The Popular University of the Palestinian Youth Movement Presents

Our History of Popular Resistance: Palestine Reading List

pop u reading list

As Palestinians, we are bearers of a rich and beautiful history. Our history is not defined by Zionism, but by our people's steadfast popular resistance to Zionist colonization and imperialism. For over 73 years, our people have faced Zionist ethnic cleansing and for over 73 years we have risen in struggle against it. Even prior to the 1948 Nakba, Palestinians consistently rose up against British imperialism and the Zionist movement, as exemplified in the 1936-9 Arab Revolt. Our history and struggle, therefore, cannot be defined by victimhood. Instead, they are defined by a relentless persistence toward liberation, even under the most brutal colonial conditions. 

Today is no exception. In a moment when the word is rising up for Palestinian freedom, we must emphasize that popular uprisings across Palestine are deeply and firmly rooted in our history. For this reason, our recommended reading list offers historical context on Palestine through the prism of popular resistance, which continues to be our main resource in the fight for land, return, and liberation. We include sources in English and Arabic on popular resistance ranging from political histories, interviews, memoirs, poetry, films, and primary documents. By popular resistance we refer to all forms of resistance taken up by Palestinians: in the form of economic resistance, women’s organizations, unions and labor organizing, and military/armed resistance. 

As the Popular University, a committee of the Palestinian Youth Movement, we believe that education must be wielded in service of struggle. Our viewpoint finds inspiration and guidance from the Popular University in Palestine, of which the martyred Basel al-Araj was a part. In our meeting with an educator in this project, Khaled Odeitallah, he emphasized how the political role of pedagogical strategies inspired the objective and vision of the Popular University. He asked: “What is the political role that knowledge production must play?” From this perspective we seek to motivate, engage and facilitate a robust engagement on the history and present of our struggle. Study and struggle are intimately tied to one another.  We do not learn and produce knowledge on Palestinian history for academic or careerist pursuits; we produce knowledge in service of our political struggle for Palestinian liberation. 

We encourage you to use this reading list to educate yourself on the history of Palestine beyond the objective facts of colonial domination. This is a political responsibility for anyone concerned with Palestine’s liberation. Through engagement with our history of resistance, we may join the struggle armed with knowledge and a continued commitment not to our suffering, but to our collective strength. 

This reading list is organized in the following sections:

  1. Introductory and Archival Materials

  2. Revolt and Rebellion under the British Mandate:

  3. Palestinian Resistance 1948 - 1993

  4. Contemporary Palestinian Resistance

  5. Palestinian Institutions and Political Parties

  6. Worker Mobilization, Labor Movements, and Economic Resistance

  7. Resistance in Zionist Prisons

  8. Role of Palestinian Women in the Intifada

  9. Memoirs and Personal Profiles

  10. Historical fiction, literature, and poetry

  11. Films

Additionally, you can search for any book here: Palestine Books Library.

1. Introductory and Archival Materials

2. Revolt and Rebellion under the British Mandate: 

3. Palestinian Resistance 1948 - 1993

This section is loosely organized in chronological order of the events and histories addressed in each text.

4. Contemporary Palestinian Resistance 

5. Palestinian Institutions and Political Parties

  • The PLO: The Struggle Within, Alain Gresh (1985)

  • “The Joy of Flying 1967-73” in The Palestinian Liberation Organization: People, Power, and Politics, Helena Cobban (1984)  

6. Worker Mobilization, Labor Movements, and Economic Resistance 

  • Comrades and Enemies: Arab and Jewish Workers in Palestine, 1906-1948, Zachary Lockman (1996) 

7. Resistance in Zionist Prisons

8. Role of Palestinian Women in the Intifada 

9. Memoirs and Personal Profiles 

10. Historical fiction, literature, and poetry 

11. Films

Originally published on May 23, 2021 via bit.ly/pymreadinglist.