Can the Truth and Reconciliation comission work in Israel?

Philosophy Forums Society, Government, and Economics
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Is it the right process and could the Process work in a Post-Conflict Israel and Palestine to improve relations?

  • Yes, it is the right way to go and it would work in israel?
  • Yes, it is the right way to go but it would never work in israel?
  • No it the wrong way to deal with reconcilliation
0 voters

I recently was involved in an activity about the Truth and Reconciliation council that opperated in South Africa, and the question asked to me at the end was could a simaler process work in a post-conflict Israel and Palestine to improve relations and have a “real peace”.

The question i would like to raise is A) is the Truth and Reconciliation comission the right way to go in any conflict, and b) could it work in post-conflit Israel.

A little backgorund information:
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established as part of a negotiated settlement in a society seeking social cohesion rather than vengeance. The intent was to try to break the cycles of politically inspired violence that so often repeat themselves historically.

When apartheid collapsed, the leaders of this brutally oppressive system in South Africa demanded blanket amnesty for its police and foot soldiers. Also, some survivors and families of victims wanted to know what happened to their loved ones, and who the perpetrators were. They wanted to know those responsible for giving orders to their perpetrators whose actions left them and their loved ones to suffer to the extent they did. Other victims wanted prosecutions. As a compromise, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established and given a mandate to grant amnesty to perpetrators from both sides of the political conflict on a case by case basis, in exchange for full disclosure of the atrocities they committed.

Please note: Please keep your posts to the point and do not turn this into a pro or anti israel/palestinian message board.

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bobson asked:

in response to (A): a truth and rec. commission was aslo established in Chile, to deal with the brutal regime of pinochet that ruled from 1973-1989. this commission was/is not successful for two reasons:

  1. the pinochet government itself refuses to be truthful to any authority about its actions and firmly believes that it violated no human rights.
  2. a respectable percentage of people still support the pinochet government/military coup and do not recognize the actions as being in violation of any rights.

i think that the reason the truth and rec. commission worked in south africa is because these obstacles were not present; the rulers encouraged and were supportive of such a procedure and the majority of people wanted this.

so that leads me to part two of your question; should it work in isreal/palestine. yes. when both governments are willing to be culpable, honest and open about their actions, and when the majority of peope on both sides are able to support their governments in this event. i do not see this in the region today, and cannot fathom how this step can be taken until the boundaries are resolved.