Why important?
The Israeli Palestinian conflict is deeply emotional and personal to many people. The situation is also highly complex. Words invoke strong reactions due to their historical, political, religious and cultural connotations. The choice of language often shapes how a person or group is perceived whether as an advocate, critic or an idealogue.
How to promote meaningful conversation?
Think before you speak
Ask rather than tell
Be mindful of how words resonate with different groups
Avoid emphasising certain aspects over others
Keep away from loaded terms such as ‘occupation’ and ‘apartheid’
Recognise your own bias and assumptions
What terms can provoke strong reactions?
Genocide, Apartheid, Settlements, Occupation, Zionism, Intifada, Martyrs, Jihad are amongst the words that need to be carefully thought about.
These words may have different connotations for Israeli citizens – Jewish and Arab who live in Israel within the Green Line as distinct from Palestinians and Israelis who live in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Not only in each community but within each community there are many opinions as to the meaning. So, it may be best to discuss the term and listen to the answer before speaking.
How to encourage open-mindedness?
Check tone of voice is gentle and not aggressive
Beware of interrupting and finishing someone else’s sentence
Explore different points of view
Strive for neutral and balanced language
Use language that invites dialogue – ‘what do you think about…..’
‘How do you think that would work…’
What are the benefits?
Avoiding the demonisation of the other community
Learning another perspective
Acknowledging the humanity and legitimate concerns of both communities
Fostering mutual understanding
