DISCUSSION 6A:  WHY CAN'T THE ISRAELIS AND THE PALESTINIANS JUST GET ALONG?

INTRODUCTION

For many Jews, the creation of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948 linked them to a sacred history that stretched back more than three thousand years.  For Palestinians, May 1948 is remembered as "al-Nakba" ("The Catastrophe").  Israel would enjoy one day of peace before being plunged into a battle for survival with its Arab neighbours.  Five major wars and two intifadas later, the Israeli-Palestinian divide remains one of the world's fractious and publicized.  Its impact extends well beyond Tel Aviv or Nablus and shapes contemporary geopolitics in powerful ways.

Despite the undeniable suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike, the casualty figures cannot begin to match those of many lesser-known post-World War II conflicts.  To an outsider, interminable discussion about such issues as the Palestinian right of return, the status of Jerusalem, or the fate of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories can seem like tendentious detail that blocks the way to meaningful compromise.  But a solution to the crisis remains as elusive as it did several decades ago.

The readings for this discussion forum do not provide a comprehensive history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  They do, however, offer a focused introduction that attempts to place contemporary developments within a broader framework.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Browse carefully in several of the websites below:

Historical Overviews

Web-Sites

Audio

News Articles

DISCUSSION FORUM

THE PRIMARY QUESTION:  Why can't the Israelis and the Palestinians just get along?.

This software is licensed
under the BC Commons License Opens in new window.