Psychological impediments are at the core of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Abstract

AbstractThe most puzzling aspect of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is that, after 73 years of mutual violence, enmity, and suffering, it remains unresolved even when coexistence is inevitable and a two‐state solution remains the only viable option, in the context of a confederation between Israel, a future Palestinian state, and Jordan. Although there are many contentious issues that must be specifically addressed and resolved before a final agreement can be implemented, especially the dispute over the land, it is the psychological dimension of the conflict which directly impacts every conflicting issue and makes it increasingly intractable. To mitigate the conflict, we must first look into the elements that inform the psychological dimension—psychological resistance, historical experience and perception, entrenched ideologies, mutual delegitimization, and religious conviction—and how to alleviate them as prerequisites to finding a solution.Related ArticlesHarel‐Shalev, Ayelet. 2009. “Lingual and Educational Policy toward ‘Homeland Minorities’ in Deeply Divided Societies: India and Israel as Case Studies.” Politics & Policy 37(5): 951–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00206.x.Talal, Olga. 2022. “Bureaucrats as Policy Makers: Minority Accommodation and Exclusion in Ethnic Nation‐states.” Politics & Policy 50(6): 1138–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12507.Tusalem, Rollin F. 2015. “Ethnic Minority Governments, Democracy, and Human Rights.” Politics & Policy 43(4): 502–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12125.