Reconciliation through education—experiences from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Abstract

This study deals with how to establish positive attitudes and behaviours between Israelis and Palestinians that endure during times of negative shifts in the external conflict. In this study it will be shown that educational projects that bring Israelis and Palestinians together over a longer period of time, and that use the premises of the contact hypothesis, have an increased likelihood of building sustainable relations. The general question is: to what extent are educational projects able to foster new sustainable relations between the participants? The findings from this study indicate that long‐term educational projects can create a positive shift in perceptions of the ‘other’ and can lead to sustainable relations.

Keywords:

• reconciliation
• peace education
• peace building
• contact hypothesis
• Israeli‐Palestinian conflict