The Relationship between historyand nationalism in the Arab-Israeli conflict

Adopting an “historical sociological†approach, this piece investigates the role of historical narratives in the formation of identities in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. As a “linguistic device†, traditional narratives are framed within a specific paradigm, according to which the “nation†is seen as the only valid expression of senses of belonging. Why and how historical narratives have played a major role in the formation of collective identities in both national movements is the core question of this study. This piece investigates both the “positive†historical narratives as well as the negative identity elements at the core of the building of the national Self. This research shows that the formation of a hegemonic narrative by the conventional Israeli historiography has prevented the reconciliation of both nationalist processes and any future prospects for the resolution of the conflict.