Lecture (1 hour inclusive of lecture and Q&A)
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries dominates the news and impacts on the foreign policy of many nations. It is a complex issue with public opinion often heavily influenced by the presentation of this subject in the media.
This lecture will introduce key historical events and perspectives that have contributed to or impacted upon the current situation. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a controversial issue which needs to be examined from a variety of different standpoints to enable students to come to their own conclusions on the matter.
Themes discussed include:
- History of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- Current views on the Two State Solution
- Consideration of the conflict as old or new
- The conflict as an issue of religion or politics
- Discussion of Israeli and Palestinian identity
Seminar (1 hour)
The seminar will further explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on issues raised in the lecture. In particular, students will be presented with source material representing a variety of different attitudes towards the conflict, including that of Palestinians and Israelis, the British government, U.S. presidents and the U.N.
Ultimately, students will be encouraged to try and assess the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from different viewpoints and examine the reasoning behind the different positions from the perspectives of religious belief, national security, international law, political questions and presentation in the media.
Students will be encouraged to challenge any preconceived ideas that they may have about the nature of the conflict, the role of key figures involved in the conflict and also from the international community, and to reach a balanced understanding of the current situation.
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