Working towards Peace through Education: The Case of Israeli Jews and Palestinians

Abstract

In the present article, I discuss current and past peace and reconciliation educational efforts conducted between Palestinians and Israelis. I concentrate on the educational initiatives conducted for Jewish-and Palestinian-Israeli citizens and not on those less common taking place between Israelis and Palestinians in the Palestinian Authority. In the first section of this article I describe the Israeli sociopolitical and educational context. I then review the main theoretical perspectives which underwrite the educational work undertaken. The third section is dedicated to reviewing the main existing programs and offering information regarding research results where research has been conducted, and in the fourth and last section I offer critical insights on the educational initiatives portrayed.

Working together in the context of protracted asymmetric conflict: Israeli Jews and Palestinians in joint medical work teams.

“…Studies by Maoz (2000bMaoz ( , 2000cMaoz ( , 2004Maoz ( , 2005Maoz ( , 2009Maoz ( , 2011 explored these organized encounters and demonstrated that they did not result in symmetrical cooperation. Overall, the findings emerging from this research showed that the contact was not as positive as had been planned (Bekerman, 2018;Ben David et al, 2017;Halabi & Zak, 2014;Hammack, Pilecki, & Merrilees, 2014;Killen, Elenbaas, & Rutland, 2015;Ross, 2015;Shani & Boehnke, 2017;Thiessen & Darweish, 2018).…”

“…The intensity level of the protracted intergroup conflict also significantly influences the interpersonal relations between Israeli Jews and Palestinians in everyday work encounters: The more acute the overall conflict, the stronger its negative influence on workplace relations (Syna Desivilya, 1998). Although this research was conducted soon after the Oslo Accords, which built up expectations of peace and the end of the protracted conflict, there were frequent reminders of the ongoing discord (Bekerman, 2018). Hence, the intensity level of the conflict remained relatively high, penetrating the medical work team and mitigating generalization of positive experiences at work to overall perceptions of Jewish—Palestinian relations in Israel.…”

“…Research in the social and behavioral sciences has sought to expand knowledge and promote understanding of intergroup relations and interactions in divided societies immersed by intergroup conflicts. This research area is especially important in intractable conflicts, such as the long-term conflict between Israelis and Palestinians (Kriesberg, 2009), where a history of hostility and frequent eruptions of violence disrupt the normal functioning of society (Bekerman, 2018; Halperin, 2008; Halperin & Bar-Tal, 2011).…”

“…The Jewish majority (some 80% of the Israeli population) is in control of most material and political resources and determines the country’s national character. The relationship between the Israeli Jews and Palestinians is also significantly affected by the larger protracted asymmetrical conflict between the State of Israel and the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip territories (Bekerman, 2018; Desivilya & Raz, 2015; Maoz, 2011).…”

“…Consequently, interventions designed to develop structured intergroup encounters in the context of a divided Israeli society beset by such an acute asymmetric and protracted conflict represent a paradox: They aim to engender equality and cooperation between groups embedded in a reality of conflict and asymmetry (Bekerman, 2009, 2018). The current research examines how this paradox is manifested in real-life encounters in the work place.…”