PDF Summary:The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, by Dov Waxman

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, spanning over a century, is a complex and layered struggle rooted in nationalist aspirations and competing claims over land. In The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Dov Waxman explores the origins, development, and current dimensions of this ongoing dispute.

He examines the key issues fueling tensions, such as the right of return for Palestinian refugees, the status of Jerusalem, settlement expansion in the West Bank, and Israel's security concerns. Waxman provides insights into the impact of Hamas's rise, the failure of past peace negotiations, and the challenges of achieving a sustainable resolution.

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Despite its initial promise, Waxman explains how the Oslo peace negotiations ultimately collapsed amid continuing violence, deeply rooted mutual distrust, and unresolved core issues. The failure to achieve a final peace agreement by the 1999 deadline, coupled with the onset of the Second Intifada in 2000, marked a significant setback. The accords were plagued by unmet deadlines, mistrust, and a failure by both parties to fully implement their commitments. While violence committed by extremists on both sides played a role in the process's collapse, Waxman contends that the deeper reasons lay in a failure to bridge the chasm of distrust between the two societies and insufficient political will to make the necessary compromises on core issues.

Practical Tips

• Encourage empathy by writing letters to pen pals in Israel and Palestine. This personal exchange can help you grasp the human aspect of the conflict beyond political agreements. Websites like Global Penfriends or PenPal World can help you connect with individuals living in these regions, allowing for a direct and personal exchange of experiences and viewpoints.
• You can foster peaceful coexistence by starting a dialogue group in your community. Bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds to discuss and understand different perspectives, similar to how nations engage in peace talks. This could involve monthly meetings where participants share their cultural experiences and address common misconceptions, promoting mutual recognition and respect.
• Create a personal blog or vlog series documenting your journey of learning about a specific political recognition or peace process. Share your insights, questions, and reflections as you explore the history and current events related to the topic. This could involve interviewing experts, summarizing news articles, or reflecting on historical documents to provide a comprehensive view of the situation for your audience.
• Develop a habit of addressing core issues in your workplace by creating a 'Core Concerns' box. Encourage colleagues to anonymously submit issues they believe are critical to the team's success but are not being addressed. Schedule regular meetings to discuss these concerns, ensuring that unresolved issues don't fester and lead to a breakdown in team cohesion, much like the unresolved issues in negotiations.
• Volunteer for a local community organization that works on conflict resolution and observe their deadline-setting practices. Take note of how they handle setbacks when deadlines are not met and what strategies they employ to move forward. Apply these observations to your own approach to setting and meeting deadlines.
• Use a commitment tracking app with reminder notifications. To avoid the pitfall of unmet commitments, leverage technology that can remind you of upcoming deadlines and tasks. Choose an app that allows you to set reminders for various timeframes (daily, weekly, monthly) and provides motivational messages to keep you on track. This can help you stay aware of your commitments and encourage timely action without the need for external prompting.
• Encourage critical thinking by creating a personal 'Bias Journal' where you note down news stories, social media posts, or conversations that may have a biased angle. Reflect on how these biases could contribute to extreme views and consider ways to seek out more balanced information. This habit can help you recognize potential triggers of extremist behavior in your environment and actively work to avoid them.
• Create a 'Compromise Jar' at home or work where family members or coworkers can anonymously drop suggestions for resolving ongoing disputes. Once a week, review the suggestions together and experiment with implementing one compromise, even if it's minor, to practice flexibility and collective problem-solving.

Core Issues and Competing Narratives Preventing Resolution

Jerusalem's Status

The Question of Jerusalem: A Conflict for Each Party

Waxman identifies the status of Jerusalem as the toughest and most contentious topic in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Because of its historical and religious significance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims, the city is a powerful emblem in the fight for national identity and acknowledgment. Israel has claimed Jerusalem as its unified capital since 1967, after conquering the eastern part of Jerusalem from Jordan. The international community, however, does not recognize its annexation of East Jerusalem, a territory Palestinians consider occupied and claim as the capital of their future state.

Waxman outlines both Israel's and Palestine's positions on Jerusalem and suggests a potential path to resolution, albeit a challenging one. Israelis are generally staunchly opposed to dividing the city, and particularly resistant to ceding control over the ancient city and its sacred places. In contrast, Palestinians view East Jerusalem, where Palestinians are the majority, as an integral part of any future Palestinian state. A potential compromise, which has been explored in past negotiations, involves a division of Jerusalem along ethnic lines, leaving Jewish neighborhoods in West and East Jerusalem within Israeli borders, and Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

Other Perspectives

• The United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, adopted after the 1967 war, calls for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the conflict, which includes East Jerusalem.
• The recognition of territorial claims is often subject to political considerations and can change over time, reflecting shifts in international relations and diplomatic priorities.
• Israel considers the entire city of Jerusalem, including East Jerusalem, as its indivisible capital, based on historical claims and the significance of the city in Jewish history.
• Historical precedents exist for divided cities, such as Berlin during the Cold War, suggesting that urban division, while not ideal, is not unprecedented and can be managed.
• There are voices within the Palestinian community that prioritize other issues over the status of East Jerusalem, suggesting that a pragmatic approach to the conflict might involve concessions on Jerusalem in exchange for gains elsewhere.
• It may not be acceptable to all parties within each ethnic group, as there are likely to be diverse opinions and interests that are not strictly aligned with ethnic identity.
• The proposal does not address the status of significant religious sites, which could lead to ongoing disputes and potential conflicts over access and control.
• The demographic complexity of Jerusalem, with its intermingled Jewish and Palestinian populations, could make the division along ethnic lines impractical and potentially lead to forced relocations or disruptions in the lives of residents.

The Palestinian Refugee Problem

Palestinian Displacement in 1948 and Right of Return: Competing Narratives

Waxman explains how the Palestinian refugee issue, stemming from the displacement of many thousands of people in 1948, is a profoundly sensitive and fiercely contested topic for both sides. The Palestinian narrative, emphasizing expulsion and dispossession, demands the right for all displaced individuals and their descendants to return, based upon claims of justice and international law. In contrast, the Israeli narrative insists that most refugees left voluntarily or were encouraged to flee by Arab leaders, placing the blame for their displacement on those who didn't accept the UN's plan for partition.

This dispute over accountability for the refugee problem, and consequently accountability for resolving it, makes compromise extremely difficult. Waxman contends that, to arrive at a practical agreement, each side must move beyond differing historical perspectives and engage with the current realities. He suggests that a solution that involves a combination of limited return for some refugees to Israel, resettlement of refugees in a Palestinian state or other countries, and international financial compensation might be the most feasible.

Practical Tips

• Create a visual art project, such as a collage or mixed media piece, that represents the themes of expulsion and dispossession. Use materials that symbolize home and loss, like keys, old photographs, or maps, to create a tangible representation of these concepts, fostering a deeper personal understanding.
• Educate yourself on international law and justice principles by enrolling in a free online course. Understanding the legal frameworks and justice theories that underpin international disputes will give you a better grasp of the complexities involved in claims like those of the Palestinians. For example, platforms like Coursera or edX offer courses on international law that can be audited at no cost.
• Enhance your understanding of historical narratives by volunteering as a tutor for students learning about history. Use the opportunity to present multiple perspectives on historical events and encourage the students to research and debate these viewpoints. This interaction will not only deepen your grasp of the subject but also help you communicate complex ideas effectively.
• Write an op-ed or blog post about the refugee crisis from a personal perspective, focusing on the human element rather than political blame. Sharing your thoughts and experiences can influence public opinion and encourage others to consider the importance of shared responsibility. You could highlight stories of individuals you've met through volunteering or discuss the impact of local initiatives, aiming to shift the conversation towards constructive action.
• You can foster understanding by hosting a cultural exchange dinner with dishes from Israel and the countries of refugees. Invite friends and neighbors to share a meal and discuss the history and current events of the regions involved. This can create a microcosm of the larger agreement, promoting empathy and awareness in your community.
• You can support refugee resettlement by volunteering with local organizations that assist refugees in integrating into their new communities. By offering your time to help with language tutoring, job searches, or navigating local services, you contribute to creating a welcoming environment that can ease the transition for refugees.
• Engage with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work with international finance, offering to volunteer or attend their public meetings. Through this, you'll see firsthand how financial compensation is used in real-world scenarios and its direct impact on communities. You might help with fundraising efforts for international projects or learn about the financial strategies these organizations use to support their international partners.

Boundaries and Housing Developments

The Growth of West Bank Settlements Hinders Palestinian State Borders

The issue of borders for a potential Palestinian state is central to the conflict. Waxman underscores that the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank poses a substantial obstacle to achieving a viable, contiguous Palestinian state, and it raises serious questions about Israel's ultimate intentions there. Palestinians insist on the Green Line as the border, seeking to reclaim the territory lost in the Six-Day War. However, Israelis are reluctant to relinquish control over the entire West Bank, claiming various reasons, including security concerns and the presence of nearly half a million Jewish settlers.

While Israel has officially endorsed a two-state solution, its settlement building activities in the region cast doubt on its willingness to exit the territory and make the necessary compromises to achieve a peaceful resolution based on territorial partition. Waxman notes that the way Israel has expanded settlements has undermined discussions and eroded the trust necessary for negotiations.

Other Perspectives

• Some argue that the presence of Israeli settlements could be integrated into a future Palestinian state, with settlers living under Palestinian governance, thus not hindering the establishment of the state itself.
• There is a perspective that the settlements serve security purposes, providing strategic depth and acting as a buffer against potential threats.
• The Green Line reflects armistice lines from 1949 and may not accurately represent the needs and realities of current demographics or security concerns.
• The reluctance to relinquish control over the West Bank may be influenced by factors beyond security and the presence of settlers, such as political ideology or religious beliefs, which could be subject to debate and reconsideration.
• The commitment to a two-state solution may be sincere, but the practicalities of politics and security concerns lead to actions that appear contradictory.
• The expansion of settlements may be viewed by some as a negotiating tactic to create facts on the ground that can be leveraged for concessions in future negotiations, rather than an outright barrier to peace.

Security Arrangements

Israel's Concerns About Safety Shape Demands for Robust Provisions in Treaties to Protect Against Attacks From Palestinians

Waxman highlights Israel's deep and longstanding security worries as a significant obstacle to achieving a lasting peace. Because the country is small and has historically faced existential threats from nearby Arab states, Israel is extremely wary of relinquishing control over territory without strong assurances. They view Palestinian militancy and terrorism—particularly attacks originating in the West Bank and Gaza—as a major security challenge.

Israel maintains that all peace agreements must include robust security arrangements to protect itself from potential future violence. Waxman outlines these demands, which typically involve the Palestinian state being demilitarized, Israeli control over Palestinian borders and airspace, and a prolonged Israeli military force stationed in the Jordan Valley. Palestinians, while accepting the need for some security cooperation, are reluctant to accept restrictions on their sovereignty and freedom of movement.

Practical Tips

• Develop a habit of creating contingency plans for your projects and commitments. Whenever you're planning an event, a financial investment, or even a family vacation, identify potential risks and outline steps you would take if things don't go as planned. For instance, if you're organizing a community fundraiser, have a backup venue in case of inclement weather or a plan for additional fundraising methods if the initial goal isn't met.
• Start a book club focused on geopolitical thrillers or non-fiction to engage with the themes of security and statehood in a more accessible context. By reading and discussing books that touch on similar topics, you and your fellow club members can better grasp the real-world implications of such security demands and the delicate balance of power in international politics.
• Start a virtual exchange with individuals from different backgrounds to discuss the themes of sovereignty and security. Use platforms like social media groups or forums to connect with people from various regions, including those experiencing similar dilemmas, and share insights on how these issues affect daily life.

Occupation's Impact & Hamas' Rise

The Effects of Israel's Occupation on Palestinians

The author points out that Israel's more than half-century control of the West Bank profoundly restricts Palestinian freedoms. Military checkpoints, permit requirements, and the imposition of Israeli military law impose significant limitations on Palestinians' ability to move freely, conduct business, build homes, gather for political activities, and even cultivate their land. This systematic control, though often defended by Israeli officials as necessary for security, has been condemned by human rights groups as discriminatory and abusive.

Waxman argues that the impact of the occupation on Palestinians extends beyond tangible restrictions to a more intangible sense of frustration, humiliation, and powerlessness—fueling resentment towards Israel and fostering a climate of anger and despair that increases support for violence. By restricting Palestinian freedoms, undermining their economic opportunities, and limiting their ability to govern themselves, the occupation inadvertently enabled the emergence and growth of Hamas.

Practical Tips

• Support Palestinian artisans and businesses by purchasing their products online. Look for e-commerce platforms that directly benefit the communities in the West Bank. By buying their goods, you contribute to their economy and gain a tangible connection to the region, which can serve as a conversation starter to raise awareness among your peers.
• Create a personal action plan to contribute to human rights advocacy. Research organizations that work on issues related to occupation and discrimination, and decide on a monthly action you can take, such as donating, volunteering, or participating in awareness campaigns. This helps you become an active participant in the cause rather than just a passive reader.
• Start a micro-grant program that supports small, peace-promoting projects in areas of conflict. By providing financial assistance to grassroots initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and reconciliation, you contribute to creating a more hopeful environment that counters despair. This could involve funding community art projects, educational workshops, or youth engagement programs that encourage non-violent expression and cooperation.

The Emergence and Growth of Hamas

Hamas Challenges Palestinian Authority and Israel Politically and Violently

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas emerged in the late 1980s during the First Intifada and rapidly gained popular support among Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. Waxman describes how Hamas capitalized on Palestinians’ frustration with the limited gains of peace negotiations and the perceived corruption of the PA. The group's ideology, combining Palestinian nationalism and radical Islamism, seeks to create a unified Palestinian Islamic state (though its position on this has become more ambiguous recently). Hamas combines its use of violence, including suicide bombings and launching rockets against Israel, with a robust social welfare network, providing services like healthcare, education, and charity to impoverished Palestinians.

Israel’s 2005 pullout from Gaza, while reducing support for the PA and more moderate Fatah, boosted Hamas's reputation among Palestinians and contributed to its win in the 2006 legislative elections. Hamas took over Gaza by force in 2007, leading to an Israeli blockade of the territory and a political split with the West Bank. Hamas's rule, marked by restrictions on civil liberties and periodic bouts of violence with Israel, has had a devastating impact on the people of Gaza.

Practical Tips

• Use mapping software to visualize the geographical and political changes over time in regions with significant historical events. By plotting the growth and influence of groups like Hamas on a map, you can get a visual sense of how historical and political landscapes evolve. This can be done using free online tools where you can add custom layers and annotations to reflect different periods and events.
• Improve your media literacy by comparing news coverage of similar events from different sources. Select a recent event that involves a shift in control or power, whether in a company, government, or other organization. Look at how various international news outlets report on it, noting any biases or differences in the portrayal of the event. This exercise will help you discern the reliability and objectivity of news sources.

Other Perspectives

• The limited gains of peace negotiations could be seen as a result of complex geopolitical dynamics and the intransigence of multiple parties involved, not just the failure of the Palestinian Authority.
• The use of the term "radical" could be seen as subjective and potentially pejorative, failing to acknowledge the legitimate grievances and aspirations of Palestinians that Hamas claims to represent.
• Hamas's ambiguous position on the creation of a unified Palestinian Islamic state might reflect a strategic shift to gain broader political support, rather than a genuine change in ideology.
• It is argued by some that the focus on Hamas's violence overshadows the political and humanitarian work the organization does within Palestinian society, which contributes to its support base.
• The quality and accessibility of the healthcare, education, and charity services provided by Hamas may not meet international standards or the needs of the population.
• The reduction in support for the Palestinian Authority may have been more directly related to internal issues such as perceived corruption and ineffective governance rather than the Israeli pullout.
• The assertion that the pullout contributed to Hamas's win could be challenged by the argument that Hamas's victory was primarily a result of democratic processes reflecting the will of the Palestinian people at that time, rather than a direct consequence of the Israeli pullout.
• The blockade was not solely a consequence of the takeover; it was also a response to ongoing security concerns, including the firing of rockets into Israeli territory.
• The division between the two territories was exacerbated by external factors, such as international pressure, regional politics, and the policies of Israel towards the Palestinian territories, which influenced the political landscape.
• Observers note that in the context of the Middle East, there are varying standards of civil liberties, and some argue that the situation in Gaza should be compared regionally rather than to Western democracies.
• It is argued by some that the term "periodic bouts of violence" does not adequately capture the continuous pressure and tensions experienced by residents of Gaza due to the blockade and military actions, which can contribute to the cycle of violence.
• It is possible that without Hamas's governance, the situation in Gaza might be worse if there were a power vacuum or if less organized factions took control, leading to increased instability and violence.

Conflict Resolution and the Potential for Peacebuilding

Potential Solutions: Separate States or Confederation

Challenges in Achieving an Equitable and Enduring Peace

Waxman emphasizes that achieving a fair and enduring resolution between Palestinians and Israelis will require overcoming a multitude of political, ideological, psychological, and logistical challenges. Past peace efforts have repeatedly failed due to a combination of hardening positions by both parties, a lack of political will from leaders on both sides, enduring mistrust between the two societies, and the persistent violence of extremists. The conventional two-state solution, though technically still feasible, is now widely viewed as politically impossible because of the continued expansion of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, the intransigence of both sides on final status issues such as Jerusalem, and the lack of any prospect for a resumption of peace talks.

A single-state proposal, though attracting increasing interest in recent years, is even less likely as it conflicts with the nationalist aspirations of both Palestinians and Israelis. Moreover, Waxman cautions that trying to force them into a single nation without addressing the hostility and suspicion between them will inevitably lead to instability, oppression, and further conflict. He concludes that while harmony is possible, it will require a combination of pragmatic compromises, creative solutions, and significant reconciliation.

Context

• Questions of legality, such as the status of settlements and the rights of displaced persons, are contentious and require careful legal consideration to ensure any agreement is just and sustainable.
• Decades of conflict have led to psychological barriers, including fear and dehumanization of the other side, which make trust-building efforts challenging.
• These are communities established by Israel on lands captured during the 1967 Six-Day War, including the West Bank. The international community largely considers these settlements illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Their expansion is seen as a major obstacle to peace because it complicates the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.
• The land in question holds significant historical and religious importance for both groups, with each side having deep-rooted historical claims that fuel their nationalist aspirations.
• Security is a major concern for both sides. A single-state solution would need to address the security needs of both Israelis and Palestinians, who have experienced decades of conflict and violence, to prevent further instability.
• For any peace process to succeed, it must have the backing of the general populations. This involves addressing public opinion and ensuring that any agreements are seen as legitimate and beneficial by the majority of people on both sides.

How Peacebuilding Efforts Contribute

Promoting Dialogue and Reconciliation to Achieve Israeli-Palestinian Peace

Waxman argues that sustained peacebuilding efforts are crucial for laying the groundwork for any lasting settlement of the conflict. He contends that the entrenched hostility, fear, and mistrust of both Palestinians and Israelis are major impediments to achieving peace, and these psychological barriers need to be dismantled alongside political barriers. Encouraging dialogue, collaboration, and harmony between the two groups can help to create a more conducive environment for peacemaking, establish support for peace within both societies, and foster the necessary trust for any future solution to be successful.

While Israeli authorities and the PA have tended to focus on top-down “peacemaking” – largely consisting of negotiations and deals managed by political elites – Waxman advocates for a parallel, bottom-up approach that empowers ordinary Palestinians and Israelis to engage in dialogue, build relationships, and work together on issues of mutual concern. Numerous grassroots organizations are already doing this, undertaking peacebuilding projects that bring together people from Israel and Palestine, particularly women and youth, to foster understanding, counter prejudice, and rebuild trust. Waxman contends that these kinds of efforts are crucial for securing a lasting and meaningful peace.

Practical Tips

• Create a "barrier swap" with a friend where you both commit to working on one psychological barrier while supporting each other. This could involve regular check-ins to discuss progress and challenges. If your friend is working on being more open-minded to different political views, and you're working on overcoming anxiety in social situations, you can provide each other with perspective and encouragement.
• Start a "Common Grounds Coffee Chat" in your workplace or community where people from different groups are invited to discuss shared interests over coffee. This informal setting can foster a sense of unity and understanding by focusing on commonalities rather than differences. For example, invite members of different departments at work to talk about their favorite books or hobbies, which can lead to discovering shared passions and reduce inter-departmental friction.
• Encourage empathy by creating a personal 'Empathy Map' for someone from a conflicting viewpoint or society. On a piece of paper, draw sections for what the other person might think, feel, see, hear, and experience. Fill it out based on what you know or can learn about their perspective. This exercise can help you understand the motivations and emotions of others, which is a step towards supporting peace. Share your insights with friends or family to spread the practice.
• Develop a personal "Trustworthiness Meter" by rating yourself on key trust factors like reliability, openness, and competence after important interactions. Ask yourself questions like "Did I deliver on what I said I would?" or "Was I honest in my communication?" Use a scale from 1 to 10 and aim to improve your scores over time, focusing on specific areas where you see room for growth.
• Develop a habit of engaging with and supporting local businesses or initiatives that are run by individuals from different cultural or political backgrounds than your own. This can be as simple as choosing to dine at a restaurant owned by an immigrant family or buying from a store that supports cross-cultural projects. By doing so, you're not only broadening your own horizons but also contributing to an ecosystem that values diversity and dialogue.
• Create a "Skill Swap" board in your workplace or community center. Encourage people to post skills they can offer and skills they'd like to learn. This not only helps in building relationships through teaching and learning from each other but also addresses mutual concerns by pooling resources. For instance, someone might offer lessons in basic accounting while wanting to learn social media marketing, thus creating a symbiotic learning environment.
• Create a "Common Ground Book Club" where members read and discuss books from authors around the world. This encourages participants to step into the shoes of people from different cultures and understand the complexities of their experiences. You might select a variety of genres, from fiction to memoirs, that offer perspectives on conflict resolution, social justice, and community building.
• You can amplify women and youth voices on social media by sharing their stories and perspectives on peacebuilding. Create a dedicated hashtag and encourage young people and women from conflict-affected areas to post about their experiences and ideas for peace. This not only raises awareness but also gives them a platform to be heard by a wider audience, potentially influencing policymakers and stakeholders.
• Start a peace journal to reflect on and track peaceful actions you take each day. Write down instances where you chose a peaceful resolution over conflict, or moments when you encouraged others to do the same. This habit can increase your awareness of the impact of peaceful actions and motivate you to continue them.