Beyond Borders and Blockades: Human Trafficking Risks among Vulnerable Palestinian Populations under Occupation

This article explores the link between political occupation, economic marginalization, and the risk of human trafficking in the occupied Palestinian territory. It argues that the ongoing Israeli occupation and blockade, particularly of Gaza and Area C of the West Bank, have entrenched structural vulnerabilities that increase exposure to exploitation and trafficking, most significantly of women, children, and unregistered workers. The study also examines the role of extremist ideology in fueling armed groups and violence in the Arab world, linking these phenomena to both ideological roots and legal responses.MethodsThe research adopts a combined analytical and legal approach, utilizing human rights reports, national legislation, and international conventions on trafficking and counterterrorism. It explores both national and international legal frameworks that address violent extremism and human trafficking.ResultsThe study finds that state fragility, fragmented governance, extreme poverty, and the impacts of occupation and blockade create fertile ground for labor exploitation. These factors also enable forced displacement, survival trafficking, and the rise of armed groups. The study reveals how the modern-day jihadist groups have borrowed ideologically from the classical extremist ideology and how the groups systematically contravene national laws and international conventions. The research also condemns international anti-trafficking and counterterrorism policies for not taking into consideration the political and colonial histories of occupied lands, far too often presenting these emergencies in vague criminal terms rather than as structural crises.ConclusionThe article calls for a rights-oriented, contextualized approach to both trafficking and violent extremism. It recommends that national law be strengthened to meet international standards, that international judicial assistance be enhanced, and that structural vulnerabilities arising from occupation, blockade, and state fragility be addressed. It further urges the promotion of a culture of law and human rights to counter hate speech, extremist ideology, and the conditions that enable trafficking and exploitation.