We [Israelis] have developed myths and stories for ourselves. Perhaps there is a grain of truth in them or something understandable, but interests guide this symbolism. This is how I see it. On the other hand, I think whoever wrote the history book I study, or better yet, the Palestinians' history textbooks, has a well defined and vested interest, mentioning an issue only if it seems beneficial for their side.
Michal Eskenazi
39
History
What is this conflict about?
I think this conflict is mostly about myths and symbols, theirs and ours, and less about what is happening on the ground. I'm thinking about the topics that are considered problematic, putting aside the others—such as checkpoints, because I think that's a different matter. Issues that usually come up during negotiations are Jerusalem, the refuges, borders, and security. From what I have read and researched, if you were to separate these issues from the symbolic and cultural framework they are wrapped in, it would be possible to resolve them. We were raised on this conflict and its myths; we were told what is true and what isn't, who is right and who isn't. This goes for both sides, and now it's difficult to repair things. We were raised on history as it is in the eyes of our teachers and it takes time to begin to think in a different way - maybe it doesn't necessarily have to be this way, maybe things can be fixed. The question is, is it really possible? That is the major part of the work, and like anything else, requires time, unlike a political process, which is much simpler. This process exists, we can see it. We [Israelis] have developed myths and stories for ourselves. Perhaps there is a grain of truth in them or something understandable, but interests guide this symbolism. This is how I see it. On the other hand, I think whoever wrote the history book I study, or better yet, the Palestinians' history textbooks, has a well defined and vested interest, mentioning an issue only if it seems beneficial for their side. On the other hand, I can give you a personal example that concerns my family. My parents made aliyah and we have arguments over many things, but I understand that one of the reasons they made aliyah is Zionism, straight up. The Zionism they were raised with is something that I can direct my anger at, but this is what brought them here from Argentina.