The importance of archives in the Palestinian context. The case of Abu Dis. The Palestinian question is the subject of the largest number of books written about a specific region. Despite this, the traditions, habits, and expectations of most of the men and women who, for centuries, have lived in Palestine have been relegated to a secondary role. The sources produced by them and reflecting their lives have sometimes been ignored, at other times underestimated. After a long process, in this most recent historical period wide swathes of Palestinian society have shown that they want to remedy this deficit. They have started to take control of their history and are establishing archives. They are ready to concretize what Ignatieff would have called their «attempt to bring under control losses inflicted by time».
Keywords: Archives, Palestinians, Palestine, primary sources, identity.