Quick Scoop: A Palestinian is a person from, or descended from people from, Palestine, and the term usually refers to an Arab ethnonational group with a shared language, culture, and historical identity. Palestinians today live mainly in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel, and the wider diaspora around the world.

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Who they are

In everyday use, “Palestinian” can mean someone who identifies as part of the Palestinian people, whether they live in historic Palestine or abroad. Sources describe Palestinians as a people native to the Levantine region of Palestine, with Arabic language and strong cultural ties to other Levantine Arabs.

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Identity in brief

  • It is an ethnic and national identity, not a religion. Palestinians can be Muslim, Christian, or of other backgrounds.
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  • The identity is tied to a shared history, especially the events of 1948 and later displacement and occupation.
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  • Millions of Palestinians live outside the land itself in the diaspora.
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Simple way to think about it

If someone asks “what is a Palestinian?”, the shortest accurate answer is: a member of the Palestinian people, an Arab people with roots in historic Palestine and a distinct national identity.

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TL;DR: Palestinian usually means a person belonging to the Palestinian people — an Arab people with a shared history, culture, and national identity tied to Palestine.

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