Struggle for homeland: Why cost tolerance of the Palestinian resistance is so high?
Palestinians in the Al-Mughraqa area of Gaza City, Gaza, travel with what belongings they can, heading towards areas they consider safer, either on foot or with carts following Israeli airsrikes, on March 18, 2025. (Hassan Jedi/ AA Photo)
The resilience of the Palestinian resistance is not driven by irrationality or fanaticism but by a deeply rooted struggle for their homeland. Contrary to the popular portrayals pushed by Israel and Western media, Palestinians do not fight out of blind zealotry or suicidal intent.
Rather, their resistance is a rational and strategic response to brutal occupation and genocide. Their resilience is shaped by nationalism, historical grievances, and collective identity, all of which are reinforced by a strong sense of faith.
Palestinian resistance and cost tolerance
Palestinians continue to resist despite Israel’s overwhelming military superiority and demonstrate a remarkable level of tolerance for casualties. However, this resilience is not unique to them; historically, societies engaged in existential struggles for self-determination and homeland defense have exhibited similar patterns.
For Palestinians, resistance is not a choice but a necessity. The brutality of Israeli occupation, including the besieging of hospitals and mass killings of civilians in refugee camps, leaves them with no alternative. Even in the face of overwhelming force, Palestinian resistance has maintained ethical boundaries by avoiding indiscriminate attacks, such as suicide bombings, despite being cornered in an existential battle. Contrary to prevailing narratives, Palestinians have refrained from tactics that could reinforce negative portrayals, even when the conditions to resort to them existed. Moreover, Palestinian resistance has upheld a “higher moral standard” than its occupiers, as evident in the treatment of hostages on both sides.
This is a war of survival for the Palestinian resistance—not for Israel—because, in reality, Palestinian resistance does not pose a true existential threat to Israel’s existence.
Palestinian resistance is shaped by the interplay of nationalism, culture, and religion. Nationalism serves as the central force, uniting the people in their struggle to reclaim their homeland. Culture sustains collective identity and social cohesion, embedding resistance deeply within Palestinian society. Religion, often misunderstood as the primary driver, acts as a source of resilience, providing moral and spiritual justification for endurance. However, this is not a religious war; rather, religion strengthens national unity rather than defining the conflict itself. Palestinians would defend their homeland against any occupier, regardless of their religion.
Although “Palestinian” is not an ethnicity in itself, a Palestinian nation has been forged through the experience of genocide, mass killings, and ethnic cleansing carried out by Israel. Nationalism plays a fundamental role in shaping cost tolerance in conflicts. Historically, societies fighting for their homeland have demonstrated a greater willingness to endure casualties. This pattern has been observed in numerous wars, where populations defending their own territory reveals higher endurance for sacrifices compared to those engaging in foreign interventions and occupations. Palestinians, fighting for their land, are no exception.
Unlike states waging wars abroad, where public support is often fragile and conditional, populations defending their homeland display a deeper commitment and a higher tolerance for sacrifices. In the case of Palestine, the struggle is not just about land, it is about preserving a national identity that has been under existential threat for decades. This sense of survival fosters a natural resilience and an unwavering willingness to endure hardships.
Israeli narrative: Framing Palestinians as irrational
Israel and its Western allies have systematically portrayed Palestinians as irrational, extremist, and inherently violent. This narrative serves a clear purpose: if Palestinians are seen as unreasonable and beyond diplomacy, their suffering can be dismissed, and their resistance can be criminalized.
Palestinian resistance is often mischaracterized as religious fundamentalism, with high-cost tolerance falsely attributed to extremism. It is frequently and misleadingly associated with radical terror groups like Daesh, despite having no connection, and, in fact, open animosity, toward them. In reality, Palestinian resistance is not driven by religious extremism but by a nationalist cause. However, the dominant narrative suggests that Palestinians fight out of religious fanaticism and extremism. This dehumanizing portrayal has enabled Israel to attempt to justify forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, indiscriminate bombings, and mass civilian casualties, amounting to genocide.
History, however, refutes this characterization. Palestinian resistance is structured, strategic, and rooted in rational political objectives: ending the occupation and securing national self-determination. The myth of irrationality has been used against resistance movements globally—from the ANC in South Africa to the IRA in Ireland—only for history to later recognize their struggles as legitimate.
Historical anecdotes: Cost tolerance in other conflicts
Many nations in history have demonstrated a high tolerance threshold for suffering when fighting existential battles. During World War II, Japan, Germany, and the Soviet Union all endured millions of casualties. Vietnam lost over one million people in its war against the U.S. compared to 58,000 American casualties, yet its people never surrendered. In the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Iran lost an estimated 250,000 people against another Muslim country but continued fighting because the war was seen as a defense of national sovereignty.
On the other hand, the occupiers exhibit much lower tolerance for casualties. The United States, after losing fewer than 10,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, faced public pressure to withdraw. This difference in cost tolerance is not due to any inherent cultural or religious factors but rather the reality of fighting a war at home versus fighting abroad. When a people fight for their homeland, their endurance is far greater.
Myth of irrational adversaries
Military narratives often portray adversaries with high-cost tolerance as irrational, making it easier to justify military actions against them. This is particularly evident in media depictions of leaders like Kim Jong-un, Saddam Hussein, and, more recently, Vladimir Putin and Russia, where eccentricities are exaggerated to paint them as unpredictable and uncontainable threats.
A similar portrayal is applied to Palestinian resistance. To secure public support and motivate military personnel, Palestinians are depicted as irrational fanatics rather than rational actors. However, such characterizations obscure the real motivations behind resistance movements. Palestinian resistance is not driven by blind fanaticism but by a calculated effort to reclaim land and sovereignty. In this context, the cost tolerance of Palestinian resistance does not fundamentally differ from that of any other nation. A fight for one’s homeland inherently fosters a higher threshold for sacrifice, as history has shown in countless struggles for self-determination.
Palestinians desire to live for their homeland rather than die for it
The high-cost tolerance of the Palestinian resistance is deeply intertwined with nationalism, historical grievances, and collective identity. Rather than stemming from irrationality, it is a rational and strategic response to brutal occupation and genocide. Societies fighting for their homeland will always exhibit a greater willingness to endure hardship compared to their occupiers. In this context, the resilience of the Palestinian people is not a mystery—it is a reflection of their unwavering commitment to their homeland and dignity.
The Israeli narrative that portrays Palestinians as irrational or fanatical serves to justify brutal policies and obscure the rationality and legitimacy of their struggle. Palestinians are willing to die for their homeland, but more importantly, they want to live for their homeland. They endure casualties and immense suffering not by choice but because they are forced into a position where resistance is their only option. For Palestinians, resistance is not merely a choice, it is an obligation and a duty.
No military force, political deal, or foreign intervention can break the will of a people determined to exist on their land with dignity and sovereignty. Palestinian resistance is not merely about defiance; it is about survival, honor, and the fundamental right to exist as a free people.
About the author: Yilmaz Acar is an independent researcher and analyst specializing in Middle East politics and international relations.
