Full Book: The Israeli and Palestinian Collective Memory of Conflict – Survey Findings, Analysis, Comparison and Collaboration

Abstract

This book deals with an enigmatic phenomenon: collective memory (CM), namely: the way a society views its past events. CM in general – and more so CM of conflicts and of political violence in particular – has gained major attention in the recent period in the academic, political and social spheres worldwide. Most of the chapters of the book were already published in English in major academic journals (and two books), except for the current chapter, chapter 12 (Summary and Conclusion) and chapter 2 (survey findings about the Israeli popular memory of the conflict) that was published – though partially differently - just in Hebrew. That said, the contribution of the book is that it assembles all these closely related publications in one book, therefore allowing the reader of the book to get an integrated wide and deep picture of the Israeli CM of the conflict, while understanding its connections to the Palestinian CM of the conflict. Additional contribution is the translation into English of the pioneering chapter 2 (survey findings). The aim of the book was to allow the readers to be exposed to these contributions and materials. Whose CM is addressed? Aside from the current chapter (no. 1), most of the book deals with the Israeli CM of the conflict, while chapter 9 addresses the Palestinian CM of the conflict, chapter 10 compares the CMs of both parties (Israel and the Palestinians), and chapter 11 describes conflict narratives’ collaborations that took place between the two parties. Topics addressed. Some of the chapters address the main historical event of the conflict, one with major political, psychological and social importance (the 1948 Palestinian exodus), while other address other topics in that conflict and that memory in large. Book structure. Following the current Introduction chapter, the Israeli component of the book is addressed in parts 2 and 3 of the book (chapters 2-8). Chapter 2 (in part 2) deals with the results of the first representative survey research that mapped the Israeli popular memory, addressing 23 major events/topics of the conflict. Actually, as far that is known, a similar wide research has never been done also regarding other conflicts worldwide. This survey allowed not only to map the memory regarding these topics, but also to examine the correlations of this memory with many socio-psychological characteristics of the interviewees (e.g., negative emotions towards the Arabs/Palestinians, the wish to sign peace agreements, various values and age). Part 3 of the book (chapters 3-8) still addresses the Israeli CM, but looking more into the dynamics of that memory: what influences the CM and how and why it stays fixated in holding certain narratives or transforms to hold different narratives. For example, chapter 3 addresses the relation of the CM to the conflict, chapter 4 – the characteristics of the historical narratives that are the content of the CM and the struggle for their dominance in a country, chapter 5 – major events that the narratives typically address, chapter 6 – the impact of the passing of time on the CM, chapter 7 – internal and external CM, and chapter 8 - The role of direct-experience people (war veterans) in promoting transitional justice via historical narratives. Part 4 of the book addresses the Palestinian component of the book via chapter 9 that deals with the Palestinian CM of the 1948 Palestinian exodus. This chapter also has implications to oral history – a major source about the past – due to the surprising findings of the chapter. Onward, part 5 for the book deals with both CMs, the Israeli and the Palestinian ones. Chapter 10 in this part describes the memories of both parties and compares them, while chapter 11 describes nine projects in which Israelis and Palestinian have collaborated in trying the bridge the gap between the narratives that each party adopts in his CM of the conflict. Finally, part 6 summarizes in chapter 12 the preceding discussion and concludes.