[MES Forum] Updated Resources on Israel/Palestine

[McClimans, Melinda]

Dear MES Forum,

We have two new sources we will add to our “Resources for Learning about the Israel-Palestinian Conflict<https://mesc.osu.edu/news/resources-learning-about-israel-palestinian-conflict>” blog post.  Thanks so much to Tomas Mora, PhD Student in the Department of Political Science for suggesting these and providing brief reviews.

Shattered Dreams of Peace | Israeli-Palestinian Relations After Oslo (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt3PpqaLfxo&rco=1
Summary:
This Frontline Documentary remains an essential reminder of how complex it is to find a political solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The Oslo Accords, although failed, showcased how two hopeful leaders reimagined the conflict and aimed to find a solution. Working tirelessly, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat were able to sign the Oslo Accord and were eager to have it implemented. However, due to implementation errors, tit-for-tat military responses, and deep unresolved grievances, the Oslo Accords failed to present a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

This documentary also serves to highlight the political ambitions of Israeli and Palestinian groups and politicians as each navigated the retrenchment of the proposed deal. The failure to build trust and reconciliation ultimately undermined the facilitation process, leading to the Second Intifada. The documentary also examined the U.S. role in the peace process and includes interviews with key figures from both sides of the negotiating table, including Benjamin Netanyahu, Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Saeb Erekat , and Ehud Barak.

Israel’s Second Front (full documentary) | Amid War in Gaza, Tensions Rise in West Bank | FRONTLINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHc-ldM9fzM&t=88s
Summary:

Ramita Navai evaluates the rising tensions between Palestinians in the West Bank and Israelis. In this documentary, Navai interviews a diverse range of individuals from the West Bank and Israel to explore the growing support for Hamas and other militant groups within the West Bank and its expected backlash. Before the October 7th attack, Hamas did not have a significant presence in the West Bank. However, solidarity with Gaza, the inefficacy and corruption of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Israeli interference—through settlement expansion and military incursions—have contributed to a political shift away from the PA toward other political parties and militant groups. As a result, there is increasing pressure on Fatah—the largest political party within the PA—to restructure and strengthen its position.

Navai manages to succinctly provide a clear glimpse into the complex nature of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict beyond that of Gaza. As tensions simmer within the West Bank, increased pressure is placed on different leaders to resolve unfair and unjust policies. The difficulty in engaging in any solution revolves around the Israeli’s consistent policy with illegal settlement expansions. The grievances experienced will continue to undermine the authority of the PA, as expectations for solutions rise.



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/private/middleeaststudiesforum/attachments/20250217/f0051ea0/attachment.html>