a therapeutic element. The text also attempts to compare both projects in terms of building an emotional and substantive message. The article also examines the media reception of the exhibitions, analyzing reviews and press reports, trying to verify the implementation of specific functions.