What were the consequences of the 1967 war for Palestinians?
Palestinians suddenly faced the military occupation and settlement of their land. With the occupation came a dual system of law: one for Israeli settlers and one for Palestinians. The overwhelming military defeat of the Arab states also led Palestinians to conclude that their liberation would not be effectuated by the Arab states, but would have to be of their own making. This determination led to Palestinian resistance and significant outreach to the international community for political and economic support. Eventually, Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip became the primary focus of the Palestinian national movement, and other issues – such as the status of the Palestinian refugees from 1948, and the position of Palestinian citizens of Israel as an oppressed minority – were largely occluded.
