ABSTRACT
In the second half of the twentieth century, the Palestinian student movement played a central role in shaping the political map and re-establishing the Palestinian national identity in the post-Nakba era. The student movement's political activities forged a common national identity among an entire generation of youths whose childhood had been shaped by the Nakba. The political activism of the student movement marked the beginning of a process of national awakening among Palestinian students. As the students endeavored to express a particular brand of Palestinian political representation, the GUPS set out to establish international coalitions to promote its standing in the international political arena. The student movement in the occupied territories formed amidst pressing need, distinct from the conditions that led to the establishment of the GUPS in the Arab diaspora. Its considerable political power and esteemed representation of Palestinian youths placed the GUPS at the center of the contest among the multifold factions of the PLO.
