When the Homeland Becomes a Privilege, Not Belonging

Author: Dr. Hikmat Nabil Al-Masri

The most dangerous crises facing nations are not wars or economic downturns, but that moment when a citizen begins to lose the feeling that the homeland belongs to them. At the moment the homeland transforms, in the people's consciousness, into a space monopolized by a limited group in terms of power, wealth, or decision-making, the relationship between the individual and the state shifts from a relationship of belonging and partnership to one of alienation and individual calculations.

The modern state does not rely solely on power, but on an unwritten social contract based on a simple principle: that every citizen feels they are a partner in rights and duties, and that the law protects everyone without discrimination. When this balance is disrupted, the feeling of citizenship begins to erode, replaced by another question: How do I protect myself? instead of How do I serve my country?

Here lies the real problem. Sacrifice is not a decision imposed by laws, but a value that stems from a sense of justice and belonging. One cannot ask a citizen to defend institutions they do not feel represent them, or to bear national burdens while seeing privileges confined to a narrow circle. As the gap between the state and society widens, trust declines, along with the spirit of initiative and public responsibility.

But it is also important to distinguish between the homeland and authority. The homeland is land, people, history, and identity, while authority is a political administration subject to change. The experiences of peoples have shown that many citizens remained loyal to their homelands despite their objections to their governments because their allegiance was to the homeland, not to the political system.

Building a strong state does not begin by demanding more sacrifice from the people, but by building trust between them and their institutions. Justice, the rule of law, equal opportunities, and participation in decision-making are not political slogans, but the foundation that enables citizens to see the success of the state as a personal success, and defending it as a defense of their future and that of their children.

In the Palestinian case, this idea takes on a more sensitive dimension. The people who have made exceptional sacrifices over decades need national institutions today to enhance their trust, preserve their unity, and affirm that their sacrifices translate into a comprehensive national project, not into factional gains or internal divisions. The existential challenges facing Palestine make the restoration of trust between citizens and national institutions a strategic necessity, not just an administrative or political issue.

In the end, the strength of nations is not measured by the number of laws they impose, but by the degree of belonging they instill in the hearts of their citizens. When a person feels that the homeland is truly theirs, they become ready to give and sacrifice. But when they lose this feeling, the instinct for survival takes precedence over national duty, and individual survival becomes a logical choice in the eyes of many. Therefore, the path to a strong state does not go through demanding sacrifices from citizens, but through building a homeland in which everyone feels they are equal partners, and that their rights, dignity, and future are protected.