Palestinian

Palestinians are an ethnonational group associated with the region of Palestine, including those who identify with the Palestinian national movement and those who live in the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian diaspora. The term can indicate ethnicity, language (Palestinian Arabic), or nationality; legal status depends on context and can vary by location, citizenship laws, and political recognition.

Population is concentrated in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem; sizable diaspora communities exist in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and in the Americas and Europe. The majority are Muslims, with a Christian minority and small communities of other faiths. Palestinian Arabs share cultural and linguistic ties while exhibiting regional diversity in customs and practices.

Historically, Palestinians were governed by the Ottoman Empire and, after World War I, by the British Mandate for Palestine. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War led to large-scale displacement known as the Nakba. The Palestine Liberation Organization was established in 1964, and a Palestinian National Council declared independence in 1988. The Oslo Accords of 1993 created a framework for limited self-government in parts of the West Bank and Gaza. In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly granted Palestine non-member observer state status, reflecting its evolving international standing amid ongoing conflict and negotiations.

Culture and society center on the Arabic language and a shared sense of Palestinian identity. Traditional foods such as musakhan and maqluba are part of the culinary heritage, and music and dance, including dabke, are prominent. The Palestinian diaspora has contributed to literature, arts, science, and public life around the world.