Wi'am

"We are living between two extremes: the feeling of hopelessness among the people and the deep concern that a social and political explosion is pending," says Zoughbi Zoughbi, the Palestinian Christian who founded Wi'am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center. "Most Palestinians had so much hope when the Oslo Peace Accords were signed," he adds. "But now people are demoralized. They have lost their hope for peace and justice."

Wi'am means "cordial relationships" in Arabic. The Wi'am Center's formal efforts began in Zoughbi's home, with the help of many volunteers, between 1994 and 1995. The Wi'am staff then believed that all they needed was "a place and a phone." Four and a half years later, after leading hundreds of mediation sessions in private homes--sessions that began in the early morning hours and lasted late into the evenings--they have now transformed an apartment into a Center for Conflict Resolution.

When Wi'am opened its doors in Bethlehem, an authority vacuum existed in West Bank society. The authority of the Israeli military occupation had never been accepted, and there was no clear Palestinian authority outside Gaza and Jericho. Since many of the traditional village leaders (mukhtars) had been appointed by the Israelis during the occupation, their legitimacy was no longer fully accepted.

Although Palestinian autonomy is now extending into most major population centers in the West Bank, in reality 70 percent of the West Bank remains under Israeli military occupation. The Palestinian community has been severely weakened by 32 years of Israeli occupation, and the transition of power to the Palestinian National Authority is being implemented piecemeal, at best. As one consequence of this situation, there is no clear means of resolving disputes within the Palestinian community. It is in this context that the Wi'am Center carries out its work.

Conflicts Based in Economics

As the broader conflict between Israel and Palestine has persisted during the so-called Peace Process, it has given rise to many smaller conflicts within the Palestinian community. Among Palestinians, the economic situation is worsening, thanks to the deprivations caused by the Israeli border closures and by the strict monitoring of people's movements. This absence of freedom creates a scarcity of work and of job opportunities. Palestinians who are able to find work average only one-tenth of the wages Israelis are paid. The resulting economic hardships that Palestinians face give rise to conflicts between family members, neighbors, and employees. There is very little room to develop social or political institutions to address these needs.

A conflict-resolution initiative working mainly with Palestinians has made a critical difference within the broader conflict between Israel and Palestine. "Helping people resolve their personal conflicts," Zoughbi says, "whether they are conflicts between family members, with neighbors or employers, or with educational, health, or other social institutions, preserves and builds the integrity of human relationships. This type of initiative helps preserve Palestinian society and helps people retain faith in nonviolent possibilities. It makes people less susceptible to the appeals of extremist movements, preserves institutional and social self-confidence, and helps nurture a positive atmosphere in which Palestinians take constructive measures regarding matters that affect their lives."

Models of Mediation

The Wi'am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center helps to resolve disputes within the Palestinian community by complementing the traditional Arab form of mediation and reconciliation, called Sulha, with Western models of conflict resolution. When a conflict emerges, Wi'am mediators go to the scene. They bring the parties together and facilitate a process enabling the parties to address the wrong while still "saving face."

Brian Underhill--a Mission Intern with the General Board of Global Ministries who works at Wi'am-- is impressed with all he has learned and experienced through his contacts with the Palestinian community that the center serves. "Wi'am mediators have intervened in more than 1000 conflicts," he reports. "In about 87 percent of these cases, hostilities were ended and the dispute was substantially resolved." Since these conflicts frequently involve extended families, thousands of people have benefited from the center's work.

Besides direct mediation, Wi'am is now training individuals within the community to resolve conflicts and to be aware of issues involving human rights, democracy, and ultimately the need for justice. "Only when we address justice," Zoughbi affirms, "will the cycle of violence be broken." While justice may be long in coming to the Holy Land, Zoughbi nevertheless speaks of "relative justice" or of "a simple portion of integrity." Empowering people so that they learn how to resolve conflicts is one way of gaining that small portion of integrity.

"Conflict resolution has become a community effort," Zoughbi says. "It involves families, youth (who are 60 percent of the Palestinian population), and the local government. Our work proves that disputes can be diminished through cooperation and education."