Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict
Introduction:
The problem in the Middle East, William Ury observes, is that the third side isn't operating. If those conflicts are to be transformed, all ten third side roles are needed.
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
The Third Side in the Middle East
William Ury
Director of the Global Negotiation Project, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School
And people have always said to me, "What about the Middle East, that's the hard one, that's the icon of all conflicts, that's impossible, right?" My answer is, "Have we tried? Have we tried to play the roles we play in even in a single family? Who's healing right now in the Middle East? Where is our really large systematic effort to heal deep wounds? Who's peacekeeping? How much refereeing is there going on, how much dealing with justice and the arbiter? How much needs of the human beings are going on?" If you look at those and those aren't present, don't expect the conflict to be transforming anytime soon. So when we begin to try systematically, then I think we have a chance. So I would sum up by saying perhaps there's no more important challenge facing humanity today than the challenge of conflict and how we deal with our differences. And perhaps there's no more promising approach than the age-old human technology of the third side.
To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice. -- Confucius
Featured Links Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict Karuna Center for Peacebuilding
Other Resources from Beyond Intractability Obstacles Become Part of Opportunity Louis Kriesberg offers President Bush constructive advice on how to overcome severe obstacles that are blocking the Israel/Palestine peace process, by transforming them into opportunities that build trust and peace.
Nobel Peace Prize Winners
Albert John Lutuli Former President of the African National Congress in South Africa, and 1960 Nobel Peace Laureate
The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors c/o Conflict Information Consortium(Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact
