Challenging patriarchal notions in Palestinian society is not a separate issue from ending Zionist settler-colonialism. In fact, it has been precisely through gender violence that the colonial project has thrived.

Sexual and gendered practices in Arab society stand at the core of the novel “Against the Loveless World,” with author Susan Abulhawa going full force in a critique of patriarchy: With the exception of the Palestinian underground heroes of both sexes, most gendered interrelations in the novel reflect poorly on the male players.