A Palestinian family is a large community of extended family members with a lineage that can be traced to ancestors who resided in Palestine. Socially, these families are divided according Segmentary lines, and socio-spatial associations as city dwellers, villagers and nomads. The elites, traditionally known as the notables (known in Arabic as a'yan, wujaha', zu'ama), headed these families, and specialized in specific occupations. For example, urban elites traditionally made of city-dwelling merchants (tujjar), clerics ('ulema), ashraf, military officers, and governmental functionaries, the rural notability was composed of rural sheikhs, village or clan mukhtars.[1]
There are numerous prominent Palestinian families who have contributed to the society, politics and economy of historical Palestine. Usage of the term Palestinian tribe is relatively uncommon and has differed depending on context.[2]
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