Entertainment‐education: dilemmas of Israeli creators of theatre about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in promoting peace

Abstract

Israeli–Palestinian peace is promoted through political and diplomatic channels, as well as indirect channels such as conferences, lectures, meetings, workshops and political journalism. However, there is less awareness of the extensive artistic activity in Israel surrounding peace and its implications for society, or of the uniqueness of the theatrical medium as a public medium that allows its viewers and participants to clarify their conflicts and positions related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. As part of a large and comprehensive study of plays about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict (which included mapping out and analyzing the themes of 37 plays about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict between 2005–2007, and checking the impact of some of the plays on teenage audiences), this study focused on Israeli theater creators who deal with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The goal was to specify the models, issues and strategies the creators used in plays about the conflict in order to influence viewers’ positions. This article represents the findings of the analysis of 26 in‐depth interviews with various creators (playwrights, directors and actors), who intended their plays to be seen by adult and high school audiences. The findings discuss the ideological, ethical and pedagogical dilemmas as well as the strategies they used to build texts meant to influence their viewers, and which distinguish dramatic works that educate for peace.