Political identity is a difficult concept to grasp because it inherently juxtaposes many different concepts. On the one hand, there is political affiliation, which can depend on economic factors, social factors, and moral factors. On the other hand, there is the notion of identity, which contains both an individualistic aspect (who am I) and an interrelation aspect (who do I belong with). Even in the most stable nations, with long democratic traditions and economic prosperity, political identity is a charged issue. In the volatile Middle East, and Israel in particular, political identity is charged with expectation and moral ambiguity. It is the powder that fills the keg, awaiting only a spark to ignite. This essay will examine the different political identities at play in the dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians. First, we will examine the broad concept of Islamic political identity. Then, we will examine the history of the Israeli Palestinian conflict and delve into how this history has contributed to the political identities in the region. Lastly, we will examine whether the Israeli and Palestinian political identities are likely to be reconciled in the near future. Along the way, we will delve into the relationship between culture, ethnicity, history, and the formation of an individual's political identity by examining the political identity of Palestinians both within and without Israel.
Before we begin this analysis, we must parse the concept of political identity and Islam. By political Islam, we refer to the political ideology that underlies the Islamist movement, and not to a religious construct. One popular view concludes that the Islamic faith contains within it an inherent political construct, in that it has concrete recommendations about how a society and a state should be ordered and implemented. This Islamic vision of the ideal state, in turn, has been used by Islamic groups and political org...