New Political Actors in Palestine: The Digital Efficacy of Gen Z

Abstract In 2021, Palestinians rallied to save families in East Jerusalem from eviction by launching the online #SaveSheikhJarrah campaign. These activists, many of them young, used platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok to share footage, mobilize support, and inform global audiences. The campaign illustrated the growing role of digital advocacy in shaping narratives around the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict. This study examines perceived political efficacy among Palestinians aged 18–27, commonly referred to as Gen Z. The quantitative descriptive‐analytical design based on an online survey of 402 respondents finds high levels of daily platform usage, with social media serving as a primary source of political information. Correlation and regression analyses reveal statistically significant associations among digital platform usage, political participation, beliefs about censorship of online content, and perceptions of digital political efficacy. The results provide evidence of how Palestine's Generation Z understands and experiences digitally mediated political engagement and the constraints of their platforms.