Palestine Through My Eyes: Past, Present, and Future

Dear Friends,

Welcome to my Substack. I’m honored to embark on this journey with you, sharing reflections, analysis, and stories about Gaza, Palestine, and the broader region. I want to begin by introducing my past work on Gaza, showcasing how my writing has evolved since 2015.

My journey started during my academic training, where my PhD research initially focused on Gaza. Travel restrictions eventually forced me to change my dissertation topic, but I remained committed to understanding and talking about Gaza’s history, present, and future. Over the years, my work has grown into a combination of scholarship, advocacy, and storytelling that seeks to highlight the struggles and hopes of Palestinians in Gaza and its people.

Here’s a look at some of my key writings, from past to present:

1. “From Fence to Fence: Gaza’s Story in Its Own Words” (2016)

Published in: Gaza as Metaphor (Edited by Helga Tawil-Souri and Dina Matar)

My first published piece on Gaza, this chapter explores how Palestinians in Gaza navigate and make sense of the geographic space they inhabit, described as “between fence and fence.” It examines Gaza’s emergence as a geographic entity, linking its modern-day challenges to a broader history that began before, during, and after the 1948 Nakba.

• Learn more about the book

• Read an excerpt from the chapter

2. “The Great March of Return: An Organizer’s Perspective” (2018)

Published in: Journal of Palestine Studies (Volume 47, Issue 4)

This essay delves into the genesis of the Great March of Return within the context of Gaza’s blockade and the fragmentation of Palestinian politics. I examine how the march became a rare opportunity for Palestinians in Gaza to reclaim a factionally controlled political space. The piece also highlights the challenges faced by the organizers, Israel’s violent crackdown, and the broader questions raised about nonviolent resistance in the face of disproportionate force.

• Read the essay

Related Work:

In the summer of 2017, I wrote a blog post for the Institute of Palestine Studies’ Palestine Square, accurately predicting the emergence of the Great March of Return in the spring of 2018.

• Read the blog post

3. “Palestine in Tahrir” (2020)

Published in: Palestine: A Socialist Introduction (Edited by Sumaya Awad and Brian Bean)

This chapter reflects on how Palestinians navigated the dynamics and shifts brought about by the Arab uprisings (also known as the Arab Spring). I focus on how different Palestinian political forces dealt with the cataclysmic shifts resulting from the Arab uprisings, including the debates over Syria.

• Download the book for free

4. Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire (2022)

This anthology, published by Haymarket Books, is a project very close to my heart. It centers Palestinian voices in imagining a future in Gaza beyond the limitations of colonialism, displacement, and violence. The essays and artworks in the collection explore reflection on the past, present, and future as a means of reimagining a better way of living, making this an urgent and hopeful contribution to Palestinian thought and creativity.

• Download the book for free

5. Hamas’s Balancing Act vis-a-vis Israel (2023)

Published by: the Arab Center Washington DC

In this essay, I explored Hamas’s decision to abstain from responding to Israeli aggressions on Gaza between 2021 and mid-2023. Contrary to the narrative that Hamas was pacified by economic incentives, I argued that this restraint was rooted in more complex strategic considerations.

• Read the essay

Additional Essays and Articles

Here are other selected pieces from my body of work that explore different aspects of Gaza, Palestine, and the region:

1. Letter from Gaza: ‘Alive due to lack of death’ (2017)

2. I’m from Gaza. Watching violence descend on my home is tragic. (2018)

3. Israel annexation plan: Why is Gaza missing from the conversation? (2020)

4. The Gaza cease-fire is no excuse for the world to look away (2021)

5. Israel's Tantura massacre: When the victims are Palestinians, the world believes only the executioners (2022)

6. The West Bank is on the Brink of Collapse (2023)

7. In Jenin, Palestinians Resist Against Israeli Helicopters And Drones (2023)

8. The Specter of a Second Nakba (2023)

9. The failures of Israel's blockade of Gaza, the longest siege of the 21st century (2023)

Looking Ahead

These writings represent part of my ongoing commitment to producing knowledge about Gaza, Palestine, and the region. Through this Substack, I hope to continue sharing reflections and analyses that shed light on Gaza’s past, present, and future. Thank you for being part of this journey, and I look forward to engaging with you in the posts to come.

With gratitude,

Jehad Abusalim