Palestinian widows in Israel: Between the Hammer and the Anvil

Palestinian women in Israel have a marginal social status which stems from the intersection of being part of an ethnic minority and of a patriarchal society. This low status is further exacerbated by widowhood. The present qualitative study, based on semi-structured interviews among 16 Palestinian widows in Israel, sought to explore strategies employed by these women to cope with financial and social challenges owing to the structural complexity at the interface of state law, religious law, and custom. The findings show that these women are forced to remain single to avoid losing property and child custody, both which may be legally claimed by the late husband's extended family. In addition, the findings demonstrate different forms of agency the women employ in the face of the tight control of their lives by the husband's extended family. Policy changes would ameliorate the complexity of the circumstances affecting Palestinian widows in Israel.