(Non)acknowledgment of rights as a barrier to conflict resolution: Predicting Jewish Israeli attitudes towards the Palestinian demand for national self-determination

Abstract

A major barrier to resolution of asymmetric conflicts is the unwillingness of the stronger side to see the out-group as having the right to national self-determination. In the context of the conflict between Jewish Israelis and Palestinians, we investigate psychological factors related to this barrier. We first review the threat and dehumanization two-factor model that was developed by Maoz and McCauley to explain Jewish Israeli support of aggressive acts towards Palestinians that hinder the resolution of the conflict. Using this model, we then explore the extent to which perceived threat and dehumanization also predict – together with other ideological and demographic variables – Jewish Israeli attitudes towards Palestinian demands for national self-determination. Implications of the findings for the “barriers” approach in settings of asymmetrical conflict are discussed.

Keywords::

• barriers to conflict resolution
• asymmetric conflict
• right for national self-determination
• acknowledgment of rights
• recognition
• threat
• dehumanization
• protracted conflicts
• the Israeli–Palestinian conflict