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Israel under the Shadow of Conflict: A Reappraisal of Current Processes and of Future Repercussions

In cooperation with the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations at the Hebrew University.

The workshop discussed different aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict such as Ethical and Public Opinion; Decision Making; Regional Dimensions; Population Management and Political Violence. The program consisted of lectures and panels on various topics including:

Lecture I: How Ethical is the Palestinian Refusal to Recognize Israel as a Jewish State? - Prof. Amal Jamal, Tel Aviv University

Lecture II: Current Israeli Documentary Cinema and Questions of Ethics - Prof. Raya Morag, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Panel I - Legacies in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:

  • 50 years of Peace Negotiations: Breakthroughs and Failures - Prof. Galia Golan, Prof. Emerita, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Socio-Psychological Barriers to Conflict Resolution - Prof. Daniel Bar Tal, Tel Aviv University.

 Panel II - Israeli Decision Marks and Decision Making:

  • The Polythink Syndrome in Israeli and Palestinian War and Peace Decision - Prof. Alex Mintz, IDC.
  • The Settlements/Occupation Project: Decision Marks Modus Operandi - Mr. Akiva Eldar, Israeli journalist (Al-Monitor).

Panel III - Regional Dimensions and their Effects on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:

  • Recent Arab Revolts and their Effects on State-Society Relations and Middle East Regional Politics - Prof. Emeritus Avraham Sela, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  • Defending Ourselves Against the Wild Beasts: How Israel Copes With Internal and Regional Challenges - Prof. Oren Barak, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

 Panel VII - Palestinian Perspectives:

  • Palestine as Theatre for Colonial and Postcolonial Experiments and Ways Out - Walid Salem, Al-Quds University.
  • Journalism under Fire: Perspectives, Experiences and Practices of Palestinian Journalists at Time of Crisis - Ibrahim Hazboun, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

 Panel VIII - Urban Development in Jerusalem:

  • Height, Planning and Urban Politics: Rethinking Jerusalem's Growth Trajectories - Dr. Gilad Rosen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  • Two State Solution Present Obstacle and Possible Solutions – A Jerusalem Perspective - Prof. Menachem Klein, Bar Ilan University
  • Violence in Jerusalem: Explaining Spatial Variation - Prof. Dan Miodownik, Head the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The workshop participants included the Following Guests: Prof. Andrew Kydd, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Prof. Ben Kiernan, Yale; Prof. Cameron Thies, Arizona State University; Prof. D. Scott Bennett, Penn State; Prof. Emanuele Castano, The New School for Social Research New York;  Prof. Erik Gartzke, Univeristy of California, San Diego; Prof. Fotini Christia, MIT; Prof. Kanchan Chandra, NYU; Prof. Lee Ann Fuji, University of Toronto; Prof. Lee Jussim, Rutgers State University; Prof. Linda Tropp, UMass Amherst; Prof. Michael Horowitz, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. Robert Trager, University of California, Los Angeles

The Local speakers included: Akiva Eldar (Journalist), Prof. Alex Mintz, IDC Herzliya; Prof. Amal Jamal, Tel Aviv University; Prof. Avraham Sela, Hebrew University of Jerusalem;  Prof. Claude Berrebi, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Prof. Dan Miodownik, Head, the Leonard Davis Institute for International

Relations, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Daniel Bar-Tal, Tel Aviv University; Prof.  Daphna Canetti, University of Haifa; Elias Levy Benarroch, (Journalist); ADV. Gaby Lasky; Prof. Gadi Wolfsfeld, Sammy Ofer School of Communication, IDC and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Galia Golan, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Dr. Gilad Rosen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Ifat Maoz, Head, the Swiss Center for Conflict Research, Management and Resolution, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Menachem Klein, Bar Ilan University; Prof. Oren Barak, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Prof. Raya Morag, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Dr. Yael Berda, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

 The participants of the workshop also took part in three guided tours:

  1. A tour of the old city of Jerusalem with Mr. Ben Lev-Kadesh which included: Jaffa Gate, Armenian Quarter, Kardo, The Hurba Synagogue, The Western Wall, Rechov Ha-Guy, Via Dolorosa & The Holy Sepulcher.
  2. Geo-Political Tour of Areas Surrounding Jerusalem with Col. (ret.) Shaul Arieli which included: Tomb of Samuel, Road 443, Mount Scopus & Mount of Olives.
  3. Geo-Political tour of the Golan Heights with Lt. Col. (ret.) Ron Shatzberg which included: Tel Katzir, Tel al-Hama, Kfar Haruv, Observation of Quneitra, Bental Mountain & Majdal Shams.

Conference Chairs: Professor Dan Miodownik, Head, the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations and Professor Ifat Maoz, Head, the Swiss Center for Conflict Research, Management and Resolution.

Organizing Committee: Prof. Dan Miodownik, Head the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations; Prof. Ifat Maoz, Head, the Swiss Center for Conflict Research, Management and Resolution; Chanoch Wolpe; Chagai Weiss

Dates: May 29th – June 2nd 2016
Room 502, Maiersdorf Faculty Club