The Discourse of Palestinian-Israeli Relations Persistent Analytics and Practices

This Foucault-inspired analysis of the degeneration of the Oslo Process into direct Palestinian-Israeli violence critically examines the ideas and practices that define Palestinian-Israeli relations. The text offers a radically different peace proposal that moves far beyond exhausted calls for confidence-building measures and/or an end to settlement construction.

Many observers have portrayed the Oslo Process as a milestone in the peacemaking process between Palestinians and Israelis. In this controversial and groundbreaking new work, McMahon challenges the interpretation of the Oslo Process as a breakthrough or new beginning in Palestinian-Israeli relations. He argues that the Oslo Process affected no discursive or non-discursive change and that the Oslo Process in fact institutionalized the analytics practices involved in Israeli and Palestinian relations. It should, McMahon concludes, be no surprise that the process ended with direct Palestinian-Israeli violence. This book will be crucial reading for scholars of Israeli and Palestinian relations as well as anyone who is interested in understanding what discursive change must occur for peace between Israel and Palestinians to be established and sustained.