RO’A Center organized a focus group discussion around the study “Mapping Stakeholders in the Palestinian Political Landscape Post-October 7, 2023,” written by Dr. Nahed Habiballah. The study examines the changing Palestinian political landscape after October 7, identifying key stakeholders and exploring how questions of legitimacy, political agency, values, and representation are being reshaped within a context of fragmentation and political rupture.
The focus group brought together experts, representatives of civil society organizations, young members from RO'A's network, academics, RO’A board members, and partners, creating a diverse space for discussion around the study’s findings and the transformations taking place within Palestinian political life.
Participants reflected on shifting political roles, the crisis of representation and legitimacy, the emergence of new actors, and the growing importance of youth, civil society, and grassroots initiatives within the Palestinian political landscape. These themes are central to the study, which highlights growing dissatisfaction with traditional political leadership alongside new forms of political agency and calls for more inclusive forms of representation.
The discussion also provided an opportunity to critically engage with the study’s analysis and bring different institutional, academic, civil society, and generational perspectives into dialogue around possible directions for the Palestinian political future.