Historical Narratives and the Issue of Trust

Abstract

This essay analyzes the impact of historical narratives on the issue of trust in Israeli–Palestinian negotiations. Its main thesis is that Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives diverge so profoundly that the abyss between them is presently unbridgeable, seriously eroding trust between the parties. As opposed to the conflict between Israel and the neighboring Arab states, which focusses on Israel’s conquests of 1967 and the need to return occupied territories to their rightful owners, in exchange for security guarantees for Israel, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians goes beyond the occupation and has a critical 1948 dimension. This 1948 file, relating in the main to the refugee question and their “right of return”, is an existential matter for both Israelis and Palestinians, creating difficulties that have been insurmountable, thus far, in actually coming to an end of conflict agreement based on a two-state solution.