Israelis and Palestinians - From the Cycle of Violence to the Conversation of Mankind

Can Israelis and Palestinians end their long conflict? The shocking violence of current events undermines hope, as does the long history of peace deals sabotaged by extremists on both sides. In this compelling and timely book, the eminent moral philosopher Jonathan Glover argues that one vital step towards progress is to better understand the disturbing psychology of the cycle of violence.Glover explores the psychological flaws that entrap both sides: the urge to respond to wounds or humiliation with backlash; political or religious beliefs held with a rigidity that excludes compromise; and people's identity being shaped by the conflict in ways that make it harder to imagine or even desire alternatives. Drawing on the history of comparable conflicts that eased over time, Glover proposes some ways to gradually weaken the grip of this psychology.Completed as casualties mounted in the latest political and humanitarian crisis, Israelis and Palestinians is essential reading for anyone concerned by the ongoing violence in the Middle East.

Inhaltsverzeichnis:

AcknowledgementsProloguePart One: The Cycle of ViolenceChapter 1: Disputed HomelandChapter 2: Wounds and BacklashChapter 3: Breaking the Cycle?Chapter 4: Joining the Conversation of MankindPart Two: BacklashChapter 5: The Psychology of BacklashChapter 6: The Illusions of BacklashChapter 7: Collective Guilt: The Role of StereotypesPart Three: Rigid Beliefs and IdentityChapter 8: The Role of Rigid BeliefsChapter 9: Belief Systems: Challenge and ResponseChapter 10: Identity TrapsEpilogueNotesIndex

Rezension:

'What singles this book out from all others about the conflict are two features: a sympathetic recognition of the traumas on both sides, but, more importantly, a deeper attempt to unravel and suggest ways to overcome the underlying and by-now self-perpetuating psychological forces that make peace today improbable. This is not a narrative that offers us a ready template for a "solution" in the classical sense: it is a call for what needs to be done to make what is now an improbable solution a possible one. For me, it was an eye-opener!'Sari Nusseibeh, President Emeritus, Al-Quds University'Israelis and Palestinians is a book about a land and its tormented politics, but it is first and foremost about people. Jonathan Glover's humanist perspective avoids the common pitfalls of assigning blame or proposing "out-of-the-box" solutions to the indefatigable conflict. His empathetic account of the social and psychological barriers to peace is indispensable for anyone interested in understa nding the conflict, let alone solving it.'Assaf Sharon, Molad, The Center for the Renewal of Israeli Democracy