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Legitimization and Feelings towards the Narrative

Of the “Other” among Arab and Jewish

Adolescents in Israel: Between Peace Talks and

Violent Events

Prof. Shifra Sagy

Ben Gurion University of the Negev

Program of Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management

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One of the major challenges for the process of peace

building is to overcome the rigid structure of the socio-

psychological repertoire that accompanies it (Bar-Tal, 2007;

Kelman, 2007).

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The aim of our longitudinal study was to examine one

element of this repertoire among Jewish and Arab

adolescents in Israel

Our study relates to the psychological elements of

cognitive legitimacy and emotional reactions

(empathy, anger) towards the historical narrative of

the opponent.

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We focused our question on the impact of the socio-political

context and the role of the violent reality in the development of

the psychological barriers toward peaceful conflict resolution:

Between Oslo peace talks and the violent events of the Second

Lebanon War.

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Central points in the Israeli – Palestinian conflict

• Balfour Declaration of 1917

• Holocaust

• 1948 War

• Oslo Accords

• The assassination of Prime Minister Rabin

• October 2000 violent events in the Arab villages in northern Israel

• Second Lebanon War

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Four stages of the study

•The peace talks following the Oslo Accords (1999-2000)

•The violent events of the Al-Aksa Intifada (2002)

•Arafat’s death and the evacuation of Israeli settlements in the

Gaza Strip (2005)

•The Second Lebanon War (2007)

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• Many Jewish-Israelis view the Holocaust as the greatest

tragedy that ever happened to any nation and this fact provides

justification for establishing a Jewish state for the Jews.

How do you feel about their attitude?

• Many Palestinians view the Holocaust as a tragedy of the

Jewish people that does not justify inflicting suffering on the

Palestinian people.

How do you feel about their attitude?

The Narratives Questionnaire

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• Many Jewish-Israelis view the 1948 war as an important event

marking their survival and independence.

How do you feel about their attitude?

• Many Palestinians view the 1948 war as a disaster/catastrophe.

How do you feel about their attitude?

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1. I think that their attitude is founded on historical facts.

2. I feel their attitude is legitimate.

3. I feel empathy for their attitude.

4. I feel angry about their attitude.

5. I feel shame about their attitude.

6. I feel proud about their attitude.

7. Their attitude is not relevant for me.

8. I know little about this event.

9. We have discussed this event in school.

Not at all

true

Not so

true

Some-what true

True Very true

1 2 3 4 5

Answer Items

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Demographic characteristics of Israeli Jews and Arabs in the four stages of the study

1999 - 2000 2002 2004 - 2005 2007

Jews Arabs Jews Arabs Jews Arabs Jews Arabs

n 1188 575 1001 531 545 365 291 201

Gender

Male 40% 41% 41% 43% 47% 35% 51% 37.2%

Female 60% 59% 59% 57% 53% 65% 49% 62.8%

Class

10th Grade 55% 52% 55% 50% 52% 54% 55% 53.5%

12th Grade 45% 48% 45% 50% 48% 46% 45% 46.5%

Religion

Jews 96% - 98% - 96% - 87% -

Muslims - 77% - 84% - 68% - 98%

Christians - 23% - 16% - 32% - 2%

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Legitimization of the “other’s” narrative

1

2

3

4

5

1999 2002 2004 2007

Israeli Jews

Israeli Arabs

High

Low

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Feelings of empathy towards the “other’s” narrative

1

2

3

4

5

1999 2002 2004 2007

Israeli Jews

Israeli Arabs

High

Low

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Anger towards the “other’s” narrative

1

2

3

4

5

1999 2002 2004 2007

Israeli JewsIsraeli Arabs

High

Low

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While considering the adolescents’ answers regarding legitimization towards their own and the other’s narrative, we formed four groups of respondents:

1.Respondents who were ready to accept both narratives as legitimate.

2.Respondents who were ready to legitimate only their own collective narrative.

3.Respondents who were ready to legitimate only the other group’s narrative.

4.Respondents who were not ready to legitimate any of the narratives.

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Levels of Legitimization of narratives

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1999 2002 2004 2007

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1999 2002 2004 2007

Israeli Jews Israeli Arabs

Both narratives are legitimateNeither of the narratives is legitimate

Only my group’s narrative is legitimateOnly the other group’s narrative is legitimate

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There was a significant decrease in both groups in their readiness to legitimate the other group’ when violent events increased (years 2002 and 2007).

This was found to be a gradual process among the Jews, which appeared as most prominent immediately after theSecond Lebanon War.

Among the Israeli-Arabs, the decrease in their readiness tolegitimate the Jewish narrative appeared only after the periodof the violent events of 2000.

Results

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The results of both groups suggest a possible impact of the violent reality on the adolescents’ perceptions of the “other”.

Differential tendencies in the two groups of adolescents have emerged as the political reality has changed.

Results - Summary

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The results suggest the impact of peace talks by leaders in

the intractable conflict on the change of perceptions of young

adolescents towards a greater openness to legitimacy of the

narrative of the opponent.

At the same time, our results indicate the potential role of

violent reality in reducing the openness towards the “other”.

Thus, our longitudinal study hints at the possibility of “top-

down” direction in the vicious circle of conflicts.

Summary

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