ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how peace proposals are translated in times of conflict, with a specific focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The analysis centers on one proposal: the “Israeli Peace Initiative” (IPI) and its different translations. The IPI, authored on April 6, 2011, by a group of former Israeli military commanders, politicians, and activists, is an unofficial response to the Arab Peace Initiative, an official peace proposal addressed to Israel. Initially drafted in Hebrew, the IPI was subsequently translated into Arabic and English by different institutions. The central argument of this chapter is that the translation of peace proposals, particularly in times of conflict, can result in incompatible interpretations by various stakeholders. These agents construct and disseminate accounts of proposals that align with their ideologies, political agendas, and the expectations of their constituencies. Applying concepts and methods of Product-Oriented Descriptive Translation Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis, the chapter examines how political terms, place names, and politically sensitive information are mediated in the translation process. Accordingly, the chapter highlights the significance of translation as a crucial site for the construction, dissemination, and contestation of incompatible political interpretations and competing ideologies, which contribute to the persistence of intractable conflicts.
