Pali-Dictionary

A digital dictionary for Palestine.

Why Language Matters?

Language shapes how we understand the world, and when it comes to Palestine, it has been weaponized to distort reality. Terms like "conflict" or "war" falsely suggest a battle between equals, masking the brutal truth of Zionist settler colonialism, apartheid, and genocide. These words obscure the over 75-year history of ‘Israel’s’ colonization and the systemic power imbalance where a militarized settler colony oppresses an indigenous population.

This digital dictionary is designed to decolonize your vocabulary. Each term is carefully defined by the PDM team, drawing from hundreds of books, scholarly resources, and interviews. We aim to equip you with the language needed to confront Zionist propaganda and reclaim the narrative.

Palestinians are not just victims of occupation; they are indigenous people resisting erasure, fighting for their ancestral lands. Their resistance is not merely a reaction to military aggression but a justified struggle for survival, self-determination, and liberation from a violent colonial system.

Scroll below and use the search bar to explore dozens of terms. This resource is more than definitions—it's a tool for advocacy, designed to help you speak with clarity, accuracy, and solidarity in the fight for justice in Palestine.

Featured
IDF / IOF

IDF stands for the Israel Defense Forces, which is the military organization responsible for the defense of the the zionist settler colony of State of Israel, it encompasses the 'Israeli' Army, Navy, and Air Force. In Palestinian discourse, we call them IOF which stands for Israeli Occupation Forces, as we do not recognize the 'state of israel'.

From the River to the Sea

This phrase is a call to freedom for all Palestinians and their lands from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It is not a call for death, destruction, or hatred towards Jewish people, contrary to Zionist beliefs. Palestinians living between the river and the sea are heavily restricted in their movement within and beyond the border of the Zionist state, and this phrase is simply calling for freedom, equality, and liberation for Palestinians.

Settler Colony

According to Cornell Law School, the concept of settler colonialism can be defined as a system of oppression based on genocide and colonialism, that aims to displace a population of a nation (oftentimes indigenous people) and replace it with a new settler population. In the context of Palestine, settler colonialism refers to the ongoing process of establishing and expanding illegal "Israeli" settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Syrian Golan Heights. It involves the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians from their land, resources, and livelihoods, while promoting the demographic and political dominance of Jewish "Israelis" in those areas.

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