Religion in the Palestinian Israeli Conflict

This paper will focus particularly on the act and role that religion plays in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the aspects in which Israel and Palestine combine religion into their countries’ national politics. This paper will also focus on the support of religion on both the Palestinian and Jewish sides targeting the use of deadly force and violence, territorial rights, and the goal (political) to be obtained.

To be able to understand the role played by religion in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it is wiser to have a wider understanding of what the nationalist conflict between the two sides is. It needs to be extensively noted that while the approaches of nationalism is a vital conductor in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, nationalism is not exclusive to either side (Israeli or the Palestinian), as nationalism is a historical experience, scholars ally with the historical development of modernity (society) and the arrival of nation-states (Alter, 1994; Anastasiou, 2008; Anderson, 1995; Gellner, 1983; Hobsbawm, 1990). For this reason it is crucial to compare the basic characteristics of nationalism as a method of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and action of religion within it. The Encyclopedia of Identity, portraits nationalism as one of the main allusion of identity, it mentions an extensive range of identities such as race, class, gender.

However, as a identity formation, nationalism has a outstanding part in conflict through its association with the nation. Religious nationalism is viewed by scholars as one of the most powerful forces in the modern world. The believe of nationalism is implanted in citizens of modern nations. Citizens of nations where national achievements and the diction of politicians of a so-called "interest of the nation," and the symbolic ornaments used by the nations for self-identification (e.g., national anthem, flag) are common innuendo of nationalism as a mutual identity, and creates a national awareness among diverse individuals. While nationalism was fundamental to the forming of modern nations and definitely plays a valuable act when societies face times of crises, nationalism can also be use to lead people and their leaders to glimpse their nation as one who can not be beat and/or disgraced, which will justify the use of violence and force to deal with real recognized attackers (Anastasiou and Broome, 2010).

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