ABSTRACT
The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) of West Bank and Gaza (WBG) represent perhaps one of the most travelled-to and well-documented confl ict zones in the world. While the ground situation, as in all confl icts, is ever changing and access both to the territories as well as within WBG tends to vary, it is possible to enter, travel and conduct research in the OPTs much of the time. Indeed, if one is aware, alert and well-prepared, research can be conducted effectively and successfully, if not always with ease. Conducting fi eldwork in an over-researched area such as WBG has distinct advantages, the sheer ease of access for the lone terrorism researcher being just one. However, there are also unique disadvantages academic researchers face as sifting through sensationalism, rhetoric and normative judgement also inextricably become part and parcel of the fi eld research process. Yet for all the diffi culties and challenges that need to be overcome, fi eldwork in any confl ict zone is both a privilege and a deeply enriching experience and the same holds true of WBG. Indeed, primary data collection in the OPTs is well worth the effort for the exceptional insights and depth of understanding it can bring to one’s project.
