ABSTRACT
This chapter synthesizes research and evaluations of peacebuilding work among Israelis and Palestinians since the beginnings of the Oslo peace process in 1993. It incorporates interviews with activists from both sides, as well as personal experiences of the authors. Therefore, the chapter’s generalizations, conclusions, and recommendations are inductively arrived at and specific to this case study. Nonetheless, they may be relevant to other ethnopolitical or identity-driven contemporary conflicts
Given the inability of the Israeli and Palestinian ruling elites to move decisively out of the current impasse, priority should be given to an enlargement of the ranks of the peace camp by attracting as many components of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), professional groups, social movements, charitable associations, intellectuals, and artists as possible (Hassassian and Kaufman 1999). The guiding principles that we suggest are shared values of human rights and the desire for democracy and peace. We must forge a link between the currently introverted peace and justice camp and the larger sphere of civil society (Kaufman and Hassassian 1998). For, in the absence of government action, it becomes the province of the public to affect the course of events to bring about a just and lasting peace (Hassassian and Kaufman 2002).
