7 - 9
February
2026
Al Jazeera Forum 17
The Palestinian Cause and the Regional Balance of Power in the Context of an Emerging Multipolar World
Concept Note
The 17th Al Jazeera Forum
7-9 February 2026
The Palestinian Cause and the Regional Balance of Power in the Context of an Emerging Multipolar World
Introduction
Over the course of the two-year war launched by Israel against Gaza, the Palestinian cause has undergone profound transformations that have placed it at a critical crossroads. On the one hand, the Israeli occupation has sought to reoccupy Gaza, forcibly displace its population or establish settlements in parts of it, and annex what remains of the West Bank, with the aim of liquidating the Palestinian cause altogether and eliminating the conditions necessary for the establishment of a Palestinian state. On the other hand, these developments have brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of global attention after it had nearly disappeared behind political settlements and agreements that nearly stripped Palestinians of all their rights.
The Palestinian cause has once again become a central global concern across media, political and diplomatic spheres alike. The genocide in Gaza has emerged as a primary focus for peoples around the world, while the resistance has succeeded in galvanising an unprecedented international solidarity movement, unlike anything the Palestinian cause has witnessed in its history. The Palestinian state has become a global demand, with countries across East and West competing to recognise it as a necessary solution to a conflict that occupation and successive wars have failed to resolve.
These transformations are unfolding within a regional context in which Iran – despite the losses it has sustained – and Turkey, racing to consolidate its position, have become regional powers that cannot be bypassed in any arrangements concerning the region’s security and stability. Israel, meanwhile, despite its displays of strength, is experiencing setbacks on multiple fronts. Globally, mounting evidence points to the emergence of a multipolar international order in which the monopoly over leadership is being dismantled and military, economic, political and technological power is distributed among multiple poles, particularly in light of the sweeping geopolitical and strategic shifts driven by modern technologies and the accelerating digital revolution.
Just as Arab states stand at the heart of the conflict over Palestine, they are also directly implicated in the region’s shifting balance of power and the rapid reconfiguration of the global order. These issues will be examined by the Al Jazeera Forum in its 17th edition, to be held from 7 to 9 February 2026 in Doha, Qatar.
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Amidst this competition between regional strategies and the narratives that support them, the absence of official Arab leadership persists—both in guiding the current events and in proposing future arrangements that would serve the Palestinian cause. Despite the importance of certain individual efforts, these roles have failed to bring about substantial changes in the core of the existing equation. While the inability of Arab populations to play an active role has become apparent, movements from other peoples—particularly youth—have not subsided. These generations, now liberated from the constraints of the Zionist narrative surrounding the conflict’s history, are expected to play an increasingly significant role in the future, especially in the West. Despite the importance of certain individual efforts, these roles have failed to bring about substantial changes.