ABSTRACT
From a cross-case comparative perspective, the protracted conflicts between Egypt and Israel and between India and Pakistan are marked by important similarities as well as differences. The intensity of the rivalries and the gravity of the territorial issues at stake were similar in the two protracted conflicts. Also, differences between the rivals in each case, such as differences in religion and political structure, were apparent in each conflict. In both the Indian-Pakistani and EgyptianIsraeli conflicts, certain third parties recurrently appeared as would-be mediators while others intervened on a more ad hoc basis. Importantly, the cases included several common third parties (such as the UN and the United States), creating a valuable basis for the examination of decisions by the same mediator under different conditions.
