This book offers an analysis of the major sources of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and suggests principles and processes for building a peacemaking platform. The primary aim of this book is to analyze the crucial roles and capacities of mid-level, nongovernmental peacemakers as they provide unique approaches to transforming the Israel-Palestinian conflict. It also aims to analyze and experience dialogue as the primary mode of peacemaking communication. The two-part format of this book creates a structural dialogue. Part One provides an academic introduction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, why it matters, the role of identities, and strategies for transforming the conflict based on international law and human rights. Part Two is presented in a dialogue format, providing further conflict analysis through storytelling and dialogues with peacemakers. This book will be of great interest to anyone engaged with peace and conflict transformation, ethnography, social justice, communication studies, and Middle Eastern studies, human rights and international law.

The Israeli-Palestinian struggle is considered to be one of the most entrenched conflicts in the world. Presenting and evaluating interactive models of peacemaking and the phenomenon of intractable conflict, the book takes an in-depth look into specific models for peacemaking and applies them to the situation in Israel/Palestine. The argument centers around the idea that a multifaceted approach to peacemaking has the greatest potential to transform an intractable conflict into a mutually beneficial social order. Encompassing theoretical background, comparative studies of conflict resolution processes in similar circumstances around the world and policy recommendations, the author presents four interactive models of peacemaking to suggest a comprehensive approach to peacemaking that attacks the conflict from various angles, directions and dimensions. Introducing general conditions that have the potential to transform a situation of destructive conflict into a more peaceful social order, Conflict and Peacemaking in Israel-Palestine adds a fresh perspective to the study of destructive social conflicts and should provoke critical discussion among students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, Middle Eastern politics, conflict resolution and management.

The 1993 Oslo Accords were a key attempt to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict whose failure was largely attributed to extremists on both sides. The book challenges this conventional wisdom by examining the role of Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers themselves in derailing the peace process. Looking at the role of moderates before and after Oslo, the different agreements and peace proposals they negotiated, and their rhetoric, the book shows that these peacemakers retained an inherent ambivalence toward the peace process and one another. This prevented them and their constituents from committing to the process and achieving a lasting peace. This unique survey shows how the people who drive the peace process can not only undermine it, but also prevent its successful conclusion. By dealing with such an important aspect of negotiation, the book will foster a better understanding of the role of moderates and why peace processes may falter. It will fill a gap in the literature and be a valuable research tool for anyone studying conflict processes, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Middle East politics.

The Minds of Peace Experiment is a small-scale Israeli-Palestinian public negotiating congress. The exercise invites Israeli and Palestinian delegations to publicly negotiate solutions to their struggle over a limited period of sessions. The initiative is designed to demonstrate the peacemaking power of a major public negotiating congress, to evaluate its potential outcomes, and to get support for its establishment. Scholars from different disciplines describe and analyze the enterprise. They provide valuable lessons for improving and elaborating the initiative which has been conducted in major universities around the U.S., Canada and in Israel-Palestine. The intention is to add a fresh perspective to the efforts to build a revolutionary peacemaking process in the Israeli-Palestinian case. The Minds of Peace Experiment is a fascinating laboratory for people-to-people diplomacy and negotiation. The exercise succeeded to demonstrate how people, from all walks of life and the entire political spectrum, can reach peace agreements while their leaders face major problems in their relationship. The book intends to provoke critical and fruitful discussion among those who are interested in negotiation, diplomacy and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This book was published as a special issue of Israel Affairs.

Dr. Effarahs weekly editorials and articles in this volume are based on developing events that took place involving the USA Administrations and their policies of support to Israel in the conflicts among Palestinians, Arabs and Israelis. This book is intended to those students, teachers, politicians, executives, policy makers, and others who are interested or involved in the Middle East. Dr. Effarah interprets these events and policies as reflected by his six years (2007-2012) of writings that started since 1952. As an Arab American independent thinker, he judges events according to their merits while acting as a participant observer to the one-sided American policy toward the Middle East. He records and highlights the facts in an attempt to find the key to unlock the Palestinian, Arab and Israeli conflicts. His personal feelings and interpretations towards the proceedings represent a major part in presenting the events that took place in that period. Dr. Effarah attempts to create a voice for Arab Americans to stand up and be counted and act as an integral part of the American society. He keeps pressing for more American-Arab participation in the political process, for more transparency, and for faster and farther reaching to the Americans hearts and minds by trying to make them understand the Arabs situations, and Arab Christian Patrimony, culture and heritage. Dr. Effarah attempts to create an Arab American balanced policy to reach Americans and convince them that there are special interests groups and influential lobbyists in Washington, D.C. who misinform media and try to spin around while beholding to the fabricated Israeli points of view. To counterbalance the Zionist efforts, Arab Americans should think Palestine and ask the American citizens to find answers for why the American citizens, the taxpayers, give money outright to Israel: more than $8.5 million per day, according to the CIA Factbook in 2012.

Collection of papers and keynote presentations that were delivered at a conference called "Pathways to Peace," which was held in March of 2008.

Conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians has been ongoing since the creation of the state of Israel, a conflict revolving around land-ownership, water politics, human rights, and religious rights. 'Shalom/Salaam/Peace' examines the realities of life in contemporary Israel/Palestine, with its politics, wars, security wall, settlements and ongoing struggles. Having established the historical, scriptural and theological context behind the present situation, the book presents key figures who have promoted peace and justice and explores liberation theology as a way of bringing peace in Israel/Palestine. Combining the history of liberation theology with its lived reality in Israel/Palestine today, 'Shalom/Salaam/Peace' is an illuminating resource for students and scholars of politics and religion.

The second volume of Peacemakers in Action tells the stories of remarkable individuals - peacemakers - across the world who strive to end violence in religiously charged conflicts.

Archbishop Elias Chacour, born in a small Arab village in northern Galilee, experienced the establishment of the State of Israel and the loss of his home when he was eight years old. His parents taught that violence is never an appropriate response to violence, and that Jesus' teachings and example provide a path to reconciliation and peace. Today he is recognized around the world as a peacemaker. He founded schools in Ibillin, Israel, where Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Druze students and teachers learn to respect one another and live together in peace. In this book young readers, as well as adults, are encouraged to become peacemakers wherever they live.