Yvonne Margaretha Wang How Can Religion Contribute to Peace in the Holy Land? A Study of Religious Peacework in Jerusalem University of Oslo 2011 This work is dedicated to the memory of Sheikh Bukhari and Daniel Rossing Contents 1 Contents Preface ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 9 1 The Theme of the Study – and Its Delimitations.................................................................. 9 2 The Research Issues and Questions .................................................................................. 11 3 Selected Organizations – and the Criteria for Selection of Source Material ................... 12 4 Previous Research ............................................................................................................. 14 5 Theories, and Basic Concepts – Introduction ................................................................... 15 6 The Outline of the Study .................................................................................................... 20 Part I: Background Material, Previous Research, Theories and Method ....................... 23 1 Religious Peacebuilding in the Holy Land ........................................................................ 24 1.1 Why Religious Peacebuilding in the Holy Land? ........................................................... 25 1.1.1 The Holy Land and the three Monotheistic Faiths .............................................................. 25 1.1.2 Stereotypes and Prejudices in the Social Sphere ................................................................. 34 1.2 Previous Empirical Research and Historical Background ............................................ 36 1.2.1 Previous Empirical Research ............................................................................................... 37 1.2.2 Historical Background Constructed ..................................................................................... 42 2 Analytical Framework ........................................................................................................ 51 2.1 Basic Concepts ............................................................................................................... 52 2.1.1 Religious Peacebuilding and Peacebuilding ........................................................................ 53 2.1.2 Contested Sacred Space and Eliadean Sacred Space ........................................................... 60 2.2 The Religious Potential in Peacework ........................................................................... 62 2.2.1 The Monotheistic Traditions................................................................................................ 63 2.2.2 The Religious Potential in an Interreligious Setting ............................................................ 67 3 A Critical Approach ............................................................................................................ 72 3.1 Asymmetry and Peacebuilding ....................................................................................... 73 3.1.1 Asymmetrical Conflicts ....................................................................................................... 73 3.1.2 Asymmetry in Organizational Peacework ........................................................................... 75 3.2 A Critical Approach to Dialogue ................................................................................... 77 3.2.1 Dialogue and Radical Disagreement.................................................................................... 78 3.2.2 Dialogue and Liberation Theology ...................................................................................... 83 4 A Qualitative Research ....................................................................................................... 86 4.1 Method ............................................................................................................................ 87 4.1.1 Methodological Considerations ........................................................................................... 88 2 How Can Religion Contribute to Peace in the Holy Land? 4.1.2 Sample of Data .................................................................................................................... 90 4.2 Analytical Considerations .............................................................................................. 93 4.2.1 Analytical Considerations .................................................................................................... 93 4.2.2 A Critical Approach ............................................................................................................. 96 Part II Presentation of the Research Material .................................................................... 99 5 Rabbis for Human Rights ................................................................................................. 100 5.1 Mission and Motivation ................................................................................................ 101 5.2 Activities and cooperation ............................................................................................ 108 6 Sabeel .................................................................................................................................. 114 6.1 Mission and Motivation ................................................................................................ 115 6.2 Activities and Cooperation ........................................................................................... 122 7 Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel ................................................................ 128 7.1 Mission and Motivation ................................................................................................ 129 7.2 Activities and Cooperation ........................................................................................... 133 8 PASSIA – Religious Unit .................................................................................................. 142 8.1 Mission and Motivation ................................................................................................ 144 8.2 Activities and Cooperation ........................................................................................... 150 9 Interfaith Encounter Association ..................................................................................... 158 9.1 Mission and Motivation ................................................................................................ 159 9.2 Activities and Cooperation ........................................................................................... 166 10 Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations ....................................................... 171 10.1 Mission and Motivation .............................................................................................. 172 10.2 Activities and Cooperation ......................................................................................... 177 11 Jerusalem Peacemakers .................................................................................................. 183 11.1 Mission and Motivation .............................................................................................. 185 11.2 Activities and Cooperation ......................................................................................... 191 12 Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land ...................................................... 197 12.1 Mission and Motivation .............................................................................................. 198 12.2 Activities and Cooperation ......................................................................................... 206 Part III Analysis, Evaluation, and Conclusion .................................................................. 211 13 Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 212 13.1 What kind of organization is this?.............................................................................. 212 13.1.1 Analyzing each organization ........................................................................................... 213 Contents 3 13.1.2 Comparative Approach .................................................................................................... 229 13.2 How does it try to activate the religious potential in its peacework? ........................ 233 13.2.1 Analysis of each organization .......................................................................................... 233 13.2.2 Comparative approach ..................................................................................................... 253 14 Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 258 14.1 How does it deal with the issue of asymmetry? .......................................................... 258 14.1.1 Evaluation of each organization ...................................................................................... 258 14.1.2 Comparative approach ....................................................................................................