Arab-Israeli Relations

An Education Track for the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process
September 2009 | Peace Briefing by Barbara Zasloff, Adina Shapiro, and A. Heather Coyne

Education plays a critical role in preparing communities for change and has made important contributions to post-conflict reconciliation in numerous war-torn societies, yet education issues have largely been excluded from past efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  A new USIP report argues why an education track should be included in the negotiations phase and in the text of an agreement itself, and puts forward practical recommendations on how Israelis and Palestinians – and the international community – can move forward with a successful peace process that incorporates education.

Hamas: Ideological Rigidity and Political Flexibility
June 2009 | Special Report | Paul Scham and Osama Abu-Irshaid
A new USIPeace Briefing examines how the parties and international mediators can create an education track for the peace process that would create opportunities for more effective mediation and increase the chances for success of the process overall. The report recommends ways third party mediators can assist Israelis and Palestinians by addressing education in the peace agreement itself; building a role in the respective ministries to address the effects of the continuing violent conflict; and developing mechanisms in which frustrations arising from implementing a peace agreement itself can be discussed and facilitated within the network of schools. Authors Barbara Zasloff, Adina Shapiro, and USIP’s A. Heather Coyne argue how teachers and schools can play vital roles in defusing tensions and helping the youth understand their evolving environment and find places for themselves within it. Positioned to change attitudes and teach new skills, schools have exceptional outreach to all levels of society, the authors conclude.

Reconstructing Gaza – Lessons from Lebanon
March 2009 | USIPeace Briefing | Alistair Harris
As the international community continues to debate humanitarian assistance to Gaza, USIP examines "Reconstructing Gaza – Lessons from Lebanon" by Beirut-based Alistair Harris, a Deployable Civilian Expert for the British Government’s Stabilisation Unit. Harris argues that donors should avoid the temptation to adopt a mechanistic, one size fits all solution. "In the rush to rebuild what was destroyed, it should be remembered," writes Harris, "that the major catalysts for this conflict were political and economic. As such, the reconstruction effort must ensure that viable employment initiatives form part of the post-conflict stabilization plan. This was very much a man-made humanitarian disaster," concludes the report. "If the underlying issues are not addressed, unfortunately renewed conflict would seem inevitable."