Can Israelis and Palestinians end their long conflict? The shocking violence of current events undermines hope, as does the long history of peace deals sabotaged by extremists on both sides. In this compelling and timely book, the eminent moral philosopher Jonathan Glover argues that one vital step towards progress is to better understand the disturbing psychology of the cycle of violence.Glover explores the psychological flaws that entrap both sides: the urge to respond to wounds or humiliation with backlash; political or religious beliefs held with a rigidity that excludes compromise; and people's identity being shaped by the conflict in ways that make it harder to imagine or even desire alternatives. Drawing on the history of comparable conflicts that eased over time, Glover proposes some ways to gradually weaken the grip of this psychology.Completed as casualties mounted in the latest political and humanitarian crisis, Israelis and Palestinians is essential reading for anyone concerned by the ongoing violence in the Middle East.

AcknowledgementsProloguePart One: The Cycle of ViolenceChapter 1: Disputed HomelandChapter 2: Wounds and BacklashChapter 3: Breaking the Cycle?Chapter 4: Joining the Conversation of MankindPart Two: BacklashChapter 5: The Psychology of BacklashChapter 6: The Illusions of BacklashChapter 7: Collective Guilt: The Role of StereotypesPart Three: Rigid Beliefs and IdentityChapter 8: The Role of Rigid BeliefsChapter 9: Belief Systems: Challenge and ResponseChapter 10: Identity TrapsEpilogueNotesIndex