“They Understand Only Force” A Critical Examination of the Erruption of Verbal Violence in a Jewish-Palestinian Dialogue
Ifat Maoz, Дан Бар-Он, Siham Yikya · Peace and Conflict Studies · 2007
This study focuses on an outburst of verbal violence during a Jewish-Palestinian dialogue, aimed at improving the relations between the sides. The turning point was when Waffa, a Palestinian female said to a Jewish male participant: ” …Would you be willing to be friends with a Nazi?” Following up with a clarification of the analogy she is drawing between Nazis and Jews: “I can understand why it is difficult for you to befriend Nazis. Your situation with Nazis that caused you pain and harm is the exact same situation that we have, and this is why I cannot befriend Jews, with what they do to us as we live in this state”. From this point forward the dialogue became highly destructive, with reciprocal exchanges of verbal attacks Through a critical examination of the processes that led up to verbal violence, we hope to contribute to the understanding of intergroup hatred and aggression on both the micro and macro levels of socio-political relations between the sides.