Personal Contact Will Help Solve Conflict

By Gid’on Lev
Ha'aretz
October 24. 2025

"Prof Marc Gopin is the author of eight books on conflict resolution and establishing peace, three of which are about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…

"The most important thing at the moment is to build ties between Palestinians and Israelis. To forge friendships, cross-cutting ties with Palestinians who are close to you. To forge one tie at a time, with a heart that is admittedly broken, that has no trust, that is suspicious – but that is also open, is also respectful…

"Prof. Gopin knows quite a few Jews and Arabs who have succeeded in doing that. Indeed, he wrote a book about Jewish and Arab peace activists, titled 'Bridges Across an Impossible Divide: The Inner Lives of Arab and Jewish Peacemakers'…

"'History is not linear,' he continues. 'There are ups and downs, and if we continue to work on bold ideas like peace or freedom or human rights, they can be realized in the long run, as history is showing us…'

"'There are people who are very hurt, and that makes it very difficult to build trust. But habits can be changed, as long as the change is built on a strong foundation of physical security, economic security and social ties of recognition, forgiveness and repentance. What upsets the extremists most is the ties created between communities…'"

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