Toward the Abyss

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict does not appear to be any closer to a resolution, even after decades of continuous struggle. Since the signing of the historic Oslo Accords, the divide between the two sides has devolved to its lowest point yet, which has made the opportunity for peace ever more elusive. The disregard of the psychological dimension of the conflict, continuing occupation, rancorous public narratives, settlements enterprise, use of force, and failure of various peace negotiations over the past twenty years have glaringly demonstrated that the responsibility for the deadlock and the diminishing prospect of reaching a peace agreement any time soon falls squarely on both sides. In this compelling series of essays, Dr. Alon Ben-Meir examines the various underlying issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and ultimately argues that the Israelis and Palestinians must take a hard, critical look at their current situation and decide what they want their future to be: a continuation of violent confrontations, or sustainable peace and security. Dr. Alon Ben Meir is a professor and Senior Fellow at New York University's Center for Global Affairs and at the World Policy Institute. Ben-Meir is an expert on Middle East politics and affairs, specializing in international negotiations and conflict resolution. Ben-Meir hosts "Global Leaders: Conversations with Alon Ben-Meir" with top policy-makers from around the world, held at NYU. He writes a weekly article that appears in scores of newspapers, magazines and websites, and has been featured on networks such as ABC, Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, al Hurra, CNN, and NBC. Ben-Meir has authored eight books and is currently working on a new book about the psychological dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Dr. Ben-Meir holds a master's degree in philosophy and a doctorate in international relations from Oxford University.