Barriers to Progress at the Negotiation Table: Internal Conflicts among Israelis and among Palestinians

A profound paradox characterizes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: While the outline of a two-state solution that would better serve the interests of most Israelis and most Palestinians is reasonably clear, leaders of both parties are unable to reach agreement across the negotiation table this seemingly intractable, often violent, conflict persists. Indeed, during the five years since the collapse of the Oslo peace process, more than 1000 Israelis and 3000 Palestinians have died in renewed violence. We believe the essential explanation for this paradox relates to profound internal conflicts among Israeli Jews on the one hand, and among Palestinians on the other. These "behind the table" conflicts within each community stand as barriers to progress at the negotiation table.